Style & Design Nov 21, 2021
Christmas tree dress brings festive spirit to Tokyo hotel
by Eduardo Martinez
What if, instead of dumping your Christmas tree on the curb after you're done with it, you could wear it out for an evening or two?
Food & Drink | Food Sustainability in Japan Nov 20, 2021
Miyazaki distiller sees the potential in hyper-local, sustainable shōchū
by Jessica Kozuka
The Watanabe Distillery is a small, family-run business that was founded in 1914 and now produces about 50,000 liters of shōchū per year.
Lifestyle Nov 14, 2021
Elab wants you to opt-in to a circular economy
by Kimberly Hughes
Operated by a group of young creative professionals, elab — a portmanteau of “laboratory” and erabu, meaning “to choose” — encompasses a kitchen, a living laboratory and a rooftop garden.
Summer Olympics | Longform Aug 14, 2021
The race is on to define the legacy of Tokyo 2020
by Alex K.T. Martin
It may be too early to determine a legacy for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but that won't stop people from trying to define it even before the Paralympics have yet to begin.
National / Media | MEDIA MIX Aug 14, 2021
Were the Olympics sustainable? Reports of waste suggest it's not easy being green
by Philip Brasor
Stories of uneaten bento boxes and the plight of air conditioners used in the athlete residences suggest that the Olympics are having trouble meeting their sustainability goals.
National / Social Issues | Longform Aug 7, 2021
Tokyo tomorrow: What comes after the 2020 Games?
by Alex K.T. Martin
Rebuilt from the war and continually building back stronger, the 1964 Olympics gave Tokyo an identity. Will the 2020 Games do the same?
Style & Design | ON: DESIGN Jul 28, 2021
Mate-mono: Changing the fabric of Japan’s textile industry
by Mio Yamada
With mate-mono, Komatsu Matere is taking the inevitable quantities of leftover and cut-off fabric that come from manufacturing and creating stylish sustainability.
People | 20 QUESTIONS Apr 11, 2021
Mima Osawa: 'COVID-19 upended fashion trends for the better'
by Claire Williamson
Mima Osawa puts sustainability and style at the forefront of her fashion line, Mono Handmade.
Food & Drink | Food Sustainability in Japan Apr 3, 2021
When life gave him olives, this Shodoshima farmer made world-class beef
by Robbie Swinnerton
Shodoshima’s Olive-fed Wagyu Beef is taking the “Wagyu Olympics” by storm, and putting the island on the gastronome’s map.
Style & Design | ON: DESIGN Mar 20, 2021
Japanese designers make haste to reduce waste
by Mio Yamada
With Earth Day coming up next month, “On: Design” looks into a few initiatives that address Japan’s plastic waste problem.
Food & Drink | Food Sustainability in Japan Mar 7, 2021
Your dinner has an origin story and blockchain tech can help you find it
by Mara Budgen
Tracing the journey of how your food gets to your table is becoming easier with the help of apps that allow shoppers to make more informed decisions.
Issues | THE FOREIGN ELEMENT Mar 1, 2021
Environmental activism is at the heart of Nagoya's international community
by Eric Margolis
The search for friendship and community among foreign residents of Nagoya has become intimately tied to environmental education and activism.