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July 24, 2026
 

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Phoebe Amoroso
Stephen Lancaster says Sezanne's loss of its Michelin stars is an opportunity to move one of Tokyo's newest fine dining institutions in a new direction.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 5, 2026
Stripped of Michelin stars, Sezanne embraces a changing of the guard
Once awarded three stars, the restaurant now holds none. But new executive chef Steven Lancaster sees the sudden change as a golden opportunity.
The current exhibition at 21_21 Design Site is A-POC Able¡¯s first venture outside fashion, though it follows in the footsteps of its founder Issey Miyake, who launched a lighting collection in 2011 with Italian company Artemide.
LIFE / Style & Design
Nov 2, 2025
New generations of designers carry Issey Miyake¡¯s legacy
From pleated garments to glowing lamps, the designer¡¯s philosophy continues to evolve through new brands, collaborations and generations.
Tokyo's Jimbocho neighborhood is a haven for book lovers, its rows of secondhand bookstores spilling over with printed materials.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Oct 18, 2025
What does Jimbocho think of its unexpected ¡®cool¡¯ status?
The book town¡¯s residents weigh in on their home topping Time Out magazine¡¯s ¡°coolest neighborhoods¡± list.
At Syn, chef Naoto Ohno's playfulness is evident in the "Apple," a replica fruit filled with applejack-flavored foie gras and served on a plate decorated with a familiar logo.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Sep 5, 2025
With a global approach, Syn gives French cuisine plenty of latitude
Up-and-coming chef Naoto Ohno draws from his rich travel experiences to redefine cooking traditions at his restaurant in Fukuoka.
The Eggplant, Trang Pepper and Mole dish encapsulates Igniv Bangkok's philosophy of weaving Thai ingredients into its creative Swiss food.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 8, 2025
With Igniv Bangkok, the Thai capital¡¯s fine dining scene gets a boost
The progressive Swiss restaurant is emblematic of the city¡¯s evolution toward a diverse gourmet destination that includes choices from modern German to creative Japanese.
Vocaloid idol Hatsune Miku and kabuki actor Nakamura Shido II first performed together in 2016. This month, they¡¯re reviving the show for the Osaka World Expo.
CULTURE / Stage
May 17, 2025
Traditional performing arts are plugging into modern audiences
Noh and kabuki are getting an image update by teaming up with pop culture figures such as Vocaloid idol Hatsune Miku and DJ Ken Ishii.
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.
Bar Bota, the 37th-floor watering hole at the Four Seasons Osaka, looks out on a glittering cityscape better known for its cheap eats and drinks.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Mar 9, 2025
Slowly but surely, Osaka emerges from Kyoto¡¯s fine-dining shadow
The majority of tourists go to Osaka with street food on their minds, but the city is rapidly improve its elevated dining options as well.
Created by a Hokkaido workshop, this Camembert represents the vanguard of Japanese cheeses no longer content with a reputation as low-quality, processed slices.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Feb 16, 2025
Fresh off awards, Japanese cheese seeks a taste ¡®unique to this land¡¯
A growing number of Japanese cheesemakers are gaining international recognition, and some are aiming for a new frontier of flavor.
At several high-end restaurants in Tokyo, tatami is becoming a part of the dining experience ¡ª not underfoot but as a tabletop place mat for phones.
LIFE / Style & Design
Jan 25, 2025
Why tatami is going from the floor to the dining table
As smartphones have become integral to daily life, they are being incorporated into traditional Japanese hospitality.
Despite ongoing struggles, 2024 had plenty of bright spots for Japan's sake industry.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 15, 2024
Glass half full: Japan¡¯s sake industry celebrates a brighter 2024
Despite a general decline in consumption, new openings and greater awareness gave Japan¡¯s sake lovers reason to cheers this year.
Timeleft uses an algorithm to match its users with five or six strangers in an effort to prompt ¡°human connection¡± over dinner at a restaurant. It determines the attendees with the help of a simple personality quiz available when you sign up for the service.
COMMUNITY / Issues / The Foreign Element
Dec 2, 2024
Seven strangers and an algorithm: Can this new dinner app help you make friends?
An app called Timeleft hopes to combat big-city alienation through a simple meal with a diverse group of people.
Virtu is located on the 39th floor of the Four Seasons Tokyo hotel in the Otemachi neighborhood of Chiyoda Ward.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 11, 2024
Virtu brings hospitality award home to the country of ¡®omotenashi¡¯
This is the first time a bar in Japan has earned the distinction from the Asia¡¯s 50 Best Bars organization since it was first awarded in 2020.
Ayatana's hand-pounded curry paste is just one example of what chef Bo Songvisava calls her revival of traditional Thai cuisine.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 8, 2023
Ayatana elevates Thai comfort food to gourmet cuisine
Japan has no shortage of Thai food, but this new Kyoto restaurant aims to transcend its reputation of a casual bite.
For drinks surrounded by some of Tokyo¡¯s sleekest skyscrapes, Marunouchi House¡¯s rooftop terrace can¡¯t be beat.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Top 5
Aug 27, 2023
Skyline sips: Tokyo¡¯s best rooftop bars
Instead of relegating it to a cherry blossom-related niche, Tokyo is recognizing the allure of drinking outside.
Ater Jimmie Husen
LIFE / Food & Drink
Aug 6, 2023
On plates, Sweden and Japan are a natural pair
Swedish and Japanese cuisine are not natural allies, but diners in Japan don¡¯t seem to care when they taste this unique fusion for themselves.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 30, 2023
The ¡®Two Faces¡¯ of Gold Bar¡¯s cocktails make for surprising sips
Minato Ward has no shortage of expensive cocktails, but Gold Bar mixes in as much style as the best of them.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 23, 2023
Japan tastes success at Asia¡¯s 50 Best Restaurants ceremony
The evening in Singapore marked the first full, in-person night of awards since the pandemic began.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Aug 14, 2022
Subterranean sake: Cave aging Japan¡¯s national drink
Sake isn¡¯t usually aged. When it is, though, it¡¯s virtually never done over years in repurposed underground caverns.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Aug 4, 2022
So you want to be a stand-up comedian?
Learn the tricks of the trade at Tokyo Comedy Bar, the capital¡¯s new stand-up comedy venue.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.
Summer has arrived in Japan and so have hot sleepless nights
Amid the heat and humidity in Japan, a good night¡¯s sleep is growing increasingly elusive without the heavy use of air conditioning.
Maya Ongaku¡¯s DIY dream is getting bigger
The members of Maya Ongaku ¡ª (from left) Tsutomu Sonoda, Shoei Ikeda and Ryota Takano ¡ª grew up on the Shonan Coast south of Tokyo and have been friends since their school days.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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