Lifestyle

From Japan to Los Angeles Homes: How Kado Blends Tradition with Modern Taste

Published

12 months ago

January 9, 2025

Michelle Langton

Photo Credit: KADO

Byline: Katreen David

When the doors to Kado opened in Los Angeles, they did not just swing open to another retail shop inspired by Japan. With walls lined with handcrafted ceramics, bamboo trays, and elegant decor, the store transports customers halfway across the world into an atmosphere of quiet sophistication and timeless elegance.

Herbert Johnson, Kado’s representative in Japan, describes the store as “a labor of love.” The brand intends not just to sell items but to celebrate Japan’s unique ability to merge functionality with art. “Our goal,” Johnson explains, “is to make it a space where people do not just find beautiful items, but also feel connected to a deeper cultural experience.”

In Los Angeles, a city known for its fusion of global cultures, the novelty store has found an audience that craves authenticity in its home decor. However, unlike many home goods stores, Kado is intentional about each product on its shelves. The team’s keen eye for traditional and modern art ensures that every piece reflects the brand’s values: items that embody traditional Japanese craftsmanship yet cater to modern American tastes.

Crafting a Niche in a Competitive Market

The growing market for home goods from Japan and other East Asian nations is fierce. Yet, Kado stands apart by doubling down on what Johnson describes as “cultural authenticity.” While many competitors might lean on trends or commercialized versions of “Zen-inspired” decor, Kado highlights pieces rooted in genuine Japanese traditions.

“Every piece in our store tells a story,” Johnson explains, reflecting on the significance behind the brand’s curated selections. “Our customers appreciate that connection to Japanese craftsmanship—they can see the quality and feel it. When they shop at Kado, they are buying and owning a piece of that culture.”

Bestsellers like the Shinrin-Yoku AM・PM Mists exemplify this approach. The mists are named after the Japanese practice of “forest bathing,” designed to bring the calming essence of Japan’s natural scapes indoors. In these small bottles, customers find more than just a home fragrance; they discover a sense of calm, a nod to Japan’s reverence for nature, and an invitation to partake in a mindful experience, all within their own living spaces.

Japan to the World: Beyond the Threshold

As the brand establishes itself in Los Angeles, its ambitions do not stop there. The brand plans to expand its product range and build exclusive collaborations with Japanese artisans, bringing even more unique and high-quality items to the U.S. market. For this Asian brand, growth is not simply about scaling up; it is about deepening its commitment to preserving and sharing Japanese craftsmanship with a broader audience.

“Our long-term goal is to make Kado the go-to destination in the U.S. for authentic Japanese home goods,” Johnson shares. “We want to offer a variety of items that speak to different tastes and needs, from the design aficionados to those just discovering Japanese culture.” Beyond the physical storefront, the brand is also exploring the possibility of e-commerce, aiming to reach those who might not have access to the store in Los Angeles but still seek its unique offerings.

In a retail world often defined by the fleeting nature of trends, Kado mirrors the enduring allure of culture and craftsmanship, connecting the space between Japan and Los Angeles.

Lifestyle

Wanda Knight on Blending Culture, Style, and Leadership Through Travel

Published

6 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Michelle Langton

The best lessons in leadership do not always come from a classroom or a boardroom. Sometimes they come from a crowded market in a foreign city, a train ride through unfamiliar landscapes, or a quiet conversation with someone whose life looks very different from your own.

Wanda Knight has built her career in enterprise sales and leadership for more than three decades, working with some of the world’s largest companies and guiding teams through constant change. But ask her what shaped her most, and she will point not just to her professional milestones but to the way travel has expanded her perspective. With 38 countries visited and more on the horizon, her worldview has been formed as much by her passport as by her resume.

Travel entered her life early. Her parents valued exploration, and before she began college, she had already lived in Italy. That experience, stepping into a different culture at such a young age, left a lasting impression. It showed her that the world was much bigger than the environment she grew up in and that adaptability was not just useful, it was necessary. Those early lessons of curiosity and openness would later shape the way she led in business.

Sales, at its core, is about connection. Numbers matter, but relationships determine long-term success. Wanda’s time abroad taught her how to connect across differences. Navigating unfamiliar places and adjusting to environments that operated on different expectations gave her the patience and awareness to understand people first, and business second. That approach carried over into leadership, where she built a reputation for giving her teams the space to take ownership while standing firmly behind them when it mattered most.

The link between travel and leadership becomes even clearer in moments of challenge. Unfamiliar settings require flexibility, quick decision-making, and the ability to stay calm under pressure. The same skills are critical in enterprise sales, where strategies shift quickly and no deal is ever guaranteed. Knight learned that success comes from being willing to step into the unknown, whether that means exploring a new country or taking on a leadership role she had not originally planned to pursue.

Her travels have also influenced her eye for style and her creative pursuits. Fashion, for Wanda, is more than clothing; it is a reflection of culture, history, and identity. Experiencing how different communities express themselves, from the craftsmanship of Italian textiles to the energy of street style in cities around the world, has deepened her appreciation for aesthetics as a form of storytelling. Rather than keeping her professional and personal worlds separate, she has learned to blend them, carrying the discipline and strategy of her sales career into her creative interests and vice versa.

None of this has been about starting over. It has been about adding layers, expanding her perspective without erasing the experiences that came before. Wanda’s story is not one of leaving a career behind but of integrating all the parts of who she is: a leader shaped by high-stakes business, a traveler shaped by global culture, and a creative voice learning to merge both worlds.

What stands out most is how she continues to approach both leadership and life with the same curiosity that first took her beyond her comfort zone. Each new country is an opportunity to learn, just as each new role has been a chance to grow. For those looking at her path, the lesson is clear: leadership is not about staying in one lane; it is about collecting experiences that teach you how to see, how to adapt, and how to connect.

As she looks to the future, Wanda Knight’s compass still points outward. She will keep adding stamps to her passport, finding inspiration in new cultures, and carrying those insights back into the rooms where strategy is shaped and decisions are made. Her legacy will not be measured only by deals closed or positions held but by the perspective she brought, and the way she showed that leading with a global view can change the story for everyone around you.