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January 27, 2025
 

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LIFE

Food & Drink

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With abundant rains and formidable humidity in summer, Japan does not seem to be an ideal land for wine, but winegrowers in Yamanashi Prefecture have gradually been able to adapt.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Of sake and spirits: Indulging in Yamanashi’s best
Visits to Grace Wine’s vineyard and the Suntory Hakushu Distillery turn a tour of the mountainous prefecture into a gourmet treat.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Where to begin when it comes to Japanese wine
Buying your first Japanese wine? Let your own palate lead the way.
LIFE / Food & Drink
For kids, Japanese food ‘is a doorway to exploration’
Begun as a response to Asian-directed violence during the pandemic, the “Very Asian” series of cookbooks-slash-cultural primers turns its gaze toward Japan.
It's taken Takuma Watanabe little time to establish himself as one of New York's hottest bartenders.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 16, 2025
From Tokyo to Manhattan, Takuma Watanabe stirs up a stiff drink
By Mike Fu
Tokyo native Takuma Watanabe offers a formidable addition to New York’s pantheon of cocktail bars.
'Dorayaki' (red bean paste-filled pancakes) are humble treats with delicate sweetness — 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
By Cassandra Lord
More modern than you may think, filled ‘dorayaki’ pancakes have a past almost as sweet as the treat itself.
Pan-roasted baby beets, carrots, turnips and orange may be an otherwise American dish, but Sonoko Sakai's addition of lemon-miso yogurt turns it into a 'wafū' (Japanese style) marvel.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 12, 2025
The case for Japan-ifying everything you cook
By Simon Daly
“Wafu Cooking: Everyday Recipes with Japanese Style” coins the term “wafuing” — shorthand for bringing Japanese flavors into anything and everything.
At the new L'Abysse Osaka, Yannick Alleno both pays homage to and casts aside the tradition around Japan's national dish.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 5, 2025
Now in Osaka, Yannick Alleno wants ‘flavors people have never experienced’
By Melinda Joe
Opened in late October, Sushi L'Abysse Osaka is the Michelin-starred chef’s first outpost in Asia.
Of the many new openings in Tokyo in 2024, the elegant Sushi Oya run by Yoji Oya stands out from the pack.
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Dec 29, 2024
From Michelin stardom to humble meals, Tokyo dining had an eclectic 2024
By Robbie Swinnerton
As traditional pubs close and inbound tourism spurs openings, this year saw plenty of new faces make their mark on the city’s dining landscape.
The central Hokkaido city of Asahikawa made headlines this year when one of its suburbs was named as the best place to live in Japan — a ranking earned in part due to the community's many outstanding restaurants and cafes.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 28, 2024
How Hokkaido quietly became a culinary treasure trove in 2024
By Simon Daly
Food trucks, morsels with cutesy cues from nature and more helped Japan’s northernmost island have a stellar year.
A man eats a croissant dough mince pie at Pophams bakery in London.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 25, 2024
'Don't mess with our mince pies,' some Brits plead
By Helen ROWE
A mixture of different dried fruits, chopped apples and spices soaked in spirits such as brandy and rum, the snack is a favorite around the holidays.

Japan and South Korea were stable U.S. allies. Not anymore.
Supporters of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol protest in Seoul on Tuesday. The previous leaders of the U.S. and Japan, along with Yoon, focused on strengthening alliances and regional stability through cooperation whereas newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach to foreign policy may prioritize transactional relationships.
Police arrest suspect in deadly Nagano stabbings
A Nagano Prefectural Police official speaks during a news conference in the city of Nagano on Sunday following the arrest of a suspect in a deadly stabbing days earlier.
Seoul court rejects second request to extend Yoon detention
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a hearing for his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul on Thursday.
Suspect says woman found dead on remote Tokyo island killed herself
The beach on Izu-Oshima island where Shizuka Takase's remains were found in October of last year.
Sparkling Keys stuns Sabalenka to claim maiden Grand Slam title
Madison Keys celebrates with the trophy after winning the Australian Open title on Saturday in Melbourne.
Japan’s love affair with Dragon Quest spreads worldwide
Upon the release of Dragon Quest VII in 2000, hundreds of customers lined up outside stores in Tokyo to secure a copy of the new game. With a remake of a 1988 title, the rest of the world is understanding why Japanese gamers love the series so much.
Why tatami is going from the floor to the dining table
At several high-end restaurants in Tokyo, tatami is becoming a part of the dining experience — not underfoot but as a tabletop place mat for phones.
Where to begin when it comes to Japanese wine
Musashi Winery is known for its 'shōkōshi' wines.
What are the real issues behind the Fuji TV scandal?
Fuji Television's poor handling of sexual misconduct allegations against celebrity Masahiro Nakai has led to an exodus of sponsors from the broadcaster.
The cartoon chaos of ‘Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi’ was ahead of its time
Animated series “Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi” premiered on Cartoon Network on Nov. 29, 2004, and ran for three seasons. The show is based on real-life J-pop band Puffy.

Podcast

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

Longform

Ayumi Matsuki, a priestess at Yoshiwara Shrine, shows off some "o-mamori" charms. She says visitors to the shrine have increased since the NHK drama “Unbound” began airing this month.
Tracing Tsutaya Juzaburo, Edo’s media maverick
By Alex K.T. Martin

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mission sustainability vol.14 : Unicharm Corp.Unicharm recycles diapers back into diapers
mission sustainability vol.14 : Unicharm Corp.Unicharm recycles diapers back into diapers

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