For those who spend two or three weeks in Japan, the huge diversity of the country’s cuisine is always a surprise. Even the most elite Asian restaurants in the West cannot replicate the nearly limitless… Read More
One of modern Japan’s most pernicious social problems is largely invisible. Thousands of young adults, called hikikomori, are terrified of the outdoors, of face-to-face interaction and interpersonal mingling of any kind. Many earn a living… Read More
What the Western world has traditionally viewed as a high-end collectible, Japanese woodblock prints are a true piece of Asian history, an example of creativity at its peak. In addition, Japan has given the world… Read More
Anyone interested in matcha tea realizes the wide diversity among brands, both in terms of quality and price. Venturing past the tea itself, into the wide, wide world of matcha-related products, is another experience entirely.… Read More
You won’t find somber teens sipping matcha tea and sitting quietly in sidewalk cafes in modern Tokyo. In fact, all over Japan’s larger cities, and in many smaller ones, visitors are often shocked by the… Read More
In a culture where matcha tea ceremony and karaoke singing coexist, visitors to Japan are often astounded at the country’s strange blend of ancient and modern. Having already conquered the West, karaoke sing-along still reigns… Read More
Usually the first word that comes to people’s minds when they consider a vacation to Japan is “expensive.” There is much evidence to back up this general impression, but smart travelers know that even a… Read More
No nation on earth has worked as hard as Japan to develop a first-class robotics industry. Not since the country threw itself into post-war reconstruction has there been such a concerted effort to be number… Read More
The Japanese love their matcha tea; that’s for sure. But they also appreciate a fine mixed drink prepared by a talented, experienced bartender. In fact, almost everything about drinking in Japan is different than the… Read More
In many ways, Japan’s modern face is merely a disguised version of its collective traditions: tea ceremony, Zen Buddhism, calligraphy, flower arranging, Kabuki and Noh. Aside from recent Western influences, most of the country’s major… Read More
