On April 7, 2016, together with Wining & Dining in Tokyo, Dassai, Japan’s leading sake brewery, held a collaborative kaiseki traditional Japanese cuisine pairing event: Dassai Dinner Vol. 1 at Kafuka of Azabujuban, a kaiseki restaurant nestled in the quiet streets of Azabujuban. Based in Yamaguchi Prefecture and with a history dating back more than…

Geographically closer to Taiwan than mainland Okinawa, those who venture to Okinawa’s outer islands, the Yaeyamas, soon find out that this is the nearest thing to terra incognita they are likely to find in this country’s long and, apparently, not completely tamed archipelago. If Japan has a last frontier, it is here. The Yaeyamas, along…

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,…

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…

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…