Russell Thomas - The Japan Times

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Russell Thomas

For Russell Thomas's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:

Japan Times

LIFE / Food & Drink

Jun 20, 2020

The long and storied history of shichimi, Japan’s 'seven flavors' spice

Walk into any izakaya in Japan and you'll always find shichimi spice on the table. But what is it, and why has it remained popular for over three centuries?

Japan Times

CULTURE

Jun 12, 2020

Video gamers have pandemic entertainment figured out

Video games Final Fantasy VII Remake and Animal Crossing: New Horizons have engaging storylines, graphics that are worthy of Hollywood and now — a captive audience

Japan Times

LIFE / Travel

May 2, 2020

What is Golden Week and why does it matter?

Due to COVID-19, this year's Golden Week has all but been called off. We take a look at the history behind this cluster of national holidays and why its effective cancelation is a big deal.

Japan Times

LIFE / Travel

Apr 25, 2020

Where we want to go in Japan once this is all over

COVID-19 has put a pause on travel, but that doesn't mean we can't plan. The Japan Times' Escape page regulars write about where they want to go in Japan once we see the back of COVID-19.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Apr 9, 2020

Yumiko Morioka: A good time to find refuge in a reissue of her ambient sounds

Yumiko Morioka's first and only album, 1987's 'Resonance,' gets the reissue treatment, allowing fans to hear the musician's ambient sounds once again.

Japan Times

LIFE / Travel

Apr 4, 2020

When you can’t travel in actual reality, go virtual

During these strange days, the idea of online anything is proving more attractive — and vital. Families experience first-time conference calls, while musicians around the world put on internet gigs for locked-down audiences. Travel, too, is just a tap away, thanks to virtual reality.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Apr 2, 2020

The unstoppable rise of Regal Lily

Regal Lily is supposed to be on tour at the moment. But instead of enjoying what the band’s members like about touring — eating hotel breakfasts, trying local dishes or simply exploring new towns — they’re staying put. There will be no early April show at Mynavi Blitz Akasaka, Tokyo, wrapping up what would have been a tour promoting their first full album, “bedtime story,” released early February.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Mar 4, 2020

Seigen Tokuzawa and Masaki Hayashi form a musical duo from the 'roots of soul'

Cellist Seigen Tokuzawa joins forces with pianist Masaki Hayashi to create new album 'Drift.'

Japan Times

LIFE / Travel

Feb 29, 2020

Staying in style: Tokyo's best and brightest hostels

Hostels are no longer on the lower rung of the accommodation ladder. Tokyo's burgeoning hostel scene is brimming with new additions, from the cutting-edge to the repurposed and timeless.

Japan Times

LIFE / Travel

Feb 8, 2020

Escape from Tokyo: Day trips from the capital

Got a spare day and not sure what to do? Russell Thomas suggests some easy day trips from Tokyo, whether you're after sake, art, history, mountains, shrines, festivals or flood defenses.

Japan Times

CULTURE

Feb 1, 2020

Back to the future: The world celebrates the 50th anniversary of Doraemon

As the blue robot cat turns 50, we examine the past, present and future of a Japanese icon.

Japan Times

LIFE / Travel

Dec 28, 2019

Hatsuhinode: Where to see the first sunrise of the decade

There's never a better time to catch sunrise in Japan than at new year. From Tokyo Tower to the coast of Chiba Prefecture, here are 10 of the best places to see the first sunrise of the year near Tokyo.

Japan Times

LIFE / Travel

Dec 14, 2019

Winding back the years in Yokohama’s Yamate district

One of Japan's '100 Cityscapes,' Yokohama's Yamate district — also known as 'The Bluff' — preserves some of the city's elegant European structures and international heritage.

Japan Times

LIFE / Food & Drink

Nov 2, 2019

Portals of the past: Peering into Tokyo's traditional kissaten coffee shops

"Sorry, we're full," I hear someone say as I open the door to Ladrio, a pre-eminent kissaten (traditional coffee shop) situated in a tumbledown alley in Tokyo's Jimbocho neighborhood.

Japan Times

LIFE / Travel

Oct 18, 2019

Top 10: A local's guide to where to see the autumn leaves in Tokyo

From the mansions of former barons to riverside forests, here's Russell Thomas' pick of Tokyo's best autumn leaf-viewing spots.

Japan Times

LIFE / Travel

Sep 20, 2019

Why Kamakura is bigger than its Buddha

Kamakura, capital of Japan's first shogunate (1185-1333), once angled for a UNESCO-shaped stamp of approval. Under the title "Kamakura, Home of the Samurai" there were a number of landmarks included in the proposal. It was roundly rejected by UNESCO in 2013, who concluded that "tangible testimonies of the places of shogunal power, other than the temples, are few in number and are often rather inexplicit.

Japan Times

LIFE / Travel

Jul 26, 2019

Kinugawa Onsen: A dilapidated hot spring town in Tokyo's backyard

Kinugawa Onsen may have had its heyday in the 1980s, but this retro hot spring town still has plenty to offer Tokyoites looking for a weekend getaway close to home.

Japan Times

LIFE / Lifestyle

Jun 15, 2019

Departure melodies: Celebrating the jingles' contribution to the rail experience in Japan

Like the ubiquitous neon signs and abundant convenience stores scattered throughout Tokyo, departure melodies at train stations are probably something many residents don't give much thought to as they travel around the city each day.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

May 28, 2019

All aboard: the art of sampling Japan's railways

In the rest of the world, trainspotting is something of a niche hobby, but in Japan it is much more mainstream. Combine a natural predilection for hobbies with a massive proliferation of railways and you naturally get train enthusiasts.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

May 14, 2019

Embracing the Japan of the past through music with Meitei

As the Reiwa Era begins, Japanese music producer Daisuke Fujita, aka Meitei, is looking forward while sticking to the traditions of the past. Fresh from last year's spook-summoning album "Kwaidan," which featured in "Best Albums of 2018" accolades curated by the likes of Pitchfork and Bandcamp, the Hiroshima-based music maker has just released a follow-up, titled "Komachi."

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

Rows of irises resemble a rice field at the Peter Walker-designed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.

The 'outsiders' creating some of Japan's greenest spaces

By Stephen Mansfield

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