51³Ô¹ÏÍø

author

 
Menu
Search
 
July 24, 2026
 

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access

Meta

Weiwen Lin
Miki Tanaka says that a key part of her service as a sommelier is keeping a close eye on how her customers peruse and engage with the wine list when they first sit down at her restaurant.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 19, 2026
Kansai¡¯s first Michelin-selected sommelier knows how to read a room
In April, Miki Tanaka was given the Michelin Guide¡¯s first-ever sommelier award for Kyoto and Osaka.
La & Le, a new Parisian-style cafe in the posh Minamiaoyama neighborhood, includes two oversized lamps meant to evoke the iconic streetlights of the French capital.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 5, 2026
La & Le brings a slice of Paris cafe culture to Tokyo
After 20 years at the French capital¡¯s iconic Cafe de Flore, Tetsuya Yamashita returned to Tokyo to open a restaurant that captures the spirit of traditional Parisian cafes.
With a golden-brown broth and a host of classic toppings, Rairaiken's shoyu ramen carries on a legacy dating back to 1910.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 3, 2026
Japan¡¯s first standalone ramen shop reopens in Asakusa
Fifty years after it closed its doors, Asakusa Rairaiken is now back to court a new generation of ramen lovers with the shoyu-seasoned broth it created in 1910.
A new global ranking puts Osaka Itami Airport as not only best in Japan but Asia's top travel hub in terms of punctuality, passenger experience and facilities.
LIFE / Travel
Jun 19, 2026
Osaka Itami Airport named Asia¡¯s best in new travel rankings
Fukuoka Airport and Nagoya¡¯s Chubu Centrair International Airport rounded out Japan¡¯s top three airports graded on punctuality, passenger experience and facilities.
A single bottle of Yamazaki 50 Year Old (right) has set a new high-water mark in the secondary market for Japanese whisky.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 2, 2026
Rare Yamazaki whisky sells for record $1 million
Bottled exclusively for a club in Nagoya and autographed by Suntory¡¯s chief blender, the 50-year-old Japanese whisky sold for almost twice its estimate.
Assemblage, a blending technique foundational to Champagne, is almost never used in sake but serves as the core of Heavensake.
LIFE / Food & Drink
May 31, 2026
The Frenchmen who gave sake a Champagne soul
Carl Hirschmann and former Champagne cellar master Regis Camus lean on techniques from the wine world to produce a sake that has a foot in both Europe and Japan.
With six three-starred restaurants in this year's Michelin guide, Kyoto continues to build on its reputation as a gourmet destination.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 28, 2026
Gourmet capital Kyoto now has six three-Michelin-starred restaurants
The latest edition of the Michelin Guide Kyoto & Osaka sees Miyamaso earn three stars ¡ª the first time since 2020 that Kyoto has a new three-starred entry.
At Park Hyatt Tokyo's revamped Girandole, chef Kojiro Tsutsumi (left) is tasked with executing Alain Ducasse's vision of a French brasserie.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 24, 2026
Girandole by Alain Ducasse is a stunning ode to brasserie fare
The renowned French chef and restaurateur¡¯s latest venture in Tokyo hits all the right notes, thanks to the deft skills of chef de cuisine Kojiro Tsutsumi.
This year's Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list spans 17 cities across Asia, with Penang, Ubud and Kasauli appearing among the entries for the first time.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Mar 26, 2026
Tokyo earns seven spots on Asia¡¯s 50 Best Restaurants list
Sazenka and Maz climb ranks, but Osaka¡¯s La Cime stole the show as Japan¡¯s highest-ranked restaurant.
Anzu Kojima (right) and Francois Proust of Three Grapes wine bar want guests to keep an open mind when they try Japanese wines.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Mar 25, 2026
¡®For Japanese wine, you must forget everything you know about wine¡¯
Leave your preconceived notions of vino at the door of Three Grapes, a new bar offering in-depth, guided tastings of domestic wine.
Expect beautiful latte art, such as this bonsai drawn by barista Pietro Vannelli, at Vannelli Coffee.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Mar 3, 2026
From Italy to Japan: Vannelli Coffee opens in Tokyo
With fancy gadgets and fragrant brews, the Italian specialty coffee brand brings some pizzazz to an already sophisticated java scene in the Japanese capital.
At Peter, The Peninsula Tokyo's revamped flagship restaurant, chef Yohan Da Costa balances French and Japanese elements in his modern French cuisine.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Feb 15, 2026
How Yohan Da Costa is redefining Peter at The Peninsula Tokyo
After 12 years, The Peninsula Tokyo¡¯s flagship restaurant has swapped its steak-and-grill theme for a French concept led by up-and-coming chef Yohan Da Costa.
Bacha Coffee's outlet in Tokyo is the Singapore-based upscale coffee chain's first shop in Japan.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 16, 2026
With a dose of old-world charm, Bacha Coffee brews its way to Tokyo
The boutique coffee chain¡¯s first outlet in Japan offers all the trademarks of the brand: fragrant javas, stylish interiors and delicious croissants.
Driftwood Bar & Grill, part of Fairmont Tokyo's trio of bars on its 43rd floor, offers creative cocktails and panoramic views of Tokyo's Minato Ward.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 13, 2026
At Driftwood, cocktails flow to the sounds of city pop
Fairmont Tokyo¡¯s new bar concept is an open space of three sky-high bars, including a classy area serving cross-cultural sips and a listening bar playing retro hits.
Juzo Itami¡¯s ¡°Tampopo¡± was released Nov. 23, 1985, and though it wasn¡¯t a hit at the time, it has gained a cult following in the years since.
CULTURE / Film / Longform
Nov 22, 2025
Eat, slurp, love: ¡®Tampopo¡¯ turns 40
Four decades on, Juzo Itami¡¯s film remains unsurpassed as a wicked and delicious social commentary on Japanese society told through the lens of food.
Tatsuya Nakadai
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Nov 11, 2025
Renowned Japanese actor Tatsuya Nakadai dies at 92
The actor was best known for his role as an aging warlord in Akira Kurosawa¡¯s ¡°Ran.¡±
The Onodera Food Service group, which manages Sushi Ginza Onodera and "kaiseki" specialist Nadaman, has merged a sushi "omakase" (chef's choice) into a kaiseki to create a new dining experience.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 7, 2025
At Nadaman, a traditional Japanese multicourse meal gets a new format
The Onodera group has taken a bold step in merging two of its dining concepts ¡ª sushi and ¡°kaiseki¡± haute cuisine.
Great Wines World features more than 260 top-rated wines curated by influential American wine critic James Suckling.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 31, 2025
Renowned wine critic James Suckling brings Great Wines World back to Tokyo
The event showcases more than 260 top-rated bottles from 150 producers, with a focus on Bordeaux.
This year¡¯s World's 50 Best Bars list features bars from 29 cities worldwide, including debuts from Eastern Europe.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 10, 2025
Tokyo earns three spots on World¡¯s 50 Best Bars list
Bar Benfiddich climbs ranks, but Hong Kong steals the show with Bar Leone making history as the first bar in Asia to be named No. 1 in the listing.
Avant-garde chef Grant Achatz and his team from Alinea are in Tokyo for a three-week residency.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 4, 2025
Eat your balloons: The culinary theater of Grant Achatz comes to Tokyo
The man behind Chicago¡¯s iconic Alinea restaurant shares insights on modernist cuisine and his Tokyo pop-up.
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.

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

SUSTAINABLE 51³Ô¹ÏÍø

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER