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May 21, 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
Sep 14, 2019
KitKat and yuzu help put Kochi sake on the map
Nestle Japan recently released the third in its line of sake-inspired chocolates, the KitKat Mini Yuzushu Bijofu, which uses yuzu citrus liqueur from Kochi Prefecture.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Sep 14, 2019
A sushi dynasty grows: Jiro, Masuda and now ... Wakon
Wakon is the first offshoot in Tokyo of Sushi Masuda, whose chef, Rei Masuda, trained for nine years under legendary sushi master Jiro Ono — the eponymous star of that documentary.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Sep 14, 2019
StandingBar Sanpachi: Squeeze in tight for a pizza and craft shōchū night
With so many contenders, it's impossible to anoint any single bar as the smallest in Tokyo, but StandingBar Sanpachi must surely be in the running.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Aug 31, 2019
Stand Banh Mi: The banh mi sandwich's new home in Meguro
"Not Vietnamese, but Vietnamese." The mission statement at Stand Banh Mi is nothing but enigmatic. That is, until you actually arrive, sit down and order at this buzzy little counter restaurant on the residential fringe of Meguro Ward. Then it all starts to make sense.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Aug 31, 2019
At Che 333, iced desserts to cool you to the end of summer
Had enough of bubble tea, whether Thai or Taiwanese? Bored with the kakigōri (shaved ice) boom? Perhaps it's time to investigate the Vietnamese alternative, known simply as che, which combines tropical fruit, nuts and jellies with plenty of coconut milk in colorful, refreshing blends.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Aug 17, 2019
Toripota Ramen Thank: Noodles to be grateful for
In a city the size of Tokyo, in a country that takes its noodles so extremely seriously, what does a ramen counter need to do to stand out and stay the course? Having a memorable name helps, but the real reason behind the enduring popularity of Toripota Ramen Thank is that it boasts a great recipe for...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Aug 17, 2019
Sushi Shin by Miyakawa: High-end sushi at altitude
When it comes to sushi, Tokyo is spoiled for choice. Whether traditional or contemporary, high-end, local or no-frills market counter, few enjoy a more rarefied setting or more envious vista than Sushi Shin by Miyakawa, up on the 38th floor of the Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Aug 3, 2019
An Di, Mymot, Like: Summer's hottest restaurants are undeniably cool
When it's hot and humid enough to feel like you're in the tropics, there's only one solution: Eat like you're there.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Aug 3, 2019
Kyoaji chef Kenichiro Nishi's legacy lives on in Japan's top restaurants
The world of traditional Japanese cuisine has lost one of its luminaries. Chef Kenichiro Nishi, the founder of the renowned Shinbashi restaurant Kyoaji, passed away at the age of 81 on July 26.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jul 20, 2019
Mu-Hung: Chicken rice, laksa and classic hawker fare
For close on 20 years, this friendly, no-frills diner has been the go-to destination for Singapore street-level cooking — the kind of wholesome dishes you find at hawker centers and food courts in the island state — at least for the lucky people who live in western Tokyo.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jul 20, 2019
Aoyama Kawakami-an: Sobaya that lets its hair down at night
Arrive at Aoyama Kawakami-an at midday and you'll find a typical upmarket noodle shop. But return after nightfall and it has a very different feel.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jul 6, 2019
Ginzasa: Washoku refinement, noodle simplicity
When it first opened more than eight years ago, Ginzasa flew in the face of prevailing ramen orthodoxy.But, it's the noodles that really set Ginzasa apart. Or rather, the clear broth they bathe in.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jul 6, 2019
Utsura Utsura: Food, sake and ambience worth the detour
Set back far enough from the sidewalk that most people give it barely a second look, this welcoming little izakaya tavern has the warm feel of a local watering hole, but it's near enough to the lights of Shibuya to reward a few minutes' walk.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 29, 2019
Il Veliero: Pizza, woodsmoke and a cool sea breeze
With its pizzas and prime location, Il Veliero adds a taste of the Amalfi Coast to Hayama's little enclave of Italian gastronomy looking out on the Pacific.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 29, 2019
Cana: Raising the bar for pizza on the Hayama coast
For a small, coastal community, Hayama always feels like it punches well above its weight when it comes to good dining options. Now, here's another new name to bookmark for when you need a beach getaway: Cana.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jun 15, 2019
Signature: New chef leads with bold opening gambit
Luke Armstrong recently took over the kitchen at Signature at the Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo and has introduced a new menu to the classic dining room.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jun 1, 2019
Hinomoto Beer Parlor: Drink locally, eat independently
It wouldn't be wrong to call Hinomoto a pub. After all it's a craft beer specialist, with 10 taps all devoted to Japanese beers and a counter where you can sit and drink to your heart's content. But that doesn't tell the whole story by a long way.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jun 1, 2019
The SG Club: Where the curry is as creative as the cocktails
Sometimes genius rears its head in the unlikeliest of guises. Or perhaps it's only to be expected that two of the most creative curry recipes in recent memory have been dreamed up by one of Tokyo's most innovative cocktail specialists, Shingo Gokan.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
May 25, 2019
Rebekah Wilson-Lye: Raising a glass to the wonders of sake
One of Japan's emerging leaders in the sake world talks about the delight of discovering Japan's renowned beverage.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
May 18, 2019
Akomeya: Kagurazaka branch puts the kitchen first
Few visitors bother to climb right to the top of Kagurazaka's hill, though. Fewer still venture further, down the other side. Until recently there was little incentive to do so. There is now: Akomeya has arrived.
Rare sequel to 'My Neighbor Totoro' to play at Cannes
A screening of "Mei and the Baby Cat Bus," which is being billed as a "mini-sequel" to the Studio Ghibli classic "My Neighbor Totoro," is set to take place at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday.
America wasn’t made for walking, and it’s killing them
A 2010 study found that U.S. adults averaged 5,117 steps daily and that this was lower than the averages found in similar studies in Switzerland, western Australia and Japan.
Fuchu Prison adapting to foreign prisoners
From the outside, the light-brown complex that is Fuchu Prison in western Tokyo could easily be mistaken for a city hall.
Why half of Japan's cities are at risk of disappearing in 100 years
A couple looks out onto the Fukuoka nightscape. Due to its distance from Tokyo and its close proximity to South Korea and China, professor Tomoya Mori believes that Fukuoka is one of the few metropolitan regions of Japan that will see some form of growth in the decades to come.
Japan concerned over U.S. officials' remarks on atomic bombings
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks to reporters during a news conference in Washington on Thursday.
Fuchu Prison adapting to foreign prisoners
From the outside, the light-brown complex that is Fuchu Prison in western Tokyo could easily be mistaken for a city hall.
The politicians moving Japan forward on climate
While not the most outspoken politician on the issue, digital minister Taro Kono has a track record of being serious in his commitment to addressing the climate crisis.
Seoul's eclectic Art OnO shines light on Japan's artists and galleries
Art OnO, which took place from April 19 to 21 in Seoul, featured a modest number of 36 participating galleries from 15 countries.
Want to be a voice actor? Stay 'true to the character'
SungWon Cho is a veteran with more than 10 years of experience portraying characters in anime, cartoons and video games.
Local theater in Japan is more than a hobby — it’s a community
Japan Times contributor Laura Pollacco (front right) was offered the role of one of her all-time favorite heroines, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bennet, in the Tokyo International Players’ production of “Pride and Prejudice.”

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

Things may look perfect to the outside world, but today's mom is fine with some imperfection at home.
How 'Reiwa moms' are reshaping motherhood in Japan
By Mai Yoshikawa

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