The way to recover from the fatigue, stress and tiredness of daily work, is not your girlfriend or boyfriend, or even a massage - it is of course through visiting a hot spring. The indescribable, liberating feeling you get when you soak up to your shoulders in hot bath water; how much happiness woul
This series is our collection of selected locations (machi) from all around Japan – places with various different cultures and local specialties, and those with novel customs of some sort. In the last volume we went to Oita, in volume 4 we feature Ehime of the Shikoku region! Ehime prefecture
For some, the words “flea market” might conjure thoughts of people selling niche items in an unappealing atmosphere. But actually flea markets have a welcoming feel, meaning anyone can feel easy about visiting one. Lately, purchasing vintage items such as crockery and ornaments for home interiors ha
Recently Japanese traditions and culture have gained notice and products that are “made in Japan” have become popular. Shops selling Edo period items continue to pop up. Do you own any “Japanese things”? I think there are many people who don’t actually own anything that they can stand up and shou
This is a continuation of the previous part one “thing” edition, this time I present the “food” edition. There are still depths we don’t know about the Japanese food we eat as part of our daily lives. Here I will introduce shops specializing in Japanese style snacks and items for side dishes.
This series is our collection of selected locations (machi) from all around Japan – places with various different cultures and local specialties, and those with novel customs of some sort. In the last volume we went to Gifu, in volume 3 we feature Oita! Oita is home to 4,538 hot springs and has a
Spring is full of meetings and partings; new life, new job, new school term, and graduations. This is the time when the weather is cheery and you wonder what happened to the chill of winter. When it’s hot, don’t you want to eat that thing that melts in your mouth and gives you brain freeze?
Mashiko Town is located in the South-East of Tochigi Prefecture and is proud to be the home of the traditional craft, “Mashiko ware”. Since the end of the Edo period, this town has been known as a ceramic arts town and they hold the “Mashiko Pottery Fair” every year. From works of veteran ceramic ar
While cafés where you can pet cats and rabbits are rapidly increasing, my attention was brought to that of a slightly different animal café. A hedgehog café! A small round animal, covered in prickly spines. I’m sure many of you are quite surprised, I was too, but they are just too cute once you have
I’m going to introduce three well-known restaurants that exhibit a Japanese taste among the many theme restaurants that continue to pop up. There’s no question you will be surprised by the unique culture of the Heian era and the Sengoku period exhibited within these interiors. These businesses boast
For the most part I get around by train and bus - apart from that, even when it’s a little far, I walk. At such times, I often can’t help but think, “if only I had a bike!” This is where rental cycles are the go to option. Up until a while ago the image of riding a rental bike, with their big
Tokyo, home of popular trends, is where to find leading new apparel shops and restaurants. I’m sure the glamorous city of Tokyo is one place everyone would like to visit at least once in their life! In this season there are many people coming to Tokyo from outside the city for college and to look fo
Ginza brings to mind a high class shopping district for elegant women of status. However Ginza isn’t just expensive, but a place where you can find the best of what you are looking for. Here I will introduce some unusual places that are worth checking out. Let’s rediscover the Ginza you desire, full
