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Austin Freeman
For Austin Freeman's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jul 5, 2021
TEDxWasedaU's ‘Eclipse’ anniversary event pushes past the darkness of the pandemic
The TEDxWasedaU 10th-anniversary event features talks on topics such as the pandemic, drag, the environment and more. All in all, there will be plenty of ideas worth spreading.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Feb 24, 2021
Episode 83: What is Clubhouse and why is it so popular in Japan?
Less than a year old, earlier this month Clubhouse became the most popular app on the Japan App Store.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Feb 22, 2021
Up for a chat? Clubhouse is proving helpful in sparking cross-cultural discussions with the locals
The new audio-format social media app Clubhouse has the ears of a Japanese audience, which might make it useful for non-Japanese residents looking to make connections.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Feb 8, 2020
'TO:KY:OO': Liam Wong's Tokyo is midnight neon and bright city lights
Liam Wong went from a videogame designer to instagrammer to hosting the U.K.'s creating the U.K.'s most crowdfunded book to date, 'TO:KY:OO'
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Jan 20, 2020
Once upon a time ... in Azabu Juban
Police harassment is a fact of life for some people in Japan, which makes the occasional flash of progress all the more rewarding.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 13, 2019
Chef Rachel Dow's fresh take on 'new American' fare at Tableaux
Tableaux, a Daikanyama restaurant of over two decades, is revitalizing itself with American chef Rachel Dow and her refined take on 'new American' cuisine.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Apr 3, 2019
'Tell a friend, bring a friend, make a friend' at Speakeasy
When you move to a new city, it can be hard to find your crowd. That task is made even harder the more complex your identity is.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 27, 2018
Taco Fanatico: A new Mexican in Nakameguro
Taco Fanatico, a self-proclaimed 'specialty taco store' newly opened in Nakameguro, is out to revolutionize Tokyo's Mexican food options with their variety of homemade authentic and 'fusion' tacos.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE NOTES
Sep 13, 2018
Could Domo-kun at 20 mean Domo-kun 2.0?
Whatever happened to Domo-kun, the furry brown monster with the jagged maw? When I first got to Japan I used to see him everywhere. Now Chiitan, the masochistic Otter who reps the city of Susaki in Kochi Prefecture, stacks my social media feeds with memes, and Unari-kun, from Narita, is the current reigning champion of the Mascot Grand Prix. Domo-kun has some serious competition.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Sep 1, 2018
It's not so easy to find the perfect Tokyo brunch
A roundup of Tokyo's best (and disappointing) brunch spots for when Denny's simply won't suffice.

Longform

High-end tourism is becoming more about the kinds of experiences that Japan's lesser-known places can provide.
Can Japan lure the jet-set class off the beaten path?