Beware the Green Eyed Monster It’s easy to dislike Ryo Ishikawa. The nineteen year old Japanese golfer ticks most of the boxes with his youthful good looks, astronomical bank balance and undeniable talent. Added to that, there is the fact that his pimply face occupies about half of every commercial break on TV, plugging everything…

Spring river nearly overflows its banks, Grasses there are as green as nature intended. No one comes to my quiet little hut. When the wind blows the gate opens by itself. –  Tokiyori Hojo This description of harmonious co-existence with nature and one’s surroundings, penned by poet, samurai and later Zen master Tokiyori, is quoted…

Japan’s capital reinvigorates an old pastime with new technologies As I run I tell myself to think of a river. And clouds. But essentially I’m not thinking of anything. All I do is keep on running in my own cozy, homemade void, my own nostalgic silence. And this is a pretty wonderful thing. No matter…

Pierre Gagnaire is one of the luminaries of the cooking world. He received his first Michelin star in 1977 and since then his superb cooking skills and artistic talents have been steadily increasing. Today, with seven Michelin stars glowing over his tables, he is still hard at work developing his galaxy of delicious morsels. Gagnaire’s…

Are these art or merely playful installations? Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter that much as long as it stimulates the imagination. In a country that has lost its appetite for silence, an unremitting commentary typically accompanies the ferry trip from Takamatsu to Nao-shima, a small island in the Inland Sea. Once on terra firma, things…

Finding the right place to live can be key to enjoying Tokyo The foreigner that manages to arrive in Tokyo and find themselves in the perfect district straight away is a rare breed. Many have horror stories of ending up on the wrong side of the tracks, finding themselves in cramped housing that becomes too…

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)….

Budget airlines may be heading for Japan – meaning cheaper trips abroad We have all been there – it’s November and you are thinking of booking a flight for a Christmas holiday, but the prices are ridiculously expensive. For many in Japan, this leads to a difficult choice between struggling for money in the New…

The former Miss Universe Japan talks to J Select about fashion, modeling, and the difference between men and women Many, given the opportunity to meet a famous model, might wonder what to talk about, how to break the ice, and what nuggets of information they could potentially glean from such an experience. Most would, of…