In the early days of the Meiji Period (1868-1912), Hokkaido was the country’s wild frontier. Inhabited by indigenous Ainu and resourceful (and occasionally rebellious) settlers, the northern island had been largely ignored by Japan’s rulers during the secluded centuries of rule by the Tokugawa Shogunate. Opened to American ships by the Treaty of Kanagawa brokered…

Eco is the catchphrase that serenades this era’s consciousness, and given the urban density of Japan – and the alarming rate of climate change – it is one that cannot be stressed enough. In response to this impending crisis, Prime Minister Hatoyama made climate change one of his foremost topics, and at the UN summit…

It might be hard for some to keep up with the dizzying pace of fashion in Tokyo – or at least the aggressive pace Tokyo boutiques change seasons. In fact, as soon as you settle on buying that summery Marc Jacobs T-shirt you’ve had your eye on for a while, the shelves will be swept…

For several years after WWII, in the days before New Caledonia and Hawaii became de rigueur and affordable, Beppu, along with Miyazaki to the south, was one of Japan’s most popular and exotic honeymoon spots. Even the exceptionally well-traveled writer Yukio Mishima and his bride Yoko spent part of their honeymoon there. The city is…

Kengo Kuma is one of Japan’s great contemporary architects, with over 70 projects to his credit. His buildings are typified by a sensual simplicity and demonstrate an acute consciousness of the surrounding environment. His site-sensitive work always maintains a humanistic warmth and respect for nature, and is therefore always elegant, exuding an atmosphere of serenity….

We’ve all been there — in need of a cool one after work, at the end of a day traipsing around the shops, after the most recent ear-lashing from the missus, or just because… Beer, according to a certain American born scientist/writer/politician named Benjamin Franklin is proof God loves us. Whether or not this is…

Population swings have long been the subject of debate, study, analysis, predictions of doom and gloom, and general chitchat for the uninformed. In reality, there is no such thing as an “ideal” population. There are, however, many takes on required numbers to maintain, improve upon, and even decrease, living standards at any given point in…

The wandering performers, charcoal-makers and peddlers that once traversed the eastern coast of the Izu Peninsula have long since vanished, but much else has remained remarkably unchanged. Along a seaboard corridor more suggestive of a rustic country route than a vector for north-south passenger traffic, cedars and other trees line slopes and gorges leading to…

Instagram is a mobile, desktop internet-based photo sharing application and service that allows users to share pictures and videos either publicly, or privately to pre-approved followers. Recently “Instagram” has become very popular in Japan. The buzzword “Insta-Bae” means “Instagenic (Instagram+photogenic)” in Japanese, photogenic pictures that get many likes on Instagram. “Insta-Bae” has been picked as…