Economy | ANALYSIS
Households to take hit from tax hike
by Tomoko Otake
The consumption tax increase will hit every household in Japan hard, with many people’s financial future hanging on whether their wages rise enough to offset the hike's impact.
Food & Drink | JAPANESE KITCHEN May 24, 2013
Springtime beans aim for the sky
by Makiko Itoh
Throughout most of Japan, June is the rainy season. While all that rainfall is great for rice paddies so that we can have delicious new harvest rice in the fall, it makes it a rather dull month for seasonal produce: The summer’s bounty of ...
Food & Drink | EVERYMAN EATS May 24, 2013
Chomp your way through spring
by Steve Trautlein
It’s no surprise that the Japanese get serious about eating and drinking come late spring, as yatai food carts roll out, a bevy of fresh vegetables appear on restaurant menus and the annual festival season begins to heat up. This year is no different, ...
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE May 17, 2013
Katsuzen: Ginza offers tonkatsu that's a cutlet above
by Robbie Swinnerton
Tonkatsu is comfort food, gourmand grub — not a gourmet delicacy. So what are those hearty, unpretentious deep-fried breaded pork cutlets doing in an elegant little bar-style restaurant above one of Ginza’s temples to high-end consumption? Katsuzen has come a long way from its ...
Food & Drink | A TASTE OF HOME May 17, 2013
Where to find brunch in Tokyo, and just the way you like it
by Rebecca Milner
It’s terrace season, and the thought of a drawn-out weekend brunch — sunglasses on, cocktail in hand — is likely to make any American go weak in the knees with homesickness. Fortunately for those in Tokyo there are several places that do a classic ...
Food & Drink | KANPAI CULTURE May 10, 2013
You don't need to be a pro to enjoy tasting and pairing sake
by Melinda Joe
For those new to sake, learning to distinguish the subtle nuances in the flavor of various brews can feel like a daunting task. When evaluating sake, professionals consider the balance of sweetness and acidity, the body and the finish, in addition to the drink’s ...
Food & Drink | EVERYMAN EATS May 10, 2013
Chains that bring local dishes to you
by Steve Trautlein
Thanks to Japan's comprehensive network of bullet trains and regional airports, it's easy for the culinary adventurer to sample local specialties at their point of origin.
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE May 3, 2013
Cafe 104.5: The delicious upside to urban development
by Robbie Swinnerton
Onward and upward: Tokyo’s ever-changing skyline sprouts new high-rise buildings like bamboo shoots in spring.
Food & Drink | SWEET INSPIRATIONS May 3, 2013
Custard treats are anything but square
by Robbie Swinnerton
How long does it take a business to achieve cult status in Tokyo? Years or decades in most cases. For Omotesando Koffee it was barely a matter of weeks. First there’s the setting. Where else in the city can you find a contemporary espresso ...
Food & Drink | FOOD May 1, 2013
Nigeria's elite make country toast of Champagne sellers
by M.J. Smith
The party was just getting started at a plush club in this teeming Nigerian city, hip-hop blaring, the bar bathed in blue light — and Champagne bottles on ice already adorning tables. “Too much oil money,” said a 40-year-old man at Rhapsody’s in the ...
Food & Drink | FOOD Apr 26, 2013
Sample a sweet Golden Week experience at the National Confectionary Expo
by Tomoko Otake
Sweets mean different things to different people. Some say such treats are their perfect stress release, while others say they bring back childhood memories.
Food & Drink | JAPANESE KITCHEN Apr 26, 2013
Katsuo, Japan's ubiquitous tuna
by Makiko Itoh
In the world of sushi and sashimi, maguro (tuna, especially bluefin tuna) currently reigns supreme. It's so popular that large specimens of the fish fetch ridiculous, headline-grabbing prices at the Tsukiji wholesale market in Tokyo, and the species is in danger of extinction due ...
Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Apr 19, 2013
Abrazo a la Oaxaqueña: Mexican moles under wraps in Shimokitazawa
by Robbie Swinnerton
You never know quite what you’re going to find in the busy back alleys of Shimokitazawa. It has music bars and shisha pipe dens, old-school yakitori, the latest in craft beer, tofu doughnuts and bohemian barista coffee. So why not artisan tortillas and mole ...