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January 03, 2025
 

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LIFE

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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
From Michelin stardom to humble meals, Tokyo dining had an eclectic 2024
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.
LIFE / Food & Drink
How Hokkaido quietly became a culinary treasure trove in 2024
Food trucks, morsels with cutesy cues from nature and more helped Japan’s northernmost island have a stellar year.
LIFE / Food & Drink
'Don't mess with our mince pies,' some Brits plead
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.
When chef Yoshihiro Kitagawa returned to his hometown of Matsusaka to open Shibousai Kitagawa in 2015, he chose a tranquil location on the rural fringe of the city.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants
Dec 22, 2024
Shibousai Kitagawa: Creative Chinese in the home of Matsusaka wagyu
By Robbie Swinnerton
Alongside the superlative array of vegetable appetizers, a focal point at Shibousai Kitagawa is the revered local Matsusaka wagyu.
Japan's traditional New Year cuisine has a long history, though modern developments have led to slight changes in the way things work.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 22, 2024
A brief history of ‘osechi ryōri,' Japan's edible tradition for the new year
By Elizabeth Andoh
In addition to wordplay, color and shape often determine the reason why certain foods are part of Japan’s New Year holiday menu.
Despite ongoing struggles, 2024 had plenty of bright spots for Japan's sake industry.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 15, 2024
Glass half full: Japan’s sake industry celebrates a brighter 2024
By Phoebe Amoroso
Despite a general decline in consumption, new openings and greater awareness gave Japan’s sake lovers reason to cheers this year.
Gucci’s newest boutique bar is moody, chic and delightfully louche.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Kanpai Culture
Dec 15, 2024
From Florence to Osaka, Gucci’s newest concept bar oozes style
By Melinda Joe
Gucci Giardino Osaka carves out its own identity through a fusion of Italian and Japanese influences set against the backdrop of the city’s fast-paced, urban landscape.
The key to cooking these on the stovetop is to keep everything at a very low temperature so that the ingredients slowly steam before setting into a dense, fudge-like texture.
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Dec 15, 2024
A Christmas miracle? No, just brownies ‘baked’ sans oven.
By Makiko Itoh
With a bit of ingenuity, it’s possible to “bake” your own brownies on a regular stovetop.
Koichi Katsumata is the first chef to receive a Michelin star in Japan for an 'assiette dessert' (dessert course) restaurant
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 8, 2024
Welcome to Yama, Japan’s first Michelin-starred dessert restaurant
By Haru Beaufort
“We don’t just serve food — we serve memories, stories and a sense of place,” says chef Koichi Katsumata.
Every Tokyo transplant has their favorite comfort food spot, and it seems Kanye West has found his at Good Wood Terrace.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 8, 2024
Did Kanye West really discover Tokyo’s best jerk chicken spot?
By Patrick St. Michel
Social media in Japan has become fascinated with Good Wood Terrace after Ye’s visit, with many visiting to try it out themselves.

Japan’s go-slow approach to selling high-speed rail globally
At 60, the shinkansen has been mostly stuck in Japan, with only one system ever sold overseas.
Shed your skin and reinvent yourself in the Year of the Snake
A man offers prayers at Hebikubo Shrine in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward. The shrine is one of several across the country dedicated to the snake.
After historic year, the Bank of Japan ambles into 2025
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda speaks at a news conference after a policy meeting in Tokyo on Dec. 19.
Biden announces $5.9 billion for Ukraine amid final aid push
U.S. President Joe Biden (right) meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington on Sept. 26.
A year after a deadly earthquake, Noto Peninsula still faces long road to recovery
Photos taken from the same place but at different times in the Noto Peninsula towns of Wajima (left) and Suzu illustrate the progress made following the devastating earthquake that hit these areas of Ishikawa Prefecture on Jan. 1, 2024.
Sumo’s brotherhood gets latest inductee
Chugo Saito at Isenoumi stable on Friday. Saito has joined his older brother, Seigo, at the stable.
A year after a deadly earthquake, Noto Peninsula still faces long road to recovery
Photos taken from the same place but at different times in the Noto Peninsula towns of Wajima (left) and Suzu illustrate the progress made following the devastating earthquake that hit these areas of Ishikawa Prefecture on Jan. 1, 2024.
A newcomer’s guide to the Hakone Ekiden experience
The start of the 2024 Hakone Ekiden in Tokyo's Otemachi district. Every year on Jan. 2 and 3, Hakone Ekiden brings millions of fans across Japan to a standstill.
Japan’s go-slow approach to selling high-speed rail globally
At 60, the shinkansen has been mostly stuck in Japan, with only one system ever sold overseas.
Japan news images of 2024: Upheaval, resilience and breakthroughs
A person walks down a street in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the days following a magnitude 7.6 earthquake, which struck off the coast of the Noto Peninsula on Jan. 1, 2024. More than 500 deaths have been attributed to the event, which was the worst quake since the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011.

Podcast

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

Longform

A man offers prayers at Hebikubo Shrine in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward. The shrine is one of several across the country dedicated to the snake.
Shed your skin and reinvent yourself in the Year of the Snake
By Kathryn Wortley

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Challenging spirit and teamwork keep ANA flying high

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