Yuko Naito - The Japan Times

Today's print edition

Subscribe for more access

Meta

Yuko Naito

For Yuko Naito's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

May 13, 2001

From the farm to your table

Finding restaurants that serve food seasoned with herbs isn't that difficult in Japan. In fact, it would be more difficult to find a French or Italian restaurant that doesn't have herbs in its pantry.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

May 13, 2001

Just what the herbologist ordered

Have ever wondered why sashimi is always served with wasabi? It's not just because they go well together. Wasabi is a powerful sterilizer and reduces the risk of food poisoning.

COMMUNITY

May 6, 2001

Think you're safe? Think again

Japan has long enjoyed a reputation for being one of the safest countries in the world. It's said that you can trust your neighbors here. That there's little need to be constantly worried about your belongings. That you can walk the streets safely at night.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Apr 29, 2001

Making room for urban home companions

Keeping a pet in the big city isn't easy. With many urban residents living in rented housing, landlords as well as limited space can prove to be obstacles. Some tenants, unwilling to part with their companions, even at the risk of eviction and their pet's discomfort, "smuggle" them in and keep them in secret.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Apr 29, 2001

Cafe society goes to the dogs

Everyone has seen dogs sitting forlornly outside shops, tied to a railing, waiting for their owners. Not only are the pets unhappy, but how many owners have been distracted from their shopping or meals by guilty thoughts of their lonely pets waiting outside?

LIFE / Food & Drink

Apr 15, 2001

Sake heaven, free on earth

Like wine, different sake have distinct flavor profiles -- some are light and fruity, while others are heavy and rich. Trying to distinguish between different sake in a kikizake (blind taste-testing), however, is harder than it sounds. At Sake Plaza in the Kasumigaseki district, you can put your taste buds to the test while enjoying a variety of nihonshu -- all for free.

LIFE / Travel

Apr 15, 2001

Grand Imperial Palace tour offered gratis

Cut off from the outside world by wide moats and high stone walls, the Imperial Palace is an especially mysterious place for us "commoners." But it doesn't have to be.

LIFE / Travel

Apr 8, 2001

Up close and personal with the ocean

You can enjoy spectacular views along Japan's seashore by boat, but the best way to get up close and personal with the wonders of the coastline is by sea kayak.

LIFE / Travel

Apr 8, 2001

A white river runs through it

White-water rafting is more than an aquatic roller-coaster ride. Surging torrents and treacherous whirlpools threaten, while riverbed rocks bump violently against the small rubber boat. And there is always the chance that you could be thrown overboard and into the merciless current.

LIFE / Food & Drink

Apr 1, 2001

Depachika build a boom from the bottom up

Misako Kaneko, a Tokyo office worker, likes to have dinner at home while watching her favorite TV dramas. But as a single woman who works full-time, it's not easy for her to find time to prepare a healthy meal every night after work.

COMMUNITY

Feb 8, 2001

Adults fuel freebie figure boom

Until several years ago, grownups collecting freebie figures from candy or snack boxes would have been labeled otaku -- geeks. Now they're practically normal.

COMMUNITY

Feb 5, 2001

Just follow your nose, it (almost) always knows

Bad odors may be having a negative effect on your mood, behavior and health, even when they're not consciously registered -- and therefore unavoidable.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Dec 27, 2000

Thermal underwear comes out of the fashion closet

Until a few years ago, most young women abhorred long-sleeved undershirts, commonly derided as babashatsu (granny shirts).

COMMUNITY

Dec 27, 2000

Hard for many to fight the big chill

Winter is a painful season for Satoko Kojima (not her real name), a Tokyo office worker who says she cannot tolerate cold temperatures.

COMMUNITY

Nov 23, 2000

What's so great about the mod cons?

About two years ago, Hiroko Nakamura, a 40-year-old Tokyo housewife, decided she wanted only truly essential items in her home.

COMMUNITY / BODY AND SOUL

Nov 23, 2000

You gotta know when to fold 'em

One evening 20 years ago, Kiyomi Takahashi (not her real name) happened to stop at a coffee shop on her way home from work. She found a computer poker game machine in the corner of the shop, and started playing it just for fun. Little did she know this would be the beginning of a decade-long nightmare.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Oct 26, 2000

Hair today, gone tomorrow

With a father and grandfather who were both completely bald, sports journalist Nobuya Kobayashi had always suspected that he would turn out the same way. Yet, when he actually started losing hair in his late 20s, he was shocked and found himself unable to accept his fate.

COMMUNITY

Oct 16, 2000

Tasty seeds have hidden health benefits

Sprinkled on hamburger buns, bagels and cooked vegetables, sesame seeds add extra zest with their nutty flavor. Recent research has found, however, that there is much more to the humble sesame seed than just its good taste.

COMMUNITY

Sep 14, 2000

Part-timers reshaping Japan's work ethic

Yoshinori Ogawa, 27, is a bassist in the rock band Dusty Rose. He considers himself a professional musician, but like many other would-be musicians or thespians, he has not yet reached the point where he can support himself on his music alone.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Sep 4, 2000

Eat your beans and drink your beer

There is nothing better than thirst-quenching cold beer on hot summer evenings, and many Japanese would probably agree that one of the best snacks to match with beer is young green soybeans, known as edamame in Japanese.

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.

[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

When trying to trace your lineage in Japan, the "koseki" is the most important form of document you'll encounter.

Climbing the branches of a Japanese family tree

By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Students ‘study abroad’ on island of Suo Oshima

Students ‘study abroad’ on island of Suo Oshima

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER

international-reports