Place “Zen” (Japanese) Furniture
So, you want to make your island give off an old-fashioned Japanese vibe? Unsurprisingly, you’re going to need tons of Japanese furniture – in game this series of items is called “Zen”. In particular, you’ll really need the Zen Fence, so check your Nook Stop every day for fences!
Use Island Designer To Lay Down Stone Paths
Once you unlock the Island Designer tool, you’ll be able to change the path tiles on your island. For this theme, we recommend you use the Stone Path, as it fits well with this theme. You could also use Custom Designs to make flooring more similar to a mossy Zen garden as well!
Grow Lots Of Bamboo
Growing bamboo trees next to your stone paths will really add to that Japanese-style atmosphere you’re going for! Try placing a lot of similar bamboo furniture as well!
- Bamboo (You need to plant Bamboo shoots if you want to grow Bamboo.)
- Go On Mystery Island Tour
- Bamboo Shoots:
- In order to get Bamboo Shoots, look for a star icon on the ground next to some bamboo. You can get Bamboo Shoots by digging on top of that star icon. Or Get Bamboo Shoots From Daisy Mae If you spend lot of money purchase Turnips from Daisy Mae, you can get Bamboo Shoots via mail. Daisy Mae comes to your island every Sunday.
- Get Bamboo Shoots Once Only – When you plant Bamboo on your island, once fully grown, the tree will produce a Bamboo Shoot near it once only in its entire lifetime. If you need more Bamboo or Bamboo Shoots, you need to find a bamboo island or get them from Daisy Mae.
- Young Spring Bamboo: Young spring bamboo will drop by chopping bamboo trees only during Spring! These are time-limited, seasonal items so make sure to farm them before Spring ends!
- Season Changes Per Hemisphere:
- North – Feb. 25 to May 31
- South – Aug. 25 to Nov. 30
How To Get Bamboo DIY Recipes
- Pop Balloons During Spring Season
- North: 2/25 – 5/31
- South: 8/25 – 11/30
If you pop balloons during the spring season on either hemisphere, you’ll have a chance to get Bamboo DIY recipes. Take note that it’s possible to get duplicates of DIY recipes you already know.
Make Bridges And Stairs Out Of Stone
Try making your bridges and stairs out of stone as well. There are also 2 “Zen” bridges you could use!
- Stone staircase:
- 168,000 Bells
- Stone bridge:
- 168,000 Bells
- Red zen bridge
- 228,000 Bells
- Zen bridge
- 228,000 Bells
Matching Furniture Sets To Use – 4 Sets That Work Well With A Japanese Theme
- Cherry Blossom
- North: 4/1〜4/10
- South: 10/1〜10/10
- Young Spring Bamboo
- North: 2/25~5/31
- South: 8/25~11/31
- Bamboo
- TBD
- Maple Leaf
- North: 11/16~11/25
- South: 5/16~5/26
When you think of Japan, what comes to mind? Probably the beautiful pink colors of the Cherry Blossom! In addition to that, seasonal furniture, including things made of bamboo fit in well with the aesthetic. Japan also experiences wonderful autumn leaves, so including some red maple leaf furniture for color contrast is also a good idea.
Japanese Style Wallpaper and Flooring
- Backyard lawn
- Message bottle or balloon
- Weeds x30
- Message bottle or balloon
- Gold screen wall
- Message bottle or balloon
- Gold nugget x2
- Screen wall x1
- Message bottle or balloon
List Of Japanese / Zen Furniture
- Pot
- TBD
- Clay x5
- TBD
- Broom and dustpan
- Nook’s Cranny
- –
- Nook’s Cranny
- Pagoda
- Reward from helping Gulliver
- –
- Reward from helping Gulliver
- Kettle
- Nook’s Cranny
- –
- Nook’s Cranny
- Wooden fish
- Message bottle or balloon
- Wood x3
- Message bottle or balloon
- Pile of zen cushions
- Buy:
- Sell:
- Message bottle or balloon
- Stone lion
- Message bottle or balloon
- Rock x24
- Message bottle or balloon
- Tanuki ornament
- Message bottle or balloon
- Clay x6
- Message bottle or balloon
- Oil barrel bathtub
- Message bottle or balloon
- Oil barrel x1
- Campfire x1
- Rock x2
- Message bottle or balloon
- Bonsai shelf
- Message bottle or balloon
- Cherry Bonsai x1
- Pine Bonsai x1
- Wood x8
- Message bottle or balloon
- Common rock
- Message bottle or balloon
- Rock x15
- Message bottle or balloon
- Zen gravestone
- Message bottle or balloon
- Rock x30
- Message bottle or balloon
- Stone water receptacle
- Message bottle or balloon
- Rock x10
- Message bottle or balloon
- Spinning top
- TBD
- Gold ornament x1
- Hardwood x1
- TBD
- Beckoning cat
- Reward from helping Gulliver
- –
- Reward from helping Gulliver
- Golden beckoning cat
- Message bottle or balloon
- Gold nugget x2
- Beckoning cat x1
- Message bottle or balloon
- Bamboo basket
- Message bottle or balloon
- Young spring bamboo x6
- Message bottle or balloon
- Laundry bucket
- Message bottle or balloon
- Softwood x3
- Message bottle or balloon
- Outdoor Bath
- Buy with Nook Miles
- Rock x20
- Shovel x1
- Buy with Nook Miles
- Hearth
- DIY Recipe pack
- Bamboo x2
- Iron Nugget x5
- Clay x5
- Hardwood x5
- DIY Recipe pack
- Tall Garden Rock
- Message bottle or balloon
- Rock x60
- Message bottle or balloon
- Kettle bathtub
- Message bottle or balloon
- Iron Nugget x8
- Wood x2
- Campfire x1
- Message bottle or balloon
- Gong
- Message bottle or balloon
- Iron Nugget x6
- Wood x5
- Message bottle or balloon
- Stone tablet
- Nook Miles
- Rock x12
- Nook Miles
- Simple well
- Nook Miles
- Rock x15
- Flimsy Shovel x1
- Nook Miles
- Street stall
- Nook Miles
- Wood x12
- Nook Miles
- Scarecrow
- Message bottle or balloon
- Branch x3
- Weeds x5
- Message bottle or balloon
- Mossy garden rock
- Message bottle or balloon
- Rock x1
- Weeds x15
- Message bottle or balloon
- Zabuton pile
- Message bottle or balloon
- Zabuton x3
- Message bottle or balloon
- Stone lion
- Message bottle or balloon
- Rock x24
- Message bottle or balloon
- Tatami chair
- Nook’s Cranny
- –
- Nook’s Cranny
- Retro fan
- Nook’s Cranny
- –
- Nook’s Cranny
- Oriental toilet
- Nook’s Cranny
- –
- Nook’s Cranny
- Katana
- Reward from helping Gulliver
- –
- Reward from helping Gulliver
List Of Japanese Style Wall Ornaments
- Wooden plank sign
- TBD
- Hardwood x5
- TBD
List Of Japanese Style Fences
- Zen Fence
- Buy with Nook Miles
- Iron Nugget x3
- Clay x3
- Rock x3
- Buy with Nook Miles
- Stone Wall
- Buy with Nook Miles
- Rock x4
- Buy with Nook Miles
But I think there are a few more items that can go on the list that are not mentioned here.
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