Mountain Biking in Japan
Mar 21, 2021 By Bert Wishart
Being such a mountainous country, Japan is a fantastic place to go mountain biking. There are excellent spots at which you can hop on a bike and fly down a trail right across the land. Whether you are into downhill, dirt jumps, freeride or cross country, a beginner (like me),...[ Click to read more ]
Nagoya Agricultural Centre
Mar 16, 2021 By Bert Wishart
With spring well and truly in full swing and the weather improving day by day, now is a great time - before the rain and humidity of the summer arrive - to get outside with the kids and enjoy the great outdoors. But of course, you've already taken them to...[ Click to read more ]
Do You Like Nagoya Men? Delving into Nagoya’s Noodle Dish, Kishimen
Feb 26, 2021 By Bert Wishart
Throughout Asia, noodles are considered one of the staple foods. This is particularly true in Japan, where there are numerous types of 'men' [noodle] dishes that you can enjoy. Here in Aichi, the local delicacy is kishimen, a flat udon noodle that has more than a passing appearance to tagliatelle...[ Click to read more ]
Alive and Rocking – See Local Music at Nagoya’s Great Live Houses
By Bert Wishart
By way of a cursory look on Japanese television, you would be forgiven for believing that Japan's music industry was an endless parade of identikit Johnny's boy bands or sprawling AKB-48 affiliated girl groups. There is nothing wrong with this homogenous J-Pop, per se, but there has to be more to...[ Click to read more ]
Setsubun at Ryotei Kawabun, Nagoya’s Most Traditional Restaurant
Jan 29, 2021 By Bert Wishart
One of the most important dates in Japan's lunar calendar, every February 3, Setsubun marks the beginning of Spring. It is a time of 'out with the old and in with the new .' This metaphorical idea's literal representation is someone dressing up as an 'oni' [demon] and being chased...[ Click to read more ]
Have a Good ‘Morning’ – Ichinomiya’s Breakfast Tradition
By Bert Wishart
Japanese cuisine is well known for its delicate flavors, subtlety, and exquisite fragility. However, here in Aichi, we do things differently, and the local food is famed for its full-flavor, richness, and piquancy. When it comes to breakfast, Aichi differs noticeably from the rest of the nation. While the rest...[ Click to read more ]
Hey Joe – Nagoya’s Best Coffee Shops
Jan 21, 2021 By Bert Wishart
While stereotype would have it that the Japanese are all nothing but green tea fiends, if you look around, there can be no doubt that the nation is, in fact, run on coffee, with everyone from salarymen to schoolgirls (there go those stereotypes again) chugging down the stuff throughout the...[ Click to read more ]
Our House! – We More Than Recommend These Restaurants in Nagoya
Dec 24, 2020 By Bert Wishart
Back in the day, when I was embarking on this writing game, I imposed three cardinal rules upon myself: 1. Only write about cool bands; 2. Never write bullsh!t advertisements for brands that you don't believe in for the man; 3. Never cut your hair shorter than your earlobes. You...[ Click to read more ]
Nagoya’s Best Sweet Shops
Nov 25, 2020 By Bert Wishart
Japanese cuisine is mostly known for its raw fish and tempura, but I have a sneaky suspicion that, should you ask most Japanese what their favorite dish is, it'll end up being a dessert of some kind. From local delicacies such as manju and mochi to imported sweets like cheesecake...[ Click to read more ]
Hisaya Odori Park – Shopping and Dining in Style at Nagoya’s Latest Attraction
Oct 26, 2020 By Bert Wishart
A couple of years ago, there was some consternation amongst Nagoyans when the tall trees that lined Sakae's Hisaya Odori Park were chopped down one by one. The two-kilometer long park was an oasis of green in an otherwise concrete landscape, and with the area slated for redevelopment as a...[ Click to read more ]
