Features
Yakuza have their fingers in Go To Eat campaign
With the hospitality industry reeling under the impact of COVID-19, the government hastily cobbled together a rescue plan. It’s called Go To Eat, and went into effect Oct 1. Diners making restaurant reservations through designated websites win points equivalent to cash towards future meals at any participating establishment. Everybody wins.… Read
New blue Mt Fuji beer and traditional cut glass lets you pour a snow covered Fuji
As a UNESCO World Heritage site and a symbol of Japan's natural beauty, Japan's majestic Mt Fuji has been the inspiration for a lot of creative products recently. Its form has been recreated as "snowcapped Mt Fuji" ice bars and charming erasers that reveal the iconic mountain with each mistake you make.… Read
Matsushima’s moods and marvels
Matsushima, on the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, is widely regarded as one of Japan’s three most scenic destinations, thanks to the pine-dotted islands in its broad bay. For good reason has been a popular travel destination for centuries (literally!). It has great natural beauty, religious and historical sites, and delightful… Read
Japanese ethical fashion model/entrepreneur and anorexic survivor KIKO aims to change industry
International ethical model KIKO’s day starts at 6 a.m., early enough to do her morning routine of yoga and meditation, make some vegan breakfast, and just in time to get ready to start working at 7:30 a.m. sharp. The energy and passion she carries herself with makes it hard to… Read
Some helpful tips on Japanese etiquette
As an expat, I can confirm that life in Japan takes some getting used to. Several customs are unique to the island nation, and there are more than enough social nuances and contexts to follow. Home life also takes some adjusting as apartments are arranged somewhat differently than back home.… Read
Japan’s first-ever ramen restaurant reopens after 44 years
There are plenty of unique ramen restaurants around Japan that proudly boast unique attributes like Michelin stars, idol singers, and straight-up fire, but only one can lay claim as being the country’s very first ramen restaurant, and that accolade goes to Rairaiken, which opened in in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood in 1910. Back then, Rairaiken was staffed… Read
WHO chief warns against 'vaccine nationalism'
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday called for global solidarity in the rollout of any future coronavirus vaccine, as the number of cases soared across the world. In a video address at the opening of the three-day World Health Summit in Berlin, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said… Read
Japanese restaurant chain starts new policy: Letting you take your leftovers home with you
Japanese restaurants have a lot of hospitable touches to them, like the oshibori, a thick, moist hand towel (chilled in the summer, but warm in the winter) and an on-table call button so you can summon a waiter without having to raise your voice. Something they generally don’t have, though, is… Read
How fetal cells from the 1970s power medical innovation today
It is no secret that thousands of laboratories around the world use cells derived from a fetus that was aborted decades ago to develop vital medicines. But it is a contentious topic in the U.S., where conservatives and anti-abortion activists have long deemed the practice unethical. The matter is once… Read
Travel-starved 'passengers' dine on parked Singapore Airlines jet
Hundreds of travel-starved diners ate lunch and watched seat-back films aboard two parked Singapore Airlines jets turned into pop-up restaurants on Saturday. With the aviation industry in deep crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic, airlines have turned to alternative ways to raise cash, from offering "flights to nowhere" to tours… Read
