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November 22, 2024
 

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Patrick St. Michel
Patrick St. Michel is a Tokyo-based writer with a focus on Japanese music. He runs the blog Make Believe Melodies, which has focused on Japanese independent music since 2009. Besides The Japan Times, he also contributes to MTV 81 and The Atlantic.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Dec 5, 2020
Eggslut goes sweet with its Eggy Banana Pudding
The Los Angeles-born chain specializes in — you guessed it — egg dishes. Starting this month, it's giving desserts a go, too.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Nov 28, 2020
Plant-based protein makes healthy snacking easy
Wallet? Check. Keys? Check. Tofu bar from Seven-Eleven Japan? Check.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Nov 23, 2020
Raise a glass in memory of Tokyo's messier tourist traps
Robot Restaurant and MariCar (or Street Kart or whatever you want to call it) were problematic tourist experiences, sure. That doesn't mean they weren't bold.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Nov 21, 2020
U.S. election helps disinformation on social media thrive in Japan
The 2020 U.S. presidential election has dominated much of the news cycle over the past couple of weeks, with social media playing a key role in the conversation.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Nov 21, 2020
Upscale updates to the classic Mont Blanc
Department stores might already be in full Christmas mode, but specialty dessert stores aren't giving up on autumn flavors.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Nov 14, 2020
Reaction videos take center stage as YouTubers seek to decipher online content about Japan
Genre's roots can be traced to the sort of interactions once typically found on Japanese mainstream TV.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Nov 14, 2020
Dialing potato chip cheese flavor up to 11
Japanese snack makers often experiment with unique pairings, but there's nothing wrong with taking existing flavors to the boldest end of the spectrum.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Nov 7, 2020
Harajuku’s latest dessert trend? Taiwanese castella cake
New sweets constantly emerge in Japan, and the latest fad combines the addictive texture of a souffle pancake with the taste of castella.
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / Wide Angle
Nov 6, 2020
‘24 Japan’ turns back the clock with remake of U.S. series
When studios in Japan suspended production of new programming due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic this past spring, TV stations turned to nostalgia to fill the suddenly vacant spaces on their nightly schedules. Reruns of dramas, in particular, proved successful, whether they were from a...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Oct 31, 2020
These convenience store snacks are here to ‘slay’
Head to Lawson and you'll find a range of limited-edition snacks tied to the recent record-breaking movie, “Demon Slayer.”
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Oct 24, 2020
Social media creators take advantage of the subsidized Go To campaigns
The government’s Go To Travel campaign prompted plenty of skepticism ahead of its debut in July. Understandably so — new cases of COVID-19 infections were back on the upswing at that time and the whole push to help support the country’s ailing tourism industry felt far too early. Initial results...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Oct 24, 2020
Minions and Mont Blancs dominate 2020’s Halloween treats
This year's Halloween events may have migrated online, but there's nothing virtual about these spooky and delicious sweets.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Oct 17, 2020
Kirin’s Ichibanshibori beer goes zero-carb
Kirin Brewery Co. appeals to Japan's health-conscious consumers in hopes its new drink helps it 'find new beer fans.'
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Oct 10, 2020
Virtual YouTubers get caught in the middle of a diplomatic spat
It’s relatively easy for those involved in the entertainment industry in Asia to get caught up in geopolitical scuffles, with social media accelerating and magnifying any faux pas. Put on an ill-advised shirt or get the wrong tattoo and suddenly you’ve raised diplomatic tensions tenfold.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Oct 10, 2020
The many layers of Cheese Dish Factory’s towering Mont Blanc parfaits
This autumn-appropriate sweet comes in four varieties — marron and tiramisu, berry and berry, fromage and rare cheese, and green tea and black kinako.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Oct 3, 2020
Celebrating Japan’s sweets in ice cream form
Haagen-Dazs' Hanamochi ice cream pops up in freezers every so often, and the current autumn offerings are its best nod to traditional flavors so far.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Sep 26, 2020
Caramel-drizzled sweets hit the streets of Kichijoji
Although Caramel Ghost House has a befittingly Halloween name, the sweets store has managed to become a year-round player in Tokyo's dessert scene.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Sep 19, 2020
Seven-Eleven’s new muffin sandwich experiment is a dense, doughy eat
Debating if you should try one of Seven-Eleven's muffin sandwiches? Take our word for it and just stick to the iconic, triangle-cut sandwich.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Sep 12, 2020
Say farewell to citrus, and hello to sweet potato
Mister Donut is pumping up the potato flavor in this year's fall Satsumaimodo lineup.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Sep 5, 2020
If you can’t decide between sweet or savory, why not get both to go?
Lawson has gone cup crazy with new Cupke desserts and skewers in portable packaging.
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Ishiba aggravates his own political failures with diplomatic faux pas
Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba is greeted at the APEC summit in Lima by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. The Japanese leader was criticized for remaining seated while meeting several world leaders at the event.
Japan's 3.31 million visitors in October set monthly record
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in December 2023. Famous autumn leaf colors contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe and North America, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
Ruling coalition and DPP strike last-minute deal over economic policy
DPP policy chief Makoto Mahaguchi speaks at the party's policy gathering in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.
Japanese expats in Asia find community through rugby
The Taiwan Fivewoods celebrate their victory at the 2023 Asian Japanese Rugby Cup in December of last year.
In Fukushima, a weekend of prose, poetry and translation
Aomori-based writer JJ Carter presented on tabletop gaming as creative inspiration for building characters and narratives.
For Dr. Nakamats, aging is just experience in action
Though he didn't win the recent gubernatorial election in Tokyo, the 96-year-old Dr. Nakamats' run was seen as inspirational in Japan's aging society.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

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