After focusing on cabernet sauvignon in Napa Valley, winemaker Eiji Daniel Akaboshi moved to make pinot noir at the renowned Freeman Vineyard & Winery in Sonoma County.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 13, 2025
In California, a Nikkei vintner finds his heritage and purpose
The discovery of a distant relative's wine legacy in California led winemaker Eiji Daniel Akaboshi to look at his vocation in a new light.
Fried rice is a traditional dish, but even the classics can use updating from time to time.
LIFE / Food & Drink / The Recipe Box
Apr 13, 2025
As rice prices rise, a bit of tea adds needed luxury
Add depth and your personal flair to fried rice with your favorite brand of tea.
An ongoing shortage of rice has resulted in rising prices for Japan's main food staple.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Longform
Apr 7, 2025
Why Japan is running out of rice — and farmers to grow it
Outdated government policy, changing diets and even an earthquake scare have had an impact on the national food staple.
Japanese desserts have been turning heads in recent months for a series world-firsts.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 6, 2025
‘Japanese pastry has matured into its own distinct identity’
“There’s been a shift over the years where Japanese pastry chefs are moving away from simply replicating French techniques,” says chef Koichi Katsumata.
After getting her career started in Japan, Courney Kaplan has become one of Los Angeles' leading sake evangelists from her base at Ototo.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Kanpai Culture
Apr 6, 2025
In Los Angeles, Courtney Kaplan says sake is having a moment
Los Angeles has no shortage of Japanese restaurants, but Ototo makes the country's national drink an easy sip.
At Japan's top cocktail bars, ice is as important an ingredient as any bottle you'll see on the shelf.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Mar 30, 2025
The cold complexity of 'pure' Japanese cocktail ice
To some Japanese bartenders, the secret to a great cocktail lies not just in the mixologist's skills but also the quality of the ice.
Sachiyo Harada's latest cookbook is filled with simple recipes alongside step-by-step pictures that would make cooking a fuss-free affair for beginners.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Mar 30, 2025
Feast your eyes on 'The Complete Illustrated Guide to Japanese Cooking'
In “The Complete Illustrated Guide to Japanese Cooking,” Sachiyo Harada has put together an uncomplicated book that appeals to both home cooks and seasoned chefs.

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.