When you hear “Kobe beef,” you may conjure up the image of a Japanese cattle rancher lovingly massaging its ample hind legs, alleviating any stress build up in its body, while his wife gently brushes the hide with sake, bringing out the sheen of its coat. Such is the mystique surrounding the production of the…

Sanchoku food means direct to the table.  While the farm to table concept in many countries has a very “peasant” food connotation with a higher emphasis on organic products, the Japanese sanchoku idea is a broader one. It really begins with the idea of wanting to bring seafood — so integral to Japanese cuisine —…

Miyakojima is the largest island of the Miyako Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. From a business perspective, it is known for its production of brown sugar made from sugarcane grown there, but the island is also a hot tourist destination. Just under an hour away from the main island of Okinawa and boasting beautiful white beaches,…

Ise Jingu shrine in Mie Prefecture is considered the most important Shinto shrine in Japan with more than 2,000 years of history. Jingu is described in the oldest Japanese texts, “Kojiki” and “Nihinshoki,” which were edited about 1,300 years ago. Rather than a single shrine, Ise Jingu is better described as complex consisting of many…

There is little doubt that Tokyo is a gourmand’s paradise; there are literally thousands of restaurants serving delicious food from all over the world in myriad combinations. While “bottle keep,” in which a customer buys a bottle of whiskey or sake and leaves it at the bar for their next visit, is practiced in some…

Everyone has no doubt heard of Harajuku and Shibuya, but you may not have heard of Zozotown. This little town is equally as trendy, with over 160 funky shops, an active community of people, and a fun, colorful atmosphere. People come back for the wonderful shopping experience it offers, and it has two million regular…

Combining dining with sightseeing, modern yakatabune (literally home-style boat) offer people a unique way to see the sights via a leisurely cruise along the rivers of the city and Tokyo Bay. The history of yakatabune Dating back to the Heian Era (794-1185) yakatabune were private boats with a large indoor seating area decorated much like…

Not him again! Domination – whether it’s Lance, Roger or Tiger – in sport, it’s a problem. The average fan detests seeing the same winner wheeled out for champagne, kisses and a big novelty cheque time and time again. It makes people switch off, or worse, switch over to a new sport. So what can…

The Art of Tabletop Tea Ceremony Everyone knows what a Japanese tea ceremony is supposed to looks like. A woman in an elegant kimono serves piping hot cups of green tea in a tatami-mat room overlooking a tranquil rock garden. So it is a shock to find out that Rina Fukazawa’s tea class is held…

There can be little doubt that Japan’s greatest contribution to Formula One over the years has been in engineering. Honda-engined cars have won 75 Grands Prix in almost three decades of involvement, and Bridgestone are presently the sole tyre supplier in F1. Japanese drivers have never enjoyed much success, and have generally been ‘pay drivers’…