Jade … the very name evokes romance. This gemstone has been very much part of people's lives in Japan since the prehistoric Jomon period. It sparkles with a range of fabulous colors … sometimes white, other times green or purple. The ancients believed the stone was the source of spiritual power, and used in ceremonial beads known as "magatama". It also features in the crown adorning an 8th century Buddhist statue at Nara's Todai-ji Temple. For some reason, jade then lost its preeminent place. It had to wait 12 centuries to be rediscovered. We try to unravel the mystery behind this. And we also take a look at creations in confectionary, glass and other materials inspired by the luster of jade.
