Food & Drink Nov 14, 2021

Resurrecting the tachibana, Japan’s oldest native citrus

Once revered as “the fruit of immortality,” the tachibana has long fallen out of culinary favor. The Nara Tachibana Project hopes to save it from endangerment.

Style & Design Oct 31, 2021

Lifting the lid on Shibuya’s designer toilets

The Tokyo Toilet Project has received considerable media coverage for its upscale public facilities. But how do these stylish porcelain thrones actually stack up?

Food & Drink Aug 28, 2021

Top 5: Where to find Tokyo’s best kakigōri

Japan’s shaved ice may be a classic festival snack, but not all kakigōri is created equal. Contemporary kakigōri is an art form, and here are five of Tokyo’s most delicious specialists.

Food & Drink | THE RECIPE BOX Jul 31, 2021

This shiso-lemon syrup adds a dose of sunshine to the gloomiest day

Whether you add it to a cocktail or jazz up a glass of sparkling water, once you’ve tried this punchy syrup you’ll never buy overpriced lemonade again.

Books Jun 20, 2021

Polly Barton's 'Fifty Sounds' is an excavation of language through onomatopoeia

Many readers may know Polly Barton better as the translator behind Aoko Matsuda’s “Where the Wild Ladies Are,” which won an English PEN award last year; and Kikuko Tsumura’s “There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job,” released in November 2020. But if her ...

Food & Drink | THE RECIPE BOX May 29, 2021

Too much shiso is a great problem to have

Anyone with a garden knows that when Japanese shiso grows, it really grows. But having an abundance of shiso is the best kind of problem: Just make a batch of green goddess dressing.

Food & Drink | THE RECIPE BOX May 22, 2021

A shiitake pate to liven up any meal

This punchy vegetarian appetizer is endlessly customizable, and is a great way to familiarize oneself with the four elements of good cooking — salt, fat, acid and heat.

Food & Drink Apr 24, 2021

Top 5: The best soupless tantanmen in Tokyo

Tantanmen in Japan is less tethered to the dish’s Sichuan heritage, leaving room for innovation. Here are five tantanmen restaurants in the capital worth the tongue-tingling spice.

Lifestyle Jan 10, 2021

Travel to Kamikatsu for a green epiphany: ‘Zero waste is about knowing yourself’

The INOW program allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in Kamikatsu’s renowned zero-waste lifestyle.

Food & Drink Dec 26, 2020

Top 5: Food trends our critics want to see Japan embrace in 2021

Eyes (and stomachs) are already turning to 2021. Five of The Japan Times’ critics share the dining trends they’d like to see the country embrace.