Gift giving in Japan is a part of the culture that is much fretted over and largely misunderstood. For westerners, the fear of getting it wrong is a very real and pressing concern, but are we reading too much into it, asks Roddy Charles? Cubic Water Melons Walking into someone’s house with your great, big,…

Warm up your festive season with our guide to preparing mulled wine ‘Tis the season to be jolly, and there is no better way to celebrate than enjoying a glass of mulled wine (excluding the obvious and more traditional methods of spending time with family, giving/receiving presents and convincing your daughter that Santa /does/ exist)….

Cruising Around for Ecologically-Friendly Cars Everyone is told that Tokyo’s public transportation network is so efficient that people don’t need cars. But that’s what people who don’t drive say. The benefits of having a car in the city are myriad. When a destination requires train transfers, it can be much quicker to drive. When carrying…

Dante Carver discusses acting, growing up and that SoftBank role ”I always refuse the silly foreigner job. Like I said, I don’t want to get typecast. I try and stick to that rule. Those are the jobs I won’t do.” Those living in Japan and owning a television have no doubt seen the SoftBank commercials…

Writing an article about Craig Mod is quite a challenge, considering how deliberate and careful he is with the content he produces. His homepage stands out from other blogs with beautiful typography, pro-quality photos, and elegant prose composed during retreats into the mountains. Currently a self-employed designer, developer, and publisher, his latest project saw him…

If you were to ask 100 people the first food that pops into their head when they think about Japan, it’s a safe bet most would give you the same answer: Sushi. From its humble beginnings as a street snack during the Edo period, to the evolution of the California roll in Los Angeles during…

With the scarcity of vegetarian (not to mention vegan) food in the majority of mainstream Japanese eateries, it may be a little difficult to believe that vegetarian cuisine has a long history in Japan, one which spans back centuries, has deep cultural and religious ties and is still highly respected and revered in select spots…

Despite its national significance, and boasting a history of over 2000 years, it would be natural to consider sake as “kokushu,” or Japan’s national brew. Yet surprisingly the government only designated it as such in 2012, when the then Minister of State for National Policy launched a program and policies to promote exports of sake…

The New Year season in Japan is a time of renewal: the chance to say goodbye to the old and to usher in the new.  As you may imagine, there are many unique customs and ceremonies to mark the change. As it is in many cultures, food (and drink) is an important part of the…

Ryokan are traditional Japanese inns that originally catered to travelers during the Edo period. Typical ryokan usually feature tatami-mat rooms, communal baths and are similar to Bed and Breakfasts, with the owner usually available to chat with guests in the common areas. For people looking for the finest in Ryokan with a western touch, KPG…