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April 19, 2024
 

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Spencer Cohen
For Spencer Cohen's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 27, 2022
The secret ingredient of America's trendiest bars: Japan
There may be no definition better than Japan's indelible cocktail culture other than this: You know it when you see it — and taste it.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Oct 18, 2022
Japan has reopened. Instagrammers of the world, rejoice!
After years of watching Japan via their screens, eager tourists are ready to come over and document their own experiences. But are their vacation photos likely to all look the same?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Sep 3, 2022
'Kimono Style' traces the artistry and impact of Japanese designs
As designers such as Hiromi Asai work to secure the kimono's place in high fashion, a new exhibition at The Met in New York highlights the garment's history of cross-cultural influence.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Jun 9, 2022
'Emergent Tokyo' digs into an urban sprawl borne from chaos and order
Architect Jorge Almazan and Studiolab, his research laboratory at Keio University, take an innovative approach to exploring the historical conditions that shaped Tokyo's eclectic cityscape.
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
May 29, 2022
A musical match made in heaven … or was it Harajuku?
Fiddling Leona and JP Mathes teach the art of the deal on the Netflix series 'Swap Shop,' a reality TV show that sees them antique hunting in Tennessee.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Mar 7, 2022
Vaughan and Rie Allison welcome all new arrivals to Mia Mia
Picking a location for their cafe far from Tokyo's bustling central hot spots, Vaughan and Rie Allison have nonetheless developed a loyal following among the locals.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Feb 22, 2022
Kojicon shines the spotlight on a staple of Japanese cooking
Home fermentation became a popular pastime among budding cooks during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Feb 2, 2022
Is Wordle too easy for you? Try it in Japanese.
Excitement over a simple online word game has spread to Japan for an entertaining way to practice your kanji and vocabulary.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 1, 2021
Tokyo still tops for dining after Michelin announcement
Three of the capital's establishments have maintained their three-star rating since rankings began in Tokyo 15 years ago.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Nov 7, 2021
Meet the unofficial mayor of New York’s ‘Little Tokyo’
With little fanfare, since the 1980s Bon Yagi has helped transform New York's grungy East Village into a trendy hub for Japanese cuisine. His motto? “Visit Japan without airfare.”
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Oct 29, 2021
Shibuya could be the ideal first stop in a new virtual world
Shibuya Ward is once again putting on a virtual Halloween. However, the municipality's experiments in the digital sphere could lead to something more interesting than ghosts and pumpkins.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Oct 23, 2021
It's past time we flush the 'weird Japan' narrative
As The Tokyo Toilet project continues, so does the problematic way we frame stories about Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse,Japan Pulse
Sep 18, 2021
Hikakin, the 'older brother' of YouTube, hits a milestone
The internet isn't short of stories of influencers behaving badly. Japan's most successful YouTuber proves that you can make a name for yourself by keeping things light.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Sep 12, 2021
Kasumi Abe: ‘We have to tell younger generations what happened here’
On the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York, Japanese journalist Kasumi Abe reflects on her love for the city she now calls home.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Sep 11, 2021
Behind the ‘closed’ doors of Tokyo’s bars, alcohol is still flowing
A pervasive but hushed rebellion is happening across the city. Whether they accepted subsidies or not, bars operating as semi-secret COVID-era speakeasies are everywhere.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Aug 10, 2021
The konbini becomes a convenient topic for the foreign press to turn to in an off-limits Tokyo
Has the rest of the world finally discovered what tens of millions in Japan already know? The 'konbini' is no ordinary convenience store.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 31, 2021
Japanese-style coffee is rooted in the local kissaten, but its reach is global
Brew methods and tools connected with Japan's local coffee shops have held an outsize influence on specialty coffee, permeating third-wave coffee shops and home setups around the world.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 23, 2021
A taste for politics: Notable meals U.S. presidents have had in Japan
To commemorate Jill Biden's visit, The Japan Times looks at some of the notable, symbolic and comedic episodes of American presidents and spouses as they wined and dined in Japan.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 5, 2021
‘Waffles + Mochi’ teaches kids how to eat — with gusto
The new food-travel show from Netflix and the Obamas' Higher Ground takes kids on a global journey to learn about ingredients and how to cook with them.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Apr 4, 2021
The possibilities (and perils) of Japan’s youth spending more time online
Even as most public schools struggle to embrace remote learning, the soaring amount of time kids spent on screens at home put many on alert.
No link to Nankai Trough quake seen after temblor in Shikoku
Satoshi Harada from the Meteorological Agency explains about the magnitude 6.6 earthquake during a news conference early Thursday.
Thousands evacuated as Indonesia volcano erupts
Indonesia's Mount Ruang spews hot lava and smoke as seen from Sitaro, North Sulawesi, on Wednesday.
Why hasn't Japan moved to prop up the weak yen?
Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Snake on a train: Discovery of serpent delays Tokyo-Nagoya shinkansen
A Tokaido shinkansen. It is unclear whether the snake was venomous or how it ended up on the train, and there was no injury or panic among passengers.
In a first, Japan doctors sue Google over negative reviews on firm's map app
One of the lawyers representing a group of doctors suing Google told a news conference that the main purpose of the lawsuit is not to seek compensation but instead to raise awareness over various problems with the Google Maps system.
'House of the Owl' brings Hollywood values to Japanese TV
In the new Disney+ series “House of the Owl,” Min Tanaka (left) plays a powerful political fixer, or “kuromaku,” who has a troubled relationship with his adult children, particularly his idealistic son, played by Mackenyu.
Benefits and risks: AUKUS looks to take gamble on Japan
U.S. President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and British leader Rishi Sunak deliver remarks on the AUKUS partnership, after a trilateral meeting, at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego in March last year.
Kyoto’s demon night parade lives to haunt another day
In a Kyoto long past, the "hyakki yagyō" (100 demon night parade) haunted a sleepy corner of Kyoto. Now, one enterprising monster enthusiast has won a small batttle to keep the march alive.
U.S. deploys midrange missile system in Indo-Pacific for first time
A U.S. Army Mid-Range Capability (MRC) Launcher arrives as part of the capability’s first deployment into theater on Northern Luzon, Philippines, April 8.
Unpacking the chaotic by-election in a scandal-hit Tokyo district
People listen to a campaign speech in Tokyo's Koto Ward on Tuesday.

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

Historically, kabuki was considered the entertainment of the merchant and peasant classes, a far cry from how it is regarded today.
For Japan's oldest kabuki theater, the show must go on
By Lance Henderstein

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Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass
Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass

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