Commentary / World Nov 19, 2019
Warmer winters won't mean fewer deaths
by Peter R. Orszag
Temperature isn't the only reason mortality spikes from December to March.
Travel Jan 18, 2019
Where to buy ski and snowboard gear in Tokyo
by Oscar Boyd
Need winter sports equipment? The Kanda-Ogawamachi district to the east of Jinbocho Station is far and away the best place to purchase ski and snowboard gear in the capital.
World / Social Issues Dec 21, 2018
Migrants brave Bosnia's bitter winter wilderness, and wolves, to cross into EU
Their shoulders hunched against the bitter cold, dozens of migrants tramped towards Bosnia's border with Croatia, trying to cross illegally into the EU along a route that days earlier almost claimed the lives of a similar group. About 30 men, women and children, some dressed ...
Travel Feb 23, 2018
Sapporo: Famous for its snow, but a delight in green
by Melissa Devaughn
Sapporo balances a vibrant city feel with the quieter reprieves of lush parks, dense forests and meandering trails that speak to Hokkaido's nature-centric reputation. One minute you're fighting crowds at a fish market and the next you're listening to birds chirping in the Japanese ...
Environment | OLD NIC'S NOTEBOOK Feb 11, 2018
There's no business like snow business
by C.W. Nicol
A few weeks ago I had things to do in Tokyo and Yokohama, so I had a ticket booked for a late-afternoon train from Nagano on Jan. 22. Then that morning my manager in Tokyo phoned to tell me I should come early ...
National Apr 2, 2017
Following the deaths of eight people in an avalanche last week, winter mountaineering practices and competitions involving high school students are being held in at least seven of Japan’s 47 prefectures.
Food & Drink | KONBINI WATCH Feb 10, 2017
Agepizza: a deep-fried substitute for the real deal to warm your cockles in winter
by Patrick St. Michel
During the coldest stretch of winter, a warm snack helps to make the low temperatures a bit more tolerable. Convenience store chain Ministop's new Agepizza (deep-fried pizza) offers just that, and at a reasonable price. This item (¥180) comes in two flavors: margherita and Thai-style ...
World / Social Issues Jan 22, 2016
12 refugees found drowned on Turkish shore; hypothermia claims trio who reached Lesbos
Twelve bodies were found on Turkey's western coast and 26 people were rescued on Tuesday after a boat carrying migrants bound for Greece capsized, the Turkish coast guard said in a statement. Responding to a distress signal sent in the early morning near Izmir, the ...
World / Social Issues Jan 13, 2016
Harsh winter bears down on migrants stuck near Dunkirk who didn't reach Calais 'jungle' camp
As thousands of migrants prepare for falling temperatures in the "jungle" of Calais on France's north coast, refugees in another makeshift camp just 35 km away are coping with even more squalid conditions as the winter freeze sets in. In Grande-Synthe, a small town adjacent ...
World / Science & Health Dec 29, 2015
Switzerland has kept records for 150 years and this December clocks in as the warmest
Switzerland will mark its warmest December since the country that founded winter tourism began keeping records 150 years ago. Clear skies and dry ground have seen the Alpine nation end the year 3.4 degrees Celsius above the long-term historical average for December, a climatologist for ...
National | View from Osaka Feb 14, 2015
Winter offers a wake-up call for local revitalization drive
by Eric Johnston
Kansai's corporate titans gathered in Kyoto earlier this month for their annual retreat, formally known as the Kansai Economic Forum. While there was no shortage of the usual slightly daft old men with slightly daft ideas, this year saw two important, positive changes. The first ...