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April 30, 2024
 

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Robbie Swinnerton
Robbie Swinnerton has been living, eating and writing about food in Tokyo for over 30 years. His column, Tokyo Food File, has run in The Japan Times since 1998.
For Robbie Swinnerton's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
May 22, 2022
Libushi Bashamichi: Raising the bar for casual craft beer dining
Delicate ales, hearty stouts and a sophisticated menu make a visit to this Yokohama taproom a must for any craft brew connoisseur.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
May 8, 2022
Sota Atsumi brings Parisian flair back home to Tokyo
One of the most intriguing restaurant openings at the end of last year passed under the radar of many Tokyo gastronomes. That was due in part to timing: In November, the pandemic still had many people leery about eating out. But the other reason for the low-key start is that Sota Atsumi, the chef in charge, is much better known in Paris than in Tokyo.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Apr 11, 2022
Azuki to Kouri elevates Japan's classic summertime sweet
Azuki to Kouri. “Red Beans and Ice.” Whichever language you prefer, the name of Tokyo’s newest, hottest dessert counter evokes one of Japan’s classic summertime treats.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 1, 2022
A night to savor for Japan's restaurants at 2022 Asia's 50 Best awards
It was a result for the ages: 11 restaurants from Japan made the cut, including eight in the top 20. If that wasn't enough, the top prize went to Tokyo's much loved Den.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Mar 20, 2022
Parklet’s bread and breakfasts bring a taste of California to Nihonbashi
Parklet is a bakery and cafe with a West Coast vibe. Standouts on the menu include its fruit bread and several creative spreads for your morning slice.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Mar 6, 2022
Etat d'esprit: A modern take on Okinawan cuisine
Drawing on his French training but inspired by local tradition, Yasuhiro Tomari has developed a uniquely creative approach to fine dining at Etat d'esprit.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Feb 6, 2022
Middle Eastern flavors from Byblos and Falafelista spice up takeouts amid the latest COVID-19 wave
With the amount of new coronavirus cases once again on the rise, you may prefer to revert back to the practice of ordering food to go.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Jan 16, 2022
Every meal at Mekumi feels like an education
When it comes to sushi, what happens before the chef gets hold of the fish is just as important as his or her technique in preparing it.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jan 2, 2022
2021 was a tough year, but Tokyo chefs remain undeterred
While the past year saw restaurants closing due to state-of-emergency restrictions, the food scene continued to progress.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Dec 19, 2021
A focus on crab and other Hokuriku specialties makes dining at Kataori a sublime experience
All the best chefs search out the finest ingredients, but Takuya Kataori takes this quest to the ultimate extreme.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Dec 1, 2021
With its newly awarded Michelin star, Est prepares a holiday feast
Chef Guillaume Bracaval's offerings at Est are mostly a local affair, and a three-day holiday special sees the establishment splurging on luxury.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Nov 21, 2021
The chef keeping the culinary tradition of Edo alive in Akita
Customers don't just get a good meal at Nihonryori Takamura in Akita, they get a slice of Edo Period dining culture.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Nov 6, 2021
It’s a tale of two (fresh) pastas at Pastificio Sugino and Lina Stores
Nothing beats fresh pasta. That said, not all pasta fresca is created equal. Those hankering for a truly top-notch plate should head to Pastificio Sugino.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Oct 17, 2021
Chimikepp: Modern French cuisine finds a home in Hokkaido
For some, the allure of this remote region is its bracing snowscape or outdoor activities. For others, it's knowing they will dine very well at Chimikepp Hotel.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Oct 2, 2021
An Com: Modern Vietnamese meets modern sake
An Com takes the beguiling flavors of Vietnam and reinterprets them with Japanese inflections, giving its dishes a sophistication that feels entirely suited for its contemporary setting.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Sep 18, 2021
Nihonryori Yukimoto: Grounded in tradition, a kaiseki lineage evolves
Chef Takayuki Hagiwara blends Japanese aesthetics with a quietly contemporary cooking style that uses the local bounty of Nagano Prefecture to its fullest.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Sep 4, 2021
Adi: A stylish tribute to comforting Nepalese curry
Its weekday lunch menu is the finest iteration of dal bhat — the Nepalese staple meal of rice and lentil stew, with curries, vegetables and achar pickles on the side — you can find in Tokyo.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Aug 21, 2021
Uozen: Where hunting, fishing and nature find harmony
Swapping the concrete jungle of Tokyo for rural Niigata Prefecture, chef Kazuhiro Inoue has created inventive menus starring locally sourced produce, seafood and game meat.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Aug 14, 2021
Tokyo’s restaurants push through another state-of-emergency summer
The Japan Times gives you the lowdown on what new gems opened, what closed and what restaurants are ready and waiting to throw open their doors.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jul 24, 2021
Kon: Shaved ice and sushi as you’ve never had them before
In summer, we need to slow down, drink up and eat light. Looking for specific ideas? Make your way to Kon and cool off with upscale versions of two of Japan's favorite foods.
When will Japan intervene to support the yen?
Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki has reiterated the government's readiness to take an appropriate action as the yen continues to slide against the U.S. dollar.
'So hot you can't breathe': Extreme heat hits the Philippines
A pedestrian cools himself with a folding hand fan as he waits for a ride along a road in Manila on Wednesday, as extreme heat hit the Philippines.
Raising kids in Japan as a single parent? It takes a village.
Making things work as a foreign, single mother in Japan isn't easy, but these tips and tricks can help you through the hardest parts.
Yen rebounds strongly after first slide past ¥160 since 1990
The yen dropped to ¥160.245 per dollar on Monday before heading into the other direction to ¥155.01 amid speculation of an intervention by Japanese currency authorities.
JAL cancels international flight after captain gets drunk at Dallas hotel
A Japan Airlines' flight from Dallas to Tokyo was canceled last week after its captain got drunk at a local hotel.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.
Casa del Cibo: A thriving jewel born from Tohoku’s harsh past
When chef Ryohei Ikemi moved to Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, and opened Casa del Cibo in 2011, it was the first proper Italian restaurant in the city.
Town to block view of Mount Fuji in response to overtourism
The town government of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, decided to set up a 2.5-meter-high screen to prevent tourists from taking pictures of Mount Fuji looming behind a convenience store.

Podcast

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

Longform

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

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