Tokyo’s Best Burgers
Feb 27, 2023 By Michael Stigall
Burgers have been having a moment, haven't they? I've been all over the world, and even outside of the US of A, burgers seem to be having a sort of renaissance. What was once a staple of the value menu has suddenly become upscale and gourmet. Tokyo is no exception...[ Click to read more ]
White Day in Japan – Chocolate, Love and Obligation
Feb 23, 2023 By
In Japan, the "Craziness of Valentine's Day" falls mainly on women. In fact, unlike most countries of which I am aware, in Japan, the tradition calls for women to give chocolate to the person they're dating, want to date, or is their father...sometimes brothers, and to add insult to injury,...[ Click to read more ]
Hot Coffee on a Winter Day: Hiroshima’s Best Cafés
Jan 28, 2023 By Justin Hanus
It's January. Suddenly, western Japan is a great deal colder than you imagined it would be. You want to go out but don't want to deal with the cold. What can you do? Whatever the weather, you can always enjoy a cup of hot coffee. Like the rest of Japan,...[ Click to read more ]
Nagoya Ramen Festival 2023
Jan 22, 2023 By Ray Proper
Ramen is a classic Japanese food. If you ask a random person, foreign or Japanese, male or female, what their favorite food is, you are highly likely to get "ramen" as your answer. Ramen is a noodle soup of wheat noodles served in a meat-based broth. Standard flavors include: Shio...[ Click to read more ]
Where to Spend Valentine’s Day in Nagoya
Jan 21, 2023 By Bert Wishart
In his 1977 classic one-hit wonder, John Paul Young sang the immortal lines "Love is in the air, everywhere I look around." There is a good chance that he wasn't looking around Nagoya, as while it is a fantastic city with so much to offer thanks to its industrial past,...[ Click to read more ]
Valentine’s Day in Kumamoto
Jan 20, 2023 By Justin Hanus
Are you looking to spoil someone on Valentine’s Day this year? Although more of a Western tradition, Valentine’s Day is becoming bigger in Japan, especially with the growing expat community who usually mark the 14th of February down in their diary as a special day. Here’s what to expect in...[ Click to read more ]
Street Food in Kumamoto
By Justin Hanus
Japanese cuisine is a very distinct part of the country’s culture and each part of the country has its own local dishes and twists on national favourites. Kumamoto is no different. One of the key prefectures on Kyushu Island with a vibrant city, it’s known for its ramen, akagyu beef...[ Click to read more ]
Top Lemon-Based Souvenirs from Hiroshima
By Justin Hanus
The mild climate and low rainfall of Hiroshima are ideal for growing citrus fruits. In fact, the prefecture is the biggest producer of lemons in Japan, cultivating more than half of all the lemons in the country. Purchasing lemon-based souvenirs is a great way to bring the characteristic flavor of...[ Click to read more ]
Winter Food in Nagoya
Dec 27, 2022 By Bert Wishart
Unless you are a ski bunny or a masochist, there should be no doubt that winter is the worst of all months. Cold and wet, skies as ashen as the faces that wander the sun-starved streets, it is a miserable time; it is with good reason that the poet Christina...[ Click to read more ]
Hiroshima’s Wonderful Oyster Huts and Bars
Dec 25, 2022 By Bert Wishart
For those of us who are used to the creature comforts of central heating, double-paned windows, and insulated buildings, winter in Japan – where none of these is the standard – can be uncomfortable at times. Fortunately, there are a few things that can make up for it. In Hiroshima,...[ Click to read more ]