Let’s Tour Tokyo: Kichijoji
Jun 26, 2018 By Jason Gatewood
It’s been awhile since I last introduced a part of Tokyo you may not be so familiar with, so this time we’ll head westward from Shinjuku to visit the Kichijoji (吉祥寺) district. This area is centered around the junction of the JR Chuo Line and Keio Inokashira Line at its...[ Click to read more ]
Cupcakes or Muffins? Why Not Do Both?
By Bert Wishart
Whether you are throwing a small party, want something to pair with your coffee, have kids who deserve a tasty treat, or (like me) you have insatiable sweet tooth that demands to be fed, cupcakes and muffins are the perfect indulgence. Japan loves a these delicious delicacies in that they...[ Click to read more ]
Get Your Grill On – Nagoya’s BBQ Spots
May 29, 2018 By Bert Wishart
The Japanese have something of a love/hate relationship with the summer months. As soon as the mercury climbs above 25 degrees, women break out the parasols, curtains are pulled tight to keep out sunlight, and everyone’s vocabulary is limited to a single word: atsui (hot!). But that is not to say...[ Click to read more ]
Tebasaki Summit – Scaling the Heights of Nagoya’s Most Famed Food
May 16, 2018 By Bert Wishart
Americans could be forgiven for thinking that chicken wings come from Buffalo, and Brits may think of them as that bit of the Sunday roast that no one really wants, but there are few foods quite so close to the heart of the people of Nagoya as the humble chicken wing. Tebasaki, to...[ Click to read more ]
Tokyo Midtown Hibiya: Upscale shopping at the Emperor’s front door
Apr 26, 2018 By Jason Gatewood
Tokyo’s Hibiya district is known mostly for its namesake park right next to the Imperial Palace grounds, and being home to many Japanese government offices as well as corporations. If you want to shop, then you’d just need to wander a bit east into the Ginza and Yurakucho areas... But...[ Click to read more ]
Tokyo Java: Why Are Indie Coffee Shops Opening All Over The Metropolis?
By Jason Gatewood
We’ll forgive you for thinking Japan was all about the green tea if you’ve never been here before. Of course we pride ourselves on having over a hundred varieties of o-cha you can drink, and the image of a kimono-clad stern performer of tea ceremony is forever burned into our...[ Click to read more ]
Popular Patisseries and Bakeries in Kobe
Apr 25, 2018 By Justin Hanus
When you are in a new place, you always find yourself trying out the restaurants first. Unless you’re on a diet, you’d find it a must to sample the local delicacies and the popular eateries that you’ve researched on. The ones with the best reviews are the most favorable but...[ Click to read more ]
Your tour of the regions of Japan begins under the tracks of Akihabara
Mar 26, 2018 By Jason Gatewood
Of course you know what Tokyo’s Akihabara district is known for: electronics, video games, anime and manga shops, maid cafes, and anything else that would make a nerd, geek, weeaboo and "technojapanophile" drool. Since I fit into lots of these categories, I tend to visit the area once a month...[ Click to read more ]
Grocery Delivery Services In Tokyo
By Jason Gatewood
When I moved to Tokyo proper last year, I made sure to position myself in between two 24 hour grocery stores so even if I’ve run out of sugar at 3 am, I can take care of it. That extremely rare condition notwithstanding, the bigger reason is that I tend...[ Click to read more ]
Sake’ing it to ya, at the Nayabashi Sake Festival in Ngaoya
Feb 26, 2018 By Bert Wishart
Forget Asahi, Kirin or Strong Zero, there can be no doubt that the national drink of Japan is sake. ‘Nihonshu’, to give it its proper title (with ‘sake’ being a term to cover all alcoholic drinks), has been the main tipple of choice in these parts since the Nara period (710 to 794),...[ Click to read more ]
