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July 24, 2026
 

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Cassandra Lord
Coming in handy: The "temaki-zushi" (hand-rolled sushi) was first created by Tama Sushi to solve the problem of eating sushi on the go.
LIFE / Food & Drink
May 3, 2025
The sushi cone that changed everything
Inspired by ice cream cones, Tokyo¡¯s ¡°temaki-zushi¡± made sushi handheld, affordable ¡ª and a quietly radical moment in Japanese dining.
'Dorayaki' (red bean paste-filled pancakes) are humble treats with delicate sweetness ¡ª and the two Tokyo shops who may have created the treat are similarly light-handed in the way they pursue their claims as the originator of the morsel.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 12, 2025
¡®Dorayaki¡¯ creators say flavors trump the dessert¡¯s murky origins
More modern than you may think, filled ¡®dorayaki¡¯ pancakes have a past almost as sweet as the treat itself.
Three Tokyo restaurants claim to be the inventor of Japan's 'katsu kar¨¥' (breaded and fried pork served with Japanese curry), but Ginza Swiss' take (pictured) may be the most unique.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Aug 25, 2024
Japan¡¯s dueling ¡®katsu¡¯ curry creators are just happy to see the dish thrive
1918? 1921? 1947? The dish¡¯s origin is uncertain, but its popularity today both within and beyond Japan is unassailable.
Okayama and Tottori prefectures are some of the least-visited regions in Japan among foreign tourists ¡ª which is why they offer such a welcome break from crowd-clogged cities like Tokyo and Kyoto.
LIFE / Travel
Aug 23, 2024
In Japan¡¯s flyover country, 72 hours of hidden gems
Some of Japan¡¯s least-visited prefectures among foreign tourists host opportunities for peace, quiet and rural beauty.
Polina Oba enjoys the food in Fukuoka, but still finds herself traveling to Tokyo often as that¡¯s where most of the decision-makers are based.?
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Aug 12, 2024
Polina Oba: ¡®Try quick, fail quick, learn quick and you need to always pivot¡¯
Networking is at the core of Polina Oba¡¯s GourmetPro startup. Not only is it great meeting new people but you¡¯ll never know where those connections may lead.
From a Michelin-star kitchen in Italy to a central-Tokyo gelateria, Masako Minaguchi of Gelato MinNa believes doing what you love should always be a priority.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jul 11, 2024
Masako Minaguchi: ¡®Gelato is full of possibilities¡¯
From a Michelin-star kitchen in Italy to a central-Tokyo gelateria, this foodie believes doing what you love should always be a priority.
Essentially ramen broken down into a few constituent parts, 'tsukemen' was the creation of a Tokyo chef in 1961.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 7, 2024
How Tokyo¡¯s ¡®deconstructed ramen¡¯ became a national favorite
Like other twists on quintessential Japanese dishes, ¡®tsukemen¡¯ has a decidedly more modern origin than you might think.
Isamitsu Knives makes their blades in large batches to optimize the use of both the resources at its disposal and its small team of three smiths.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 16, 2024
¡®A good knife is not only about the steel¡¯
Founded in 2022, the knife-making process at Isamitsu Knives differs from industrial manufacturers in small but significant ways.
The creator of "hanetsuki ²µ²â¨­³ú²¹" is Isao Yagi, and his restaurant, Nihao, can be found right on the border of Tokyo and Kawasaki in Ota Ward.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 14, 2024
How ¡®winged¡¯ ²µ²â¨­³ú²¹ took flight from a Tokyo suburb
I mistakenly thought these crispy delights had been around for as long as ¡°²µ²â¨­³ú²¹¡± themselves, but their creator is alive and cooking today.
Get the rubber gloves and cleaning supplies out. This is the time of year when we should clean our homes and prepare them for the upcoming rainy season.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 11, 2024
Dust off your tidying vocabulary with a refreshing spring clean
While most Japanese households take part in a big clean at the end of the year, it doesn¡¯t hurt to tidy a little as the weather changes.
Wildlife researcher Amelia Hiorns says Japan's bears feel the pressure of human presence and have learned that encountering us is not worth their time.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Mar 30, 2024
Amelia Hiorns: ¡®Guiding and introducing people to Japan¡¯s nature has been rewarding¡¯
Wildlife researcher Amelia Hiorns shares how separate interests in Japan and in bears culminated in conservation work in the mountains of Nagano.
The 2024 grand prix winner was Zerogravity, a marine activity provider with a focus on accessible tours and accommodation.
LIFE / Travel
Mar 29, 2024
Japan Travel Awards promote inclusive tourism
While currently far from a global player, the Japan Travel Awards is filling a void for recommendations on forward-looking travel-centric organizations.
The Japanese word "hanami," literally means ¡°flower viewing.¡± But, a hanami gathering is more than that: It can be a picnic, a drinking party or an occasion to read poetry.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Mar 15, 2024
We invite you to get ready for this year¡¯s cherry blossom parties
Asking people to a party is made easy in Japanese with a few basic sentence structures. Taking your leave from a party is just as simple.
The onomatopaeic term "poka-poka" can be used to describe the cozy feeling of relaxing under the kotatsu in the winter.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 12, 2024
Warming words for this chilly season
The temperatures may be colder but that doesn¡¯t mean we need to cool down our vocabulary.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Dec 29, 2023
20 Questions: The best answers of 2023
Our interviewees this year gave a lot of advice for living a good life and paying attention to the things that matter most.
A filling, home-cooked Christmas dinner is within your reach ¡ª even among all the fried chicken and cramped kitchens throughout Japan.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 17, 2023
An oven-less Christmas ¡®roast¡¯ for your tiny Japanese kitchen
Forget fried chicken. Forget expensive meals out. Here¡¯s how to cook your own filling meal no matter what kitchen appliances you have.
What's in a mince pie? Does it really matter if the end result is a delicious Christmas treat?
LIFE / Food & Drink / The Recipe Box
Dec 10, 2023
Recipe: Zesty ¡®yuzu¡¯ mince pies
The combination of fresh and dried fruit creates the recognizable mince pie flavors, but with a refreshing zing from yuzu citrus and a juicier texture.
The end-of-year company party has been pretty much on hold for the past few years due to the pandemic. Will people embrace the tradition in bigger numbers as a result?
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 8, 2023
Should we forget the year or forget the party?
After a few years without proper yearend work parties, are Japanese workers ready for a big bash? Or, has the tradition come to an end?
With this simple yet filling soup, you might just forget you're not back home at the family table for Thanksgiving dinner.
LIFE / Food & Drink / The Recipe Box
Nov 19, 2023
Recipe: Velvety kabocha soup
Kabocha is harvested in the summer in some regions, and after sitting for a few months, the plentiful starches inside the tough outer skin turn to sugars.
Whether you see it as ceremonious or a ¡°way¡± of living in the moment, the tea ceremony offers a chance to relax and think about the moment you are in.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 13, 2023
The linguistic influence of tea in Japan is more than ceremonial
The way of tea is one of inner peace and enjoying the moment. And it¡¯s good for understanding idioms, too.
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.
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.
Intervention is the word after yen moves beyond ?163 and sits there
The government could prop up the yen at any moment, though its signaling is hard to read.
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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