Travel writers in recent times have been less than flattering in their assessment of Mandalay, the ancient capital of Myanmar. But, as Stephen Mansfield writes, there’s still a lot of charm left in the disheveled city yet. Photos also by Stephen Mansfield. Technically speaking, Mandalay no longer exists. The old city, built after King Mindon…

Studying Japanese is very useful for living in Japan. J SELECT features Japanese language schools in the greater Tokyo area that offer short-term courses suitable for foreign residents of Japan, such as businesspeople or spouses and children of expatriates. These include courses on business Japanese or preparation for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). Here are…

In the space of just seven years Gwenaël Nicolas and Rieko Miyamoto have taken the international design world by storm, compiling stunning avant-garde portfolios for corporate clients such as Issey Miyake, Tag Heuer and Sony. Femke Bijlsma caught up with the pair as they put the finishing touches on their biggest project yet – designing…

With the Black Ships Festival just around the corner, Rob Gilhooly drops in on the historical port town of Shimoda. “Ah! The moon is up, and tomorrow we’ll be in Shimoda,” said the little dancer. “I love Shimoda.” There’s much to love about today’s Shimoda, though not necessarily what Kaoru, the little dancer and central…

Designer Limi Yamamoto unveils stunning new autumn/winter collection in bid to shake outdated “loose silhouette” tag, writes Elliott Samuels. Portraits by David Stetson. Japanese designers have been at the forefront of international fashion ever since Kenzo Takada made his successful debut in Paris in 1970. Using kimono textiles in an unfamiliar way, his casual creations…

Award-winning chef Roy Yamaguchi fuses fresh Asian ingredients with European inspiration to create culinary masterpieces that are setting the world alight, writes Elliott Samuels. Portraits by David Stetson. Most chefs are taught at an early age that there’s a right way to do something in the kitchen and a wrong way. After working in the…

Photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto has spent much of his life inviting audiences to re-evaluate conventional notions of time and space. Jonathan Day catches up with the conceptual artist during a recent visit to Tokyo for the launch of a special retrospective exhibition held in his honor. Portraits by Androniki Christodoulou. European and American artists have historically…

In a country more commonly associated with sake than Chardonnay, it’s perhaps safe to assume that most expatriates believe the local wine industry is still a little wet behind the ears. However there are a growing number of respectable wineries in Japan that are well worth visiting, particularly those located in the Yamanashi region just…

Though Tokyo boasts the highest number of non-Japanese transplants, the award for history and culture surely goes to the Kansai region. From ancient temples in Nara, to the sprawling vistas of Kobe. These 8 schools you can learn the Japanese while exploring its rich history in the heart of Japan. Contents ◆Aim Nara International Academy…

It’s hard to imagine a pair of mild-mannered tsugaru shamisen players from Hokkaido being able to whip difficult crowds in the United States into a frenzy, and yet that’s precisely what happened during a recent tour of America by the Yoshida Brothers, Japan’s answer to the Everly Brothers of the late fifties and early sixties….