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Russell Thomas
Masayoshi Fujita moved to a quiet mountain village in Hyogo Prefecture after 13 years of living in Berlin, the hub of uber cool. His homecoming inspired his latest album, “Migratory.”
CULTURE / Music
Sep 29, 2024
Masayoshi Fujita’s ‘Migratory’ is an ode to nature and nurture
The musician’s new environmental music album, created after his return to Japan after 13 years in Berlin, represents more than a physical homecoming.
Don't let anyone tell you that when it comes to legitimate Mexican food, Tokyo is a culinary desert.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Top 5
Jul 14, 2024
Tokyo’s top tacos dispel the ‘no good Mexican food’ myth
Whether a casual bite from a counter restaurant or a more elegant affair, Tokyo’s tacos do not skimp on variety.
If all you drink is Asahi, Sapporo and Kirin, you're depriving yourself of some of the best craft beer Tokyo has to offer — and there sure is a lot of it out there.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Top 5
Apr 21, 2024
A craft beer crawl through Tokyo’s top bars, brewpubs and dives
From microbreweries to tiny pubs stocking umpteen bottled choices, Tokyo is now more than ever a beer lover’s dream.
Michelin-starred tempura experiences abound in Tokyo, but some of the best of the genre can be found in the city's more down-to-earth eateries.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Top 5
Mar 3, 2024
Go old school with these affordable tempura spots
Once a plentiful dish for the poor, tempura has been dragged upward through the classes to become a dish beloved by all.
New Year's celebrations in Japan and Western countries can differ wildly, but Tokyo offers plenty of ways for you to ring in 2024 in any way you prefer.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 9, 2023
A Tokyoite’s guide to a Western-style New Year’s Eve
Typically, Ōmisoka (New Year’s Eve) is a family affair — even in the global metropolis that is Tokyo.
If you've ever dined on fresh fish, either within Japan or anywhere else in the world, there's a healthy chance it was processed via ikejime, a Japanese technique for preserving freshness in line-caught fish.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Sep 30, 2023
How the world got hooked on ikejime-caught fish
Roughly rendered in English as “locking in life,” this technique delivers a quick death to ensure freshness.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Top 5
May 14, 2023
An egg-cellent odyssey through Tokyo’s best 'omurice'
Who really invented these egg-wrapped delights of rice? If these restaurants continue serving up stellar fare, who cares?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 13, 2023
Tokyo and Toronto collide on Masahiro Takahashi's latest album, 'Humid Sun'
The Canada-based musician riffs on solar themes and ambient sounds of two different cityscapes with a marriage of sultry Balearic synths, improvisational jazz and a touch of enka.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Top 5
Apr 9, 2023
Tokyo’s best ‘melon bread' is sweeter than meets the eye
A murky history and an inscrutable name can't keep this baked treat from being one of the best morsels in town.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Apr 9, 2023
‘Tokyo Express’: Postwar detective noir basks in the details
Jesse Kirkwood's English translation of Seicho Matsumoto’s dense yet well paced novel is concise and timeless, giving contemporary readers a relatable window into the past.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / Longform
Mar 20, 2023
Japan’s budding space program grounded by persistent setbacks
Desire to compete in the satellite-launching business and shore up security could be hindered by historical failures.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Top 5
Feb 12, 2023
Miso soup for the soul: Tokyo's top spots for warming sips of umami
From trendy to traditional and takeout to eat-in, Tokyo has more than enough stellar miso soup to warm you up.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Top 5
Dec 15, 2022
This Christmas, ditch the KFC for Tokyo’s best karaage
Just because there's no roast turkey on the Christmas dinner table doesn't mean you have to resort to fast food alternatives for your holiday meal.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Top 5
Nov 20, 2022
Savoring the subcontinent: Tokyo's best Indian eats
Ever since 1927, when the the first 'authentic' curry in Japan was served, top-shelf samosas, masala chana and naan have only ever been a short trip away for Tokyoites.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Top 5
Jul 31, 2022
Sublime scoops from Tokyo’s top gelato shops
Five gelateria that are guaranteed to leave you thinking about seconds as soon as you finish off your scoop.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 24, 2022
'Trace: Sound Design Works 1986​-​1989': Yutaka Hirose's soundscapes with a purpose
Each track featured on Yutaka Hirose's 'environmental music' album was commissioned by various public and private spaces and has been considered beyond simply being art for art's sake.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jun 19, 2022
7FO's hypnotic 'Music for Himitsu' embraces the wonders of nature
The Osaka musician's remastered soundtrack for a 2014 art exhibition is a concerto of found sounds, guitar loops and intricate synthetic details that needles its way into your brain.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 14, 2022
'Oceanic Feeling': Go back to the beginning of infancy
Koki Nakano's latest release, informed by the primordial experience of floating in the womb, is imbued with pianist and composer's inventiveness and classical sensibility.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 29, 2022
Haru Nemuri: Rock, rebellion and a bit of Rage
The musician's new album 'Shunka Ryougen' gives voice to Japan's Gen Z.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Top 5
Mar 13, 2022
Tokyo's top tonkatsu make for a hefty meal
The hearty pork cutlet is a favorite choice for lunch in Japan. Thankfully, Tokyo has no shortage of places that serve it.

Longform

Wozme, founded by dancer and choreographer Wakaba Kohei, is composed of Kana Kitty, Ami Ishii, Akane Watanabe and Natsuki. Its aim is to inject elegance and beauty, traits traditionally associated with femininity, into the sometimes grotesque art form of butoh dance.
Wozme, an all-women dance troupe, wants to move the needle in butoh