Features
Honolulu’s award-winning modern Vietnamese restaurant, The Pig & The Lady, opens doors in Ebisu
Honolulu’s The Pig & The Lady first opened in downtown Chinatown in 2013, and quickly took off, winning multiple awards since, including the Best Oahu Restaurant at the Hale Aina Awards, two years in a row, as well as Restaurateur of the Year in 2017. What began as a local… Read
18-year Immigration Bureau veteran challenges the system
According to his self-published profile, Yoichi Kinoshita, an 18-year veteran of the Immigration Bureau of the Ministry of Justice (which since last April was upgraded to the Immigration Services Agency), took early retirement last March after obtaining a Master's degree in Jurisprudence from the graduate school of Kanagawa University. He… Read
Take home a bit of Japanese nightlife nostalgia with LED snack bar sign magnets
Ah, the Japanese sunakku (スナック). A fixture of Japanese nightlife for over half a century, these cozy little drinking establishments where many Japanese still go to socialize and enjoy the company of the (usually) older proprietress, the mama-san —whose job it is to provide a comfortable atmosphere for patrons to relax and occasionally… Read
American Airlines adds passport chip scanning to mobile app
American Airlines has become one of the first airlines in the world to offer passport chip scanning as part of its mobile app. The technology transmits the required passport information directly from the NFC chip embedded in the passport and allows passengers to head directly to the gate for international… Read
Tokyo Disneyland unveils new details for massive 2020 expansion
Oriental Land Company has revealed new details and concept art regarding the 75 billion yen expansions coming to Tokyo Disneyland's Fantasyland, Toontown and Tomorrowland. New attractions include "Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast", “Mickey’s Magical Music World,” and "The Happy Ride with Baymax", all set to open on April… Read
Musk's defamation win may reset legal landscape for social media
Elon Musk's daring has left its mark on electric cars and rockets, and now experts say the entrepreneur may have reshaped U.S. defamation law with his willingness to defend at a high-stakes trial a lawsuit over an off-the-cuff tweet. The victory by Tesla Inc's outspoken chief executive over a Twitter… Read
2019: the year gene therapy came of age
In the summer, a mother in Nashville with a seemingly incurable genetic disorder finally found an end to her suffering -- by editing her genome. Victoria Gray's recovery from sickle cell disease, which had caused her painful seizures, came in a year of breakthroughs in one of the hottest areas… Read
21st century city: two decades of Tokyo’s ever-changing skyline
In the 21st century, the changing architectural face of Japan’s capital dovetailed with a record-breaking number of foreign visitors and residents in the country at large. Amid the influx of travelers and expats, many of Tokyo’s best-known landmarks sprang up. The start of the new Japanese emperor’s reign, the end… Read
Eraser slowly reveals Mt Fuji with each mistake you make
Earlier this year, a special edition of Japan's PLUS Stationery’s "Air-in" range of erasers was released that slowly revealed an image of Mt Fuji, perhaps the most iconic symbol of Japan. The limited release was met with such a positive response that the fun-to-use erasers soon sold out, and left hopeful… Read
Experience afternoon tea with a Japanese twist in Harajuku
Togo Kinenkan, in Tokyo’s Harajuku neighborhood, is ordinarily a wedding venue. For a limited time, though, it’s also offering a unique, delicious mix of Japanese and Western tastes in a special afternoon tea service, and as foodies always on the lookout for tasty treats, we dutifully went to investigate! Only… Read
