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Talisker Scott Hunter
Blair Masters and Talisker Scott Hunter pose for a photo with their kei truck, nicknamed “KT,” outside Ebisu Circuit in Fukushima Prefecture.
LIFE / Travel / Longform
Nov 6, 2023
The little truck that could: A fresh way to tour Japan's north
Travelers have documented almost every corner of Japan. Perhaps a new kind of adventure would be doing those same journeys by different means.
Kiminoi Shuzo's brewery (pictured in 1904) has been a fixture of the community in Arai, Niigata Prefecture, since its 1894 founding.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Aug 13, 2023
Struggling Niigata sake sees ‘a future in Japan’s past’
New challenges are forcing Niigata’s brewers to adapt their ancient craft to changing times, a balancing act that is often easier said than done.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jul 8, 2023
Drinking off the rails on Niigata’s sake train
The Koshino Shukura is one of Japan’s 44 “Joyful Trains” — on-rail experiences themed around a regional specialty. This particular one is about sake.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
May 8, 2023
'In Nojiri, I have never felt like a foreigner'
Secluded and serene, the summer spot for many expat families faces challenges that aren't unique to other rural townships in Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 23, 2023
In Nagano, an excavation of Japan's ancient elephant looks to rewrite history
Researchers are looking for clues on how Naumann’s elephant went extinct, with findings having the potential to shift understanding of humankind’s presence in Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 23, 2023
How a dig for Naumann's elephant is forging Japan's future scientists
The excavations at Lake Nojiri in Nagano Prefecture are unique because, unlike most archeological digs throughout Japan, anyone is allowed to participate.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Mar 6, 2023
Round 2 at your teaching job: New confidence, new opportunities
We're coming up on a new school year. Aim to improve your language skills and travel the country more with your newfound confidence.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Aug 3, 2022
As borders slowly reopen, a familiar question returns: Why did you come to Japan?
After years of delays, new arrivals to Japan talk about what stopped them from giving up on their dream of coming here.

Longform

Yasuyuki Yoshida stirs a brew in a fermentation tank at his brewery in Hakusan.
The quake that shook Noto's sake brewing tradition