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Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Mar 26, 2016

Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten sells the story of Japanese crafts

"I can't ask a craftsperson to make something cheaply, or to produce 1,000 items. I have to find 10 artisans to each create 100 quality items," says Jun Nakagawa, president of the crafts-revitalization business Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten. "That's what makes it tricky."
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Mar 22, 2016

Gomes expands horizons with Japan move

Yomiuri Giants reliever Tetsuya Yamaguchi, for some reason, thought he could get away with a first-pitch, 128-kph slider over the outside of the plate against Jonny Gomes.
Japan Times
Figure Skating / ICE TIME
Mar 15, 2016

Choreographer Wilson regrets 'transformative' Kim's early retirement

When Yuna Kim retired after her controversial second-place finish at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, many felt it was too abrupt an end to a brilliant career for the 23-year-old.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KANPAI CULTURE
Mar 11, 2016

The search for Tokyo's best gimlet leads to Daisuke Ito

I have a particular fondness for the gimlet, that simple but elegant concoction of gin, fresh lime juice and sweetened lime cordial. For many, the drink conjures images of dames and detectives from noir films, but mine is a more nostalgic affection. The gimlet was my cocktail of choice during my early...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Mar 9, 2016

The Greek auteur who cooked up 'The Lobster'

When a gifted director ditches their native tongue and starts working in English, it can be a fraught process. For every Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, there's a Wong Kar-wai or Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, whose career still hasn't recovered since he parlayed the Oscar triumph of his 2006 drama "The...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 7, 2016

Trump has a point about American decline

The U.S. may not be able to reverse its decline, but there are steps that can halt it before it gets worse.
JAPAN / History / THE LIVING PAST
Feb 20, 2016

The Meiji Era and the soul of Japan: part 1

'Japan's first modern novel" was published serially between 1887 and 1889.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Feb 17, 2016

Canadian behind Rodman trips to bring hockey to North Korea

The Canadian man who once helped bring basketball hall-of-famer Dennis Rodman to North Korea is now eyeing another project: a hockey tournament that could see former NHL players visit the secluded nation.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Feb 15, 2016

It's the season of love: Won't someone please grab hold of my chin?

In Japan these days, it can seem as if love itself is on the decline — and that no one really cares.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Feb 13, 2016

Onagawa is on the rebound from devastation

On March 11, 2011, the magnitude-9 Great East Japan Earthquake propelled a powerful tsunami through the port of Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, claiming 827 lives — nearly 10 percent of the town's population — and destroying 70 percent of all of its buildings. It was the most severely damaged town in...
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Feb 13, 2016

Trust robots to keep the kids occupied

'Can we go to the park?" In our household, this refrain is heard almost as frequently as "I want ice cream" and "I don't want to go to bed."
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design / ON: FASHION
Feb 13, 2016

Winning looks: Sacai, Mr. Gentlemen and AllSaints

Sacai wins Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Feb 2, 2016

Cruz upsets Trump in Iowa; Clinton barely scrapes by Sanders

It was a bad night in Iowa for the establishment on both sides of the political aisle.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 30, 2016

NHK may need to rethink its 'taiga' formula

An article that appeared in December in the Yomiuri Shimbun weighed the prospects for the 2016 edition of NHK's year-long historical taiga drama series, which premiered Jan. 10. "Sanada Maru" is the title of the 55th marathon show, and the name of a fortification added on to Osaka Castle to protect it...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 27, 2016

'The Actor' gets inside the mind of a struggling Japanese actor

How do Japanese actors do it? I don't mean the stars of mainstream films — those "multi-talents" that are busy 24/7 with TV, stage and advertising gigs — I'm talking about the legions of supporting actors who may have only a single scene or line in a film, or play a body floating in a river. How...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 26, 2016

Europe's problem: location, location, location

Europe is in the wrong place at the wrong time. And the consequences may rip it apart.
CULTURE / Music
Jan 24, 2016

Kyu Won Han's advice to new opera fans: immerse yourself

Baritone Kyu Won Han says the best piece of advice he can give to opera newcomers is: read up.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Jan 23, 2016

Insect Literature

The Berlin-based author Yoko Tawada recently remarked that one of the difficulties she faced when translating Kafka's short story "Metamorphosis" into Japanese was that the associations Japanese people had with insects — even presumably giant beetles — were different to those of Europeans. Tawada...
CULTURE / Books
Jan 16, 2016

The ink-stained road: ‘age of adventure’

If foreign visitors to Japan in the Edo Period (1603-1868) ran certain risks by committing their impressions of the country to paper in a totalitarian state that worked hard to maintain its obscurity, the new Meiji Era (1868-1912) positively encouraged attention.
CULTURE / Music / David Bowie in Japan
Jan 15, 2016

The Voice that stayed with me

It's That Voice. I suddenly realized it today when I saw a YouTube montage of clips from his concerts. No matter the song, the style, the era, David Bowie's voice rings out clear and soars over the music, from a rich fruity baritone to heart-rending falsetto bends, grabbing me like no other singer has....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 13, 2016

'Paddington': Can the 'other bear' crack the Japanese market?

'I can't pinpoint the exact reason, but Paddington remains a somewhat distant character for me." So wrote teddy bear aficionado Satomi Terakawa in an email interview. Terakawa harbors a lifelong love for stuffed toy bears, and spent 15 years designing and making teddy bears for a toy boutique in Ginza....
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 11, 2016

Thai king leaves hospital, for outing since admission last year

Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej left hospital on Monday to visit his Bangkok palace, his first such outing since he was admitted last year.
COMMUNITY / Issues / JUST BE CAUSE
Jan 3, 2016

Battles over history, the media and the message scar 2015

A rundown of the top 10 human rights issues of the past year as they affected non-Japanese residents.
Japan Times
JAPAN / 2016 NEW YEAR SPECIAL
Jan 1, 2016

An opportunity to experience authentic Japanese New Year's

For most urbanites, the New Year's holidays is a time to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, go back to their hometowns, go skiing or loosen up their bodies and minds at an onsen hot spring, but there are also many interesting and unmissable events going on in and around the Tokyo metropolitan....
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 23, 2015

Tallying up Putin's 2015 foreign policy score card

His saber rattling and his willingness to talk and compromise have once again made Russian President Vladimir Putin a player to be reckoned with.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Dec 23, 2015

Much jaw-jaw about war-war: the year 2015 in quotes

The past year has seen a number of tugs-of-war, as conservatives promoted past glories and preservation of the status quo while liberals lobbied for unprecedented levels of tolerance.
SOCCER / CLUB WORLD CUP
Dec 21, 2015

Barcelona as good as advertised in Club World Cup final

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi paid tribute to strike partners Luis Suarez and Neymar after the trio combined to deliver Barcelona a record third Club World Cup title on Sunday — and warned the rest of the world they are not finished yet.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Dec 20, 2015

Young music fans found their voices in 2015

The music industry in Japan has long been seen as lagging behind the times. Once every six months there is an article that marvels at the supremacy of CDs, and new albums from acts that were big in the 1990s tend to dominate charts alongside idol-pop groups that few would label "musically progressive."...
Japan Times
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Dec 18, 2015

Mourinho's legacy threatened by his own volatility

So where does the manager formerly known as the Special One go from here?

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