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April 01, 2025
 

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Robbie Swinnerton
Robbie Swinnerton has been living, eating and writing about food in Tokyo for over 30 years. His column, Tokyo Food File, has run in The Japan Times since 1998.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Jan 16, 2022
Every meal at Mekumi feels like an education
When it comes to sushi, what happens before the chef gets hold of the fish is just as important as his or her technique in preparing it.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jan 2, 2022
2021 was a tough year, but Tokyo chefs remain undeterred
While the past year saw restaurants closing due to state-of-emergency restrictions, the food scene continued to progress.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Dec 19, 2021
A focus on crab and other Hokuriku specialties makes dining at Kataori a sublime experience
All the best chefs search out the finest ingredients, but Takuya Kataori takes this quest to the ultimate extreme.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Dec 1, 2021
With its newly awarded Michelin star, Est prepares a holiday feast
Chef Guillaume Bracaval's offerings at Est are mostly a local affair, and a three-day holiday special sees the establishment splurging on luxury.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Nov 21, 2021
The chef keeping the culinary tradition of Edo alive in Akita
Customers don't just get a good meal at Nihonryori Takamura in Akita, they get a slice of Edo Period dining culture.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Nov 6, 2021
It’s a tale of two (fresh) pastas at Pastificio Sugino and Lina Stores
Nothing beats fresh pasta. That said, not all pasta fresca is created equal. Those hankering for a truly top-notch plate should head to Pastificio Sugino.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Oct 17, 2021
Chimikepp: Modern French cuisine finds a home in Hokkaido
For some, the allure of this remote region is its bracing snowscape or outdoor activities. For others, it's knowing they will dine very well at Chimikepp Hotel.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Oct 2, 2021
An Com: Modern Vietnamese meets modern sake
An Com takes the beguiling flavors of Vietnam and reinterprets them with Japanese inflections, giving its dishes a sophistication that feels entirely suited for its contemporary setting.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Sep 18, 2021
Nihonryori Yukimoto: Grounded in tradition, a kaiseki lineage evolves
Chef Takayuki Hagiwara blends Japanese aesthetics with a quietly contemporary cooking style that uses the local bounty of Nagano Prefecture to its fullest.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Sep 4, 2021
Adi: A stylish tribute to comforting Nepalese curry
Its weekday lunch menu is the finest iteration of dal bhat — the Nepalese staple meal of rice and lentil stew, with curries, vegetables and achar pickles on the side — you can find in Tokyo.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Aug 21, 2021
Uozen: Where hunting, fishing and nature find harmony
Swapping the concrete jungle of Tokyo for rural Niigata Prefecture, chef Kazuhiro Inoue has created inventive menus starring locally sourced produce, seafood and game meat.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Aug 14, 2021
Tokyo’s restaurants push through another state-of-emergency summer
The Japan Times gives you the lowdown on what new gems opened, what closed and what restaurants are ready and waiting to throw open their doors.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jul 24, 2021
Kon: Shaved ice and sushi as you’ve never had them before
In summer, we need to slow down, drink up and eat light. Looking for specific ideas? Make your way to Kon and cool off with upscale versions of two of Japan's favorite foods.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Jul 17, 2021
Tonoya Yo: Japan's fermentation fundamentals, made modern
Chef, brewmaster and hotelier Yotaro Sasaki takes locally grown Tono rice and traditional fermented fare to new culinary heights.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jul 3, 2021
Chef Daniel Calvert finally opens Sezanne, and the wait was worth it
Any new high-end French restaurant in Tokyo is big news. But Sezanne's official unveiling on July 1 signaled the arrival of a young chef of considerable accomplishment.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Jun 19, 2021
Pesceco: ‘Satohama gastronomy’ rooted in local soil and sea
Creative, seafood-based cuisine inspired by the vista and bounty of Shimabara.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jun 5, 2021
At Dashin Soan, handmade noodles take pride of place
Expect refined ambience, a selection of elegant appetizers and top-notch soba.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
May 29, 2021
L’evo: Destination dining that’s worth the journey
Chef Eiji Taniguchi's “avant-garde regional” cuisine showcases the best of Toyama Prefecture's seasonal ingredients and local artisans.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
May 15, 2021
Sip, snack and stand in style at No. 502
Tucked away in suburban Setagaya Ward, No. 502 is a perfect example of the recent fashion for wine stores with bars attached — plus an innovative plant-forward menu.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
May 1, 2021
This laid-back tea specialist has flown under Tokyo’s radar — until now
The latest state of emergency in the capital means it's more important than ever to stay safe, which means outdoor dining. Cue the calm, secluded Sakuu.
Japan's biggest beef bowl chain Sukiya to shut nearly 2,000 stores after rat and bug contamination
Zensho Holdings, operator of fast-food chain Sukiya, said it will close all of its stores in Japan, except for a small number in shopping centers, between Monday and Friday following recent contamination incidents.
Alert raised for volcano in southwestern Japan
Shinmoedake, a volcano located between Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, in November 2019
Japan considers all possible options as Trump threatens new auto tariffs
Subaru cars awaiting export at a port in Yokohama on Thursday.
Nankai Trough earthquake could kill 298,000 people, government says
Residents participate in an evacuation drill held with West Japan Railway in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, in January 2024 to prepare for a Nankai Trough earthquake and a possible tsunami following the quake.
Japan, South Korea and China vow to strengthen trade ties amid looming U.S. tariffs
Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto (left), South Korean Trade Industry and Energy Minister Ahn Duk-geun (center) and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao during a trilateral meeting in Seoul on Sunday
A Canadian made a weekend trip to Costco a Japanese pastime
Under the watchful eye of Ken Theriault, Costco representative director and Japan country manager, the American membership-model wholesaler has flourished in Japan.
Tokyo tech failures lean into misfortune, mistakes and missteps
Tsuyoshi Domoto in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward on March 28. As an entrepreneur, Domoto experienced plenty of setbacks but maintains a positive attitude and continues to pursue his dreams.
Who among the opposition would join the ruling coalition?
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba enters his office in Tokyo on Friday.
Traveling the Three-Star Road, the tourist route made from thin air
Scenes like this snow-covered bridge leading to the village of Shirakawa-go are what make the Three-Star Road worth traveling — its name notwithstanding.
Recent spate of wildfires in Japan and South Korea linked to climate change
Smoke and flames rise from a wildfire in Andong, South Korea, on Tuesday.

Podcast

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