Many Japanese literary legends, including Masuji Ibuse, Osamu Dazai and Akiko Yosano, lived in an area along the JR Chuo Line in Suginami Ward, Tokyo. What led them, these novelists and poets who made...

SAKADO, Saitama — The achievements of a couple who worked to promote awareness of nutritional science from the prewar years on are showcased in the Shozo and Aya Kagawa Memorial Museum on the campus...

YOMITANSON, Okinawa — The night is brighter in Okinawa Prefecture from winter to spring, with a sea of lights strung up to illuminate fields of chrysanthemums in the jet-black darkness. “It’s ...

KIZUGAWA, Kyoto — Among tranquil hills in the south of Kyoto Prefecture, there is a huge structure that spirals up toward the sky. Resembling the Tower of Babel in the Old Testament, this structure...

SHIZUOKA CITY — This year marks the 40th anniversary of the launch of “Mobile Suit Gundam” plastic models, which first hit the shelves in 1980. Manufactured at the Bandai Hobby Center plant in ...

A museum dedicated to Minako Honda in Asaka, Saitama Prefecture, exhibits about 200 items related to the late singer and musical actress, who died from acute myelocytic leukemia in November 2005 at th...

OSAKA CITY — Located under an elevated road in the center of Osaka City is the Semba Center Building, a huge shopping complex stretching about one kilometer east to west. The Semba Center Building i...

OSAKA — It has been five years since the death of rakugo storytelling master Katsura Beicho, the first recipient of the Order of Culture from the rakugo world, and researchers continue to compile a ...

TACHIKAWA, Tokyo — There is a small playground called Oni Park — oni means Japanese horned ogre — about a five-minute walk east from the south exit of JR Tachikawa Station. The name comes from i...

Juntendo University’s Japan Medical Education History Museum is a facility that passes down the nation’s history of medical science since the Edo period (1603-1867), when modern medicine was intro...

UONUMA, Niigata ― The person she loves is no longer in this world. And there is nothing she can do because her beloved lived over 200 years ago. He is said to have left behind about 1,000 carved scu...

OSAKA — When you hear the dry sound of wooden clappers and someone calling out, “OK, let’s start,” before the start of a paper picture show, you should already be caught up in the world of a s...

OJI, Nara— Children reading picture books aloud to dogs, affectionately referred to as “wandoku,” is becoming all the rage at libraries and other places in Nara Prefecture. Wandoku is a Japane...

TAKASAKI, Gunma — On the slopes of Mt. Kannon near the famous Byakue Dai-Kannon statue in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, is a botanical garden dedicated to Japan’s traditional dyeing and weaving cult...

KOBE — The sound of crashing helmets reverberates across the artificial lawn field in the shadow of Mt. Rokko. In the stands, students clad in school uniforms watch the action, with energetic cheer...

Tokyo Camii in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, one of the largest mosques in Japan, has drawn popularity as an Instagrammable spot. The first mosque in that location was built in 1938. It was rebuilt in 2000...

KYOTO CITY — Nestled underground in Kyoto City, Club Metro is the place to be for those in the know. You’ll find the nightclub along an underground passageway if you head toward Exit 2 after di...

OSAKA CITY— Geiko, also known as geisha, who specialize in dancing, have returned to the last ochaya teahouse in Osaka City’s Minami district for the first time in about 10 years. Ochaya are es...

Water is essential for life, and a comfortable life is unsustainable without a sewer system. The Tokyo Sewerage Museum “Rainbow” features reproductions of sewerage facilities that are not norma...

HIGASHI-KAGAWA, Kagawa — A pair of gloves is a must during a cold winter. Surprisingly, it is not well-known that the eastern part of Kagawa Prefecture is the largest glove-producing area in the na...

Soho Tokutomi (1863-1957), a journalist and historian active from the Meiji era (1868-1912) through the Showa era (1926-1989), was a prolific letter writer. About 46,000 letters he received from abou...

ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi — It has been nine years since the Great East Japan Earthquake and I visited a beach engulfed by tsunami during the 2011 disaster. A long and massive seawall was under constructio...

MIYAKOJIMA, Okinawa — After arriving at Miyako Airport on Miyako Island, I got into a rental car and headed for Maehama beach — said to be the most beautiful beach in the Orient. About 20 minutes ...

As a local train travels near Tennozan, a mountain that straddles Kyoto and Osaka prefectures, passengers can catch sight of a factory with huge letters reading “Yamazaki” on its wall. That is Su...

OME, Tokyo — The Ome Chamber of Commerce and Industry has set up rest spots for cyclists in various places in the city of Ome and the town of Okutama, both in Tokyo, to lure cyclists into taking a b...

The Ara River, which flows through Saitama Prefecture and Tokyo, was once known as a “rough river” due to its frequent floods, but it plays a crucial role in the lives of millions of people. The...

NAGOYA — “There is no Wi-Fi access on the train, and there are some sections where your mobile phones won’t receive a signal,” goes a rather funny announcement, drawing laughter from passenge...

KANONJI, Kagawa Prefecture — As I stood under the torii gate to Takaya Shrine located atop the 404-meter high Mt. Inazumi in Kanonji, Kagawa Prefecture, I enjoyed the panoramic view spread out befor...

A new kabuki version of “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind” starring Onoe Kikunosuke was a big hit at the end of last year, and now fans have a chance to see it again — footage of the stage pro...

Billie Eilish dominated the 62nd Grammy Awards in four major categories, but my mind was on Japanese jazz composer, Miho Hazama, whose album was nominated for the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. Altho...

KAGOSHIMA — Sakurajima island is the symbol of Kagoshima. However, the ash from the volcano on the island is a source of concern for the people of Kagoshima as it prevents people from drying laundr...

KAMINOSEKI, Yamaguchi — “Kaminoseki was a port of call for 11 of the 12 missions from Korea to Japan,” said Kazuyuki Yasuda, 71, head of Kaminoseki’s tourism association, who gave me a tour of...

The Japanese word “heso” means belly button, but it can also often refer to the focus of something or the key to an affair or a matter. Expecting there to be only one, I did some research about t...

Waseda University has produced many excellent athletes since its founding in 1882. Learning a little about the university’s leadership role in student sports and how it has contributed to Japanese ...

Flowers, cards and boxes of chocolate are popular Valentine’s Day gifts from men to women worldwide. In Japan, however, chocolate is the most popular Valentine’s gift, and it is usually given from...

At 169 centimeters tall, Aya Wakizono stands taller than many female Japanese opera singers. But the slender singer’s great stage presence probably also has something to do with her godsent voice an...

OZU, Ehime — The city government of Ozu, Ehime Prefecture, is scheduled to begin “castle stays,” a service in which visitors can stay overnight in the inner keep of Ozu Castle. The service i...

The State Guest House, known as the Akasaka Palace, in Minato Ward, Tokyo, is a Western-style palace that was initially built as the crown prince’s residence by gathering all the available skills o...

KITAKYUSHU — Many modern architectural structures can be seen in the Mojiko Retro District around Moji Port in Kitakyushu. Moji Port, which faces the Kanmon Strait, was originally designated as a sp...

On a recent fine clear day, Ishikawa Brewery Co. in Fussa, Tokyo, welcomed a group of four from Toronto for its guided tour. The tourists sampled some products in front of the company’s facility, wh...

SAKAE, Chiba — “Dragon canoes” ply the rivers of Sakae, Chiba Prefecture, allowing many people to enjoy the kind of waterfront scenery the town is known for. Located west of the city of Narit...

TSUKUBA, Ibaraki — On a fine day after a series of rainy days, I climbed to the top of Nyotai-san, which is 877 meters above sea level and the highest point on Mt. Tsukuba in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefec...

NAGAOKA, Niigata — To promote the nishikigoi carp’s appeal to the world, a native of Florida now living in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture, is involved in carp aquaculture and export. Alexander San...

Eiichi Shibusawa, known as the father of Japanese capitalism, is once again in the spotlight. In April 2019, it was decided that his portrait would be used on the new ¥10,000 note, and September b...

What do sake brewers do with the lees, a by-product of the sake brewing process? For one long-established brewery in Kobe, making sweets using sake lees is an answer. Buttercream made with sake lee...

While the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan that electrified the people across the country is still fresh in our memory, the year of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has begun. With that in mind, an essential com...

Capsule hotels, net cafes, karaoke rooms for one person: There are many places in urban areas where people can spend time alone. To learn why we seek out these spaces, The Yomiuri Shimbun interviewed ...

One dark fantasy anime determined the fate of a Chinese high school student. “The protagonists go on a reckless journey. They never give up, continuing on their unpredictable trip,” Seira Ryu sa...

GAMAGORI, Aichi — In addition to the soothing baths, visitors can enjoy a little feline therapy in the Nishiura Onsen hot spring district in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture, courtesy of the “Nekoyado ...

The next time you order sake, you might think you were served wine by mistake. But wineglasses are increasingly becoming an option for sake, traditionally served in ochoko small ceramic cups. At Kar...

SHIZUOKA — Koichi Adachi attracts chocolate fans from around the nation with his specialty products and his peculiar ways. The chocolatier’s shop, Chocolatier EauRouge, in Nagaizumi, Shizuoka Pr...

The Tokyo Anime Center in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, is a facility to promote the appeal of anime productions and boost the industry as a whole by connecting fans and creators. It is run by Dai Nippon Pri...

WAKAYAMA — Wakano-ura Bay in Wakayama is a scenic spot that was depicted in waka poems in Manyoshu, Japan’s oldest poetry collection. Winds steadily blow all year round in the bay, making it a fa...

There is a castle town, or jokamachi, in Kitsuki, Oita Prefecture, known as the sandoicchi-gata jokamachi (sandwich-style castle town). This surprising nickname made perfect sense on my recent visit t...

The three artistic directors of the New National Theatre Tokyo (NNTT) have unveiled the opera, ballet and drama lineups for the 2020-21 season. The opera season will kick off in October with a new p...

“A once-in-a-century genius.” “Prodigy of the times.” “This era’s star.” “A man who changes history.” That’s some of the praise used to describe rising young kodanshi storytel...

What goes with sake? It’s not just Japanese food. An approach expanding in contemporary gastronomy bases food and sake pairings on scientific knowledge explained using scientific terms, though that ...

The Biodiversity Center of Japan in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture, exhibits specimens of some of the about 65,000 indigenous or foreign species of birds, animals, insects, plants and others livin...

When you come out the north exit of JR Kinshicho Station in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, a circular gold object can be seen. Hung by wires from two pillars, it looks like a huge doughnut floating in the air. ...

AWA, Tokushima — When I traveled in the western part of the United States during my school days, I saw Bryce Canyon National Park, which remains clear in my memory more than 30 years later. Reddish ...

Whether it’s to stop splatters from cooking or keep dust off when cleaning, a kappogi apron will do the job. They’ve long had an old-fashioned image, but new products with stylish designs and c...

KINOKAWA, Wakayama — Administering anesthesia is indispensable for surgery. This medical technique allows patients to undergo operations or treatments without worrying about physical pain. I heard ...

At Sake Bar Otonari in the Kagurazaka district in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, a 28-year-old customer ordered Naruka Virginity, a junmai ginjo sake, meaning it is made from highly polished rice and without t...

KOCHI — At the entrance of the Muroto Schoolhouse Aquarium in Muroto, Kochi Prefecture, a granite-style “stone monument” inscribed with the name of a defunct school, “Muroto Municipal Shiina ...

YOKOHAMA — The high-pitched drilling sounds at dental clinics can give you the heebie-jeebies no matter how many times you hear them. Did you know, however, that it was only in the Taisho era (1912...

HIROSHIMA — Hiroshima Prefecture has set a target to double the number of foreign cruise ships calling at Hiroshima Port to 100 a year by fiscal 2029. The landscape of small islands dotted in th...

KASAMA, Ibaraki — It is unclear how and when the quarry in the Inada district of Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture, got the name “Ishikiri mountain range,” but the name, with Ishikiri literally meaning...

KYOTO — Two young monks from different Buddhist sects have formed a break-dancing duo named Kaiten Bozu (spinning monks). The duo believes that the unique fusion of Buddhism and dance will surely a...

NARA — The Hozoin school of sojutsu, a Japanese martial art that uses a spear, was established in today’s Nara in the Sengoku period (the late 15th century to the late 16th century). In the Edo p...

At Sushi Bar Nigirite in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, a 52-year-old customer from Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, recently discovered that what people usually consider important for sushi and sashimi may not alw...

Actor Issey Ogata subtly expressed the comical sensibility and plebeian psyche of mangaka Rakuten Kitazawa (1876-1955) in the new film “The Manga Master,” which portrays the life of the man known ...

The city of Kodaira could be called the “town of cylindrical mailboxes” — there are still 32 of these red, column-shaped mailboxes in use in the city, more than any other local government in To...

The Moominvalley Park, based on the world-famous Finnish children’s story Moomin, is located on a vast land of about 7.3 hectares on the shore of Lake Miyazawa in Hanno, Saitama Prefecture. The par...

A 1.2-meter-tall statue of Idasonten, the god of running, stands at Shuzenin temple, which belongs to the Buttsuji temple school of the Rinzai sect, in Sera, Hiroshima Prefecture. On the base, the wor...

For wedding dress designer Ema Rie, artificial intelligence is like a “superb apprentice.” Her apprentice is eager to learn once a task is given, and presents to her a wide range of designs, some...

For rakugo storyteller Shunputei Shota, 2019 — the first year of the Reiwa era — must be a memorable year. In June, he assumed the chairman’s post of the Rakugo Art Association, a leading ass...

FURANO, Hokkaido — The city of Furano, Hokkaido, became famous around the nation nearly 40 years ago, when the first installments of the TV drama series “Kita no Kuni Kara” (From the North), pe...

SAITAMA — Fueki Syoyu Brewing Co., a soy sauce maker based in Kawajima, Saitama Prefecture, opened the Kinbue Syoyu Park in November to introduce the traditional method of brewing soy sauce in woode...

The popularity of so-called hiragai eggs laid by hens that are not reared in cages is rising. The number of retailers and restaurants offering such eggs has also increased in response to the trend. A...

SAPPORO — Local residents in Sapporo seem to be increasingly welcoming the relocated Olympic marathon and racewalking next summer, but not everyone feels that way. One concerned party is Yumi Wada...

OSAKA — The area in and around the Airin area of Nishinari Ward, Osaka, long known as a day laborer’s neighborhood, is being transformed by a wave of internationalization. Numerous businesses ai...

“Nihonbashi,” the name of a fashionable commercial area of Tokyo, means “Japan Bridge,” and indeed there is a bridge at the center of it. The first Nihonbashi bridge, made of wood, was built i...

Kabukicho is known as one of the busiest districts in Japan, and is packed with an abundance of shops, including restaurants, movie theaters and adult-related locations. However, there are no kabuki t...

NARITA, Chiba — Narita Airport is the gateway to Japan for many travelers, but it only became so after years of intense and sometimes bloody conflict. For those who want to learn more, the Narita...

SETOUCHI, Okayama — With yachts gently rocking in the harbor under the bright sunlight, a chalky-walled hotel and olive fields, the Seto Inland Sea coastal district of Ushimado in Setouchi, Okayama ...

KOCHI — Yoshoku is a style of Japanese cuisine composed of dishes influenced by Western cuisine and developed with Japanese twists since the Meiji era (1868-1912), and omuraisu — a dish that uses ...

Fashion never gets old. More seniors are appearing on social media, in magazines or in fashion shows, wearing what makes them feel good. Clothing marketed at seniors usually evokes the image of someth...

SAKAIDE, Kagawa — Anyone looking to visit Iwakuro Island by car, or even a boat, will be unable to get there. They will have to take the elevator. The elevator that descends to the island in Saka...

Around the world, chocolatiers are fascinating chocolate lovers by adding Japanese designs or flavors to their products. Some chocolates feature ukiyo-e images or recreate the shape of origami cranes....

More than 1,600 kinds of plants, mainly medicinal plants used as crude drugs or as raw materials for kampo medicines, are grown in 14 areas on a three-hectare site at the Tokyo Metropolitan Medical P...

The Kichijoji district of Musashino, Tokyo, is a residential area popular among people of all ages. Kichijoji means “Kichijo-ji temple” in English, but there is no temple of that name in the city...

In a survey by the Chukosei Shimbun, a Yomiuri newspaper for young people, junior and senior high school students were asked about which of Japan’s attractive points they are eager to communicate to...

When it comes to Japanese snacks that are easy to buy at convenience stores and other retailers, junior high and high school students are authorities. The Yomiuri Chukosei Shimbun, a newspaper aimed a...

Sheila Cliffe is telling me about her outfit. “I think it’s so fun,” she says, gesturing toward the sailing ship motif on her purple kimono. “And then the obi is a chidori, which is a seabird,...

ODAWARA, Kanagawa — The movement to promote regional development by local members was put into full swing through the reevaluation of Odawara Castle, which was called impregnable in the Sengoku war...

Germany-based violinist Sayako Kusaka will perform in Japan in December with a German chamber orchestra that she leads. Kusaka is the first concertmaster of the distinguished Konzerthausorchester Be...

Ivor Bolton will conduct the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra in its annual December concerts of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 “Choral.” The British maestro is renowned for his masterful conduct...

NAGASAKI — The town of Shin-Kamigoto, Nagasaki Prefecture, is looking to use the area’s thriving tuna farming industry to promote itself as a place to enjoy truly fresh tuna, not the defrosted kin...

Parfaits are attractive for their colorful appearance and layered presentation, but one lover of alcoholic beverages thought it wasn’t right that only people with a sweet tooth should enjoy the trea...

NAGOYA — Arimatsu means “there are pine trees,” but according to the children’s book “Arimatsu no Shokuro,” written by Naomi Nakagawa, this former town that is now a district in Nagoya Cit...

A sloping road near the scramble crossing in front of Shibuya Station is called “Spain-zaka.” About 100 meters long and three meters wide, it’s managed by the Shibuya Ward Office. A large num...

The season is drawing near when the Chinese steamed meat-stuffed buns, dubbed Chukaman in Japan, are as tasty as ever. But just how are those round buns made with that fluffy look and hearty filling?...

Luxury tours in which participants can take a leisurely trip while eating full-course meals and listening to live music on a luxury train with elaborate designs and decorations are gaining favor. In w...

NICHINAN, Tottori — In early August, a Dutch family of four, participating in a nature tour, exclaimed in admiration as they spotted a young giant salamander, about 20 centimeters long, in the shad...

HACHIOJI, Tokyo — Tadatsugu Numamoto is known as “Mr. Ekiben” for his vast knowledge of these boxed meals for train travelers, savvy that he has used to contribute stories to magazines and crea...

The Tokyo Hydrogen Museum in Koto Ward, Tokyo, is a facility where visitors can learn about a next-generation energy source that has been receiving widespread attention: hydrogen. The most abundant...

OITA — An exhibition showcasing the work of world-renowned architect Arata Isozaki explores the core tenets of a man who has constantly questioned just what architecture should be. “I want people ...

MINAMI, Tokushima — In 1361, the 16th year of the Shohei era during the unstable Nambokucho (South and North Courts) period that stretched from 1336-1392, a massive earthquake and tsunami hit wester...

AKIRUNO, Tokyo — Nature’s voice is sometimes silent, but its beauty speaks volumes, especially this time of year when the leaves tell us winter is just around the corner. An expression that ofte...

FUKUSHIMA — In Hirata, Fukushima Prefecture, unique local products are on display at the Michi-no-Eki Hirata roadside rest facility. One is a retort-pouch curry called Iki Jigoku Curry (Living he...

KAGOSHIMA — Do you ever have a craving for curry late at night when no shops are open? A residential district in Kagoshima city about a 15-minute drive from JR Kagoshima-Chuo Station has just the so...

OBAMA, Fukui — People here have been working on branding mackerel and creating manuals on aquaculture techniques with the aim of reviving Obama as a mackerel production area. The city, which face...

The Natsume Soseki Memorial Museum stands on the site where the literary master lived out his final years. The museum’s exhibits include a faithfully reproduced study, copies of his draft manuscrip...

They look like two box cars connected like an accordian. Articulated buses, which are nearly twice the length of a common city bus, have been running on the streets of Machida, Tokyo, as public trans...

OSAKA — The Tenma district in Osaka city once prospered as a major glass production center in Japan. Visitors today may find it difficult to locate signs of how Tenma bustled when it was home to ro...

HAYAMA, Kanagawa — “The Showa era began here,” municipal official Takuji Kuramochi, 46, told me as he guided me through the Hayama Shiosai Museum in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture. The museum i...

TANEGASHIMA, Kagoshima — White waves can be seen lapping against the sheer cliff right below the observatory at Kadokura Cape, the southern tip of Tanegashima island in Kagoshima Prefecture. Looking...

Small theaters for Japanese storytelling entertainment have been popping up in Tokyo and elsewhere for the past few years, backed by the increasing popularity of rakugo and other traditional storytell...

Heading north on a mountain road, out of the blue the land opens up to reveal dozens of thatched-roofed houses on a slope across from a field of white buckwheat flowers, backed by forested hills. We...

HIGASHI-OSAKA, Osaka — A year ahead of the Tokyo Paralympics, wheelchair sports are flourishing in Higashi-Osaka, Osaka Prefecture. The Higashi-Osaka Wheelchair Sports Hiroba opened in autumn 201...

OTA, Gunma — Private organizations and hospitals across Japan are struggling to support foreigners on provisional release from detention centers operated by the Immigration Services Agency. Althoug...

Umeko Tsuda (1864-1929), one of the first Japanese women to study in the United States, dedicated her life to educating women in Japan. Interest has been growing in the pioneering educator since th...

MASUDA, Shimane — Nestled deep in the Chugoku mountain range in the Hikimi district of Masuda, Shimane Prefecture, is a wasabi field that looks as if it was an ancient ruin. Stones are piled up on b...

OSAKA — One might expect to hear loud music coming from a drinking establishment in Nishinari Ward, Osaka, but not for that music to be big waves of sound from brass and stringed instruments in wor...

YANAGAWA, Fukuoka — The boatman told the passengers on board to lower our heads, initially in Japanese, then adding the instruction in English, “Watch your heads!” About a dozen of us hunkered...

The Irifune area of Chuo Ward, Tokyo, has been a flourishing center of the printing and bookbinding industries since the Meiji era (1868-1912), and you will find the Mizuno Printing Museum on the six...

MATSUE — This year marks the sesquicentennial of writer Lafcadio Hearn’s (1850-1904) immigration to the United States from Ireland. He later became known in Japan as Yakumo Koizumi. A special e...

Even while using jargon and unfamiliar-sounding words and phrases, Anna Bugaeva laughs a lot as she explains her work. From her bubbly, contagious smiles, it’s hard to imagine the enormous task she ...

HAKODATE, Hokkaido — I lowered a fishing rod to put a hook into a school of amber-colored surumeika Japanese flying squid swimming in an enclosure. Although I was given advice that hooking a squid b...

Playwright-director Hideki Noda’s new work, “Q: A Night At The Kabuki,” features all 12 songs from Queen’s 1975 album “A Night At The Opera.” The play premiered at Tokyo Metropolitan The...

KOBE — The crisp sound of table tennis balls could be heard in an old underground passage. Children and middle-aged women faced each other over a line of tables, swinging paddles as they focused on...

Japanese cultural properties, often made of fragile materials such as paper, silk and wood, have for many years regularly been repaired and handed down to the present. Special exhibitions called “...

NISHINOMIYA/TAKARAZUKA, Hyogo — I stepped on the gravel with a flashlight in my hand, and saw a red iron bridge. This is the former site of the Fukuchiyama Line of the now-defunct Japanese National ...

It was a cloudy, unusually cool afternoon in early September when Michael Pronko and I pushed open the heavy door to Pit Inn, located at the edge of the Shinjuku Nichome area of Tokyo. Pronko, an A...

A group of young people visiting from abroad chat excitedly about the chance to try Japanese cooking. Older members call out to friends and revive long-running conversations. Anyone passing the bui...

KASHIWAZAKI, Niigata — A materials manufacturer and retailer in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, has begun growing bananas using exhaust heat from its waste incineration facility. Shimoda Industr...

Japan may seem an unlikely place for English-language novelists, poets and essayists to ply their trade, but if the annual Japan Writers Conference is any indicator, there is no shortage of opportunit...

When stepping through the door of a sake bar, you might expect to find shelves lined with bottles, but a bar in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, greets visitors with bookshelves. The establishment, called Know...

The works of Izumi Kato are often described with words like “primitivistic” and “otherwordly.” Fitting, therefore, that my introduction to his art took place in the mountains far from Tokyo, a...

“A lot of my work is about the body,” Alexander MacLeod said at the Canadian Embassy one evening in July. MacLeod, an award-winning author of short stories, was there to give an overview of cont...

It is said that bicycles, which are now essential to our lives, were invented about 200 years ago. The history of this development is filled with the ingenuity of our predecessors, who tried to make ...

The crowd was still getting seated inside a big red circus tent near Saitama Stadium when a red-nosed clown appeared in their midst. In a gold hat, purple shirt, Chaplinesque trousers and Brobdingn...

The Interior Lifestyle Tokyo fair was like a maze, with more than 750 companies participating and numerous booths showcasing products that could set industry trends. I stopped at one booth after anoth...

NARA — Obitokedera temple in Nara has been known for bringing benefits to people who want to have children and pregnant women hoping for an easy delivery since the Heian period (794 to the late 12t...

With the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games less than a year away, workman’s clothes meant for construction sites and other blue-collar workplaces are enjoying a boom in sales. Profits are climbing ...

Sales of premium audio equipment that allows listeners to fully appreciate the rarefied quality of analog records have been experiencing a boom as a certain segment of music fans rediscovers a passion...

The Sept. 20 opening of the Rugby World Cup Japan is approaching. Spectators will be able to enjoy not only the athletic competition in the matches, but also the evolving technology incorporated in t...

It’s difficult to imagine life before air-conditioning. Tokyo’s sizzling summers drive most people to the shelter of artificially cooled interiors for a good portion of the day. But of course peop...

SEKI, Gifu — Relying on the description “Namonaki (nameless) Pond” on the corner of a tourist map, I single-mindedly climbed up a monotonous mountain path by car in Seki, Gifu Prefecture. After ...

KYOTO — Right in front of me was a sweet garden landscape, a common feature of the ancient capital. Gardens are found all over Kyoto, not just at temples and shrines, but also at public facilities, ...

TONO, Iwate — Partway up a hill in Tono, Iwate Prefecture, is the majestic, amazing sight of a massive rock sitting atop smaller rocks that act as a pedestal. “There’s a legend that the warrio...

KYOTO — The Reizei family of Kyoto, the head family of a school of waka poetry, has been passing down its style of waka since medieval times. The history of the family dates back to the Kamakura pe...

AIZUMI, Tokushima — Indigo blue is the color used in the emblem of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. The Yoshinogawa river basin in Tokushima Prefecture is a major production area of natural...

The understated, modern facade of Leafmania makes it stand out in Tokyo’s Iriya district — one of the capital’s old shitamachi neighborhoods. With no clear signage, passersby may struggle to fi...

TAKASAKI — Gunma Prefecture promotes itself as the nation’s “Haniwa Prefecture,” with fifth-century haniwa hollow clay figures being displayed at a museum in the prefecture. Haniwa-related...

Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, might be best known for its Great Buddha statue, abundance of historical sites, numerous temples, museums, beach areas and scrumptious eateries. But the area is also ri...

Every part of his body — even his fingertips — is filled with energy and emotion. This fire within allows flamenco dancer Siroco to express himself in many ways. His facial expression constantl...

KAWACHINAGANO, Osaka — Do you recall the very first day you were able to ride a bike? You may remember how you felt the wind with all your senses, or how you were excited just to be pedaling. The K...

A symphony by a once-forgotten composer will be the highlight of a Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra concert on Sept. 10, which will be conducted by the orchestra’s new principal conductor, Sebastia...

ITAMI, Hyogo — In October 1578, as the legendary warlord Oda Nobunaga was accelerating moves to unify Japan, he received news of a rebellion by one of his retainers. Araki Murashige had been appoi...

Despite its popularity among visiting children, operations of the monorail at Ueno Zoo will be suspended in November this year, as its cars and facilities are getting old. How did the monorail, sa...

Remember the film “The Bodyguard,” the blockbuster movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner? It was turned into a musical in London, and it’s coming to Japan in September. “And I —...

A spotlight shines on a bunraku puppet. Her face is delicately painted with thin but strong eyebrows and bright red lipstick, and her expression changes depending on the angle. This is not an exhibi...

MATSUDO, Chiba — A three-wheel truck drives along a dusty unpaved road, and a middle-aged deliveryman wearing a tank top rides a bicycle. Crowds of people watch TV in the street, and a red phone ri...

In mid-June, students at Shimogyo-Miyabi Elementary School in Kyoto enjoyed a traditional Japanese-style lunch: stir-fried pork and manganji togarashi peppers, a traditional vegetable produced in Kyot...

Elizabeth Tasker builds worlds for a living. She’ll take a star, scatter a “protoplanetary disk” of gas and dust around it, set it spinning, and observe what planets coalesce and how they arrang...

KYOTO — “Iemoto” is the name of the system of family schools in traditional Japanese arts, such as the chanoyu tea ceremony and ikebana flower arranging, which have taught many disciples while ...

KAKOGAWA, Hyogo — Pubs that brew their own beer on-site have emerged one after another in Kakogawa, Hyogo Prefecture, and are popular among beer lovers. These craft beers have unique tastes that ar...

The Western-style building housing the Karasawa Museum stands in a quiet residential area in Nerima Ward, Tokyo. The museum was converted from a storehouse that was part of the residence of Tomitaro ...

ICHINOSEKI, Iwate — Residents of Ichinoseki have worked hard to hand down their mochi rice cake culture over the years, while also making mochi dishes into local specialties. “A wooden hammer-s...

There are about 170 bustling shops along Kappabashi Dougu-gai street in Taito Ward, Tokyo, where visitors — in recent years, especially foreign tourists — can be overwhelmed by the sheer abundance...

The Ome Kimono Museum houses around 500 pieces of clothing related to the Imperial family and samurai families in an old private house and other items in a residential area in the mountains in Ome, T...

MIYAKO, Iwate — Small glass milk bottles are being reused to create a local specialty of this port city east of Morioka. When people usually order donburi, they are brought a large bowl of rice to...

Want a chef to cook for you at home? Services to send professional chefs to homes or other designated places have been diversifying their offerings to meet customers’ needs, from preparing baby foo...

AOMORI — If you want to eat fresh pasta in Aomori, seek out Konkitchen in a residential area near Aomori University. The Italian restaurant has a refreshing mint green exterior and is run by the o...

KATANO, Osaka — Day by day, the green deepens on the trees of Osaka City University’s Botanical Gardens, which protect and provide public access to trees and other vegetation from Japan and aroun...

“Nessun dorma,” one of the most famous operatic arias of all time, sounded fresh like never before. The renowned aria sung by Teodor Ilincai as Calaf did not stand out disproportionately in the J...

FUNABASHI, Chiba — An urban project called “street piano” has been attracting passersby at a commercial facility in Chiba Prefecture, as anyone can sit and play a public piano there for free. ...

IKEDA, Osaka — An anime featuring wombats being kept at a municipal zoo in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, has been receiving praise for its self-deprecating dialogue using the Kansai dialect. The anime...

Hayashiya Sanpei I (1925-1980) was a rakugo comic storyteller nicknamed the “Laughter King of the Showa era,” which stretched from 1926-1989. He was loved by many for his cheerful nature, and he ...

“Are you Chris Broad?” He was, and he had just been stopped by a young Norwegian pair as he filmed the exterior of the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo in the early-summer sunshine. Total stra...

WAKAYAMA — Used as a fortress by the Japanese military until the end of World War II, the four-island chain of Tomogashima is known as the “Island of Laputa,” as it closely resembles the floati...

SUSAKI, Kochi — At the center of a plate placed before me was the head of a moray eel. Although it had been simmered, the face looked as if it was staring at me, making me feel quite afraid. The d...

In recent years, the term “tsukuri-oki,” or “tsuku-oki,” has become so popular among busy people that many cookbooks have been prompted to focus on this approach. The term literally means “m...

MYOKO, Niigata — A family from Myoko, Niigata Prefecture, opened a soba noodle restaurant in 2001 to help preserve a local buckwheat variety that is cultivated only at the foot of Mt. Myoko. Kosoba...

Ken Watanabe played the lead role in “The King and I,” a musical that has been staged in the two sacred sites of the theater world — Broadway in the United States and the West End in Britain. W...

YOKOHAMA — It’s hard to know exactly where I am, even as I use the map feature on my smartphone. Buildings along the street cut off my view, and I’m at a loss as to my location. “That’s Yo...

For avid skiers and snowboarders, Tokyo’s Kanda district offers excellent shopping conditions. It is a sporting goods district with little parallel anywhere in the world — about 50 specialty stor...

An object depicted in a painting may appear to be 3D depending on how it is painted. The angle from which an object is viewed may alter the observer’s perception of it. Such optical illusions are k...

ICHIKAWA, Hyogo — Everyone can enjoy golf, from top pros to amateurs, regardless of age or gender. Among the several kinds of golf clubs that serve as partners to players, the iron is particularly ...

TAKARAZUKA, Hyogo — As part of efforts to promote the city of Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture, as the birthplace of carbonated water in Japan, a local tourism association has created a “Takarazuka Hi...

KOSHU, Yamanashi — When it comes to wine, red, white and rose come to mind. Yet there is another color to add to that list: orange. Orange wine is characterized not only by its color, but also a di...

UJI, Kyoto — I was at a teahouse near the main gate of Byodoin temple in the heart of Uji, a city famous for green tea production. I ordered a glass of beer, but the item delivered to me did not see...

SAIKI, Oita — The two colorful nishikigoi carp had arched tail fins, as if swaying while swimming in a stream. I was drawn by the red and yellow patterns that appeared beneath their whitish, translu...

OKAYAMA — Municipal efforts to support sexual minorities are spreading through the nation, as seen in Okayama Prefecture. This spring, the Soja city government in the prefecture launched a “pa...

AKITA — The Yokote Masuda Manga Museum has reopened in Yokote, Akita Prefecture, after undergoing renovations since April 2017. Opened in 1995, the municipal government-run facility boasts a coll...

This museum related to shishimai lion dancing looks just like an ordinary house from the outside. The moment I entered the building, however, I stopped in my tracks. It was like a pack of lions stari...

Vegan options at restaurants and on supermarket shelves are increasing in Japan to better serve tourists from the United States and Europe, where diets free of animal products are common. Now efforts ...

The Ameyoko shopping street in Tokyo’s Ueno district is home to many busy shops in an area between Ueno Station and Okachimachi Station. It is one of the capital’s iconic commercial streets, and ...

TAKASHIMA, Shiga — Spring water known as “shozu” (living water) bubbles up in many places in the Harie district of Takashima, Shiga Prefecture, on the northern part of Lake Biwa, and local resi...

Cafes are not only for coffee lovers these days. An increasing number of establishments is also catering to those who don’t drink coffee. There is a theme park feel to these cafes, showing how coffe...

NARITA, Chiba — At first, it looks like a piece of regular koppe-pan, a kind of long bread roll that resembles a hot dog bun.When you take a bite, a savory aroma accompanies the delicately soft text...

This month’s featured recipe is nanban-zuke, one of the most popular dishes in my cooking classes for non-Japanese people. The dish usually features cooked fish marinated in a vinegar-based sauce al...

In this column, chefs and cooking experts share recipes that are easy to prepare at home. Sea bream has been used for dishes for celebratory occasions in Japan since ancient times. Cooking expert H...

The popularity of Italian food has caused a headache for Italian authorities. Amid concerns over the spread of “fake” Italian food around the globe, an event featuring authentic Italian tastes was...

Vienna has come to Tokyo. Not today’s Vienna, but the Vienna that was at the height of its glory at a pivotal point in art history that can be called the “Vienna Turn of the Century.” It was a t...

Kazuki Yamada, a principal guest conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, will bring an interesting program elaborately put together with lesser-known gems to the orchestra’s concert on J...

For Ike Nwala, it was pure chance. He knew nothing about it until about 15 years ago when he came across a DVD shop in Seattle’s Chinatown where he saw “owarai” Japanese comedy for the first tim...

Illustrator Tatsuro Kiuchi is prolific. Based in Tokyo, he has created a range of materials for books, magazines, newspapers and advertisements, among other mediums, with his clients spanning the glo...

When Donna Burke was recording the narration and theme song for the action role-playing video game “Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles” she drew on personal experience — her education at a Catholi...