The street art scene in Tokyo
Mention street art in Tokyo, and anyone familiar with the city will wonder what you’re talking about. Sharp eyed observers might have spotted a few…
Life
The beauty of nature in Japan transcends the moment
Among residents, Japan is known as the “country of God.” One of the reasons behind this saying is that the country is home to various…
What did old Edo look like?
Tokyo is built on the site of the old city of Edo. There are few traces of the old city, but the street pattern of…
Deep snow on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route best seen in June
With temperatures steadily climbing in lowland Japan, it’s worth bearing in mind that the Japan Alps offer a welcome break from the heat of late…
Tea Mindfulness at Jōbokuin Temple with CHA-Link and Rica Takeuchi, Miss Tea Ambassador
A couple of weeks ago, I got invited for a tea mindfulness experience conducted by CHA-Link and my dear friend, Rica Takeuchi, who is also the founder of CHA-Link….
SHIBUYA109 Lab reveals results from Generation Z Gender Awareness survey
Though this year has seen Japan move up from 121st place to ranking in at 120 (out of a total of 156), Japan’s Gender Gap…
The Japanese stars Yui Aragaki and Gen Hoshino are getting married for real!
Actors Yui Aragaki (新垣 結衣) and Gen Hoshino (星野 源) declared in a post on Instagram that they are officially getting married. この投稿をInstagramで見る Gén Hoshino…
Thatch: humble yet elegant roofing material in search of a new lease of life
In England and Denmark, there are still entire villages of thatched houses. While it is expensive to thatch a roof in those countries, it is…
A visit to Obuse: chestnuts and handicrafts in the mountains of Nagano prefecture
The little town of Obuse 小布施町 in Nagano prefecture is known for its chestnuts, which have inspired dishes such as chestnut-flavoured ice cream, crepes and…
Mindfulness-seeking visitors to “UNBORN” unwind with isolation tanks, meditation, and art
I don’t know about you, but I could use a break. With the pandemic sadly picking up in Japan as of late, a trip to…
Japanese company makes world’s first glass faithfully reproducing elephant skin texture
SHIWA LAB, a new brand established by Japanese design company Q.I Inc., has created the world’s first glass with a surface reproducing the texture of…
How Akihabara went from consumer electronics mecca to capital of ‘Cool Japan’
Akihabara has changed a great deal in the last 25 years. Back in the early ’90s, when Japanese electronics makers dominated the world and the…
Mitsukoshi Isetan suggests o-chūgen summer gifts with a “sustainable” focus this year
Summer gifts in Japan: O-chūgen Traditionally, there are two seasons for gift giving in Japan, お歳暮 oseibo (which means “year-end”) in winter and o-chūgen お中元…
Will Japan’s Extended State of Emergency Work For or Against the Tokyo Olympics?
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has said the Tokyo Olympics will be “a light at the end of the tunnel.” Will that light ever…
Japanese craft gin from Iki Island cuts food loss using oft-wasted parts of local fruits & veggies
Iki Retreat Kairi Murakami Iki Retreat Kairi Murakami 壱岐リトリート 海里村上 is a luxury hot spring inn with sublime sea views and blissful hot spring baths…