Cheap and delicious karaage is popular with foreign tourists If you’ve ever visited an izakaya (Japanese tapas bar or gastropub), you’ve probably seen karaage on…

Stunningly gorgeous photography of Kyoto shows why it remains one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Often celebrated as a popular tourist spot…

Most major cities in Japan have their share of cafes that were established in the Showa Era and have weathered the changing times by maintaining…

Traditional Japanese sweets or ‘wagashi’ are experiencing a boom overseas as interest in Japanese culture grows. Japanese desserts are usually paired with green tea and…

Japan’s stunning natural scenes make for a breathtaking spring every year, whichever part of the country you’re in. But it seems Nara is aiming for…

The international popularity of bonsai, the art of producing miniature trees through cultivation techniques, seems to be growing in recent years. The bonsai boom reached…

If you want the convenience of sake dispensed on demand but also seek to enjoy numerous varieties of sake, there is a paradise waiting for…

In the historical sumo area of Ryogoku, there’s an odd piece of architecture. Although it might look like something out of Star Wars, this building…

The largest Pokemon Center in Japan yet, dubbed Pokemon Center Tokyo DX (the DX stands for deluxe), recently opened in the Takashimaya department store in…

Now that the cherry blossoms are in full bloom in many parts of Japan, sakura enthusiasts are everywhere trying to enjoy the beautiful pink blossoms….

Visiting Naohiro Yako (@yako_flpr3)’s Instagram, you will be struck by his arresting urban photography taken in major Japanese cities. Armed with his camera, he’s managed…

My meal was interrupted by the staff heralding his coming. ‘Everyone, we have just received some great news!’ I ceased cutting into the Pikachu omlette…

After the particularly frosty winter, peaking at the January snowstorm, Tokyo’s inhabitants finally thought it was safe to say springtime has arrived. We enjoyed agreeable…

Unfairly sidelined and considered the ‘other’ blossom of Japan, this year the plum blossoms bloomed early and with a vengeance. We are now moving into…

Updated: July 23, 2018 One of Japan’s favorite traditional snacks, and a popular item among foreign tourists, taiyaki are hot cakes made with pancake or…