Food & Culture
Ura Namba: How Osaka Drinks in the Lanes Behind the Neon
In this article: Introduction Ten minutes on foot from the Glico sign, the crowd thins, the neon gives way to a single...
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In-depth guides and local insights from our team in Japan.
Food & Culture
Shinjuku Food: What to Eat, Where to Find It, and How the District Feeds Itself
In this article: Introduction Most writing about Shinjuku food starts with the neon. We would start with the smoke. At six on...
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Food & Culture
Nonbei Yokocho: An Evening in Shibuya’s Drunkard’s Alley, One Small Counter at a Time
In this article: Introduction Walk out of Shibuya Station’s Hachiko Exit and pass under the elevated JR tracks. Within a few minutes,...
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Food & Culture
Kyoto Nightlife: Pontocho, Kiyamachi, Gion, and How the City Actually Goes Out
In this article: Introduction Kyoto nightlife does not announce itself. Walk out of Kyoto Station at eight in the evening. You could...
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Food & Culture
Osaka Nightlife: A District-by-District Guide to Where the City Actually Drinks
In this article: Introduction Most guides to Osaka nightlife start and end on the bridge over the Dotonbori canal, under the Glico...
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Food & Culture
Chopstick Etiquette in Japan: The Two Rules That Matter and the Ones That Do Not
In this article: Introduction Most of what is written about Japanese chopstick etiquette treats every rule as equally serious, which is not...
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Food & Culture
Taiyaki: The Fish-Shaped Cake, and Why Some Are Called Wild and Some Farmed
In this article: Introduction A good taiyaki has a crust thin enough to shatter at the tail and red bean packed all...
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Food & Culture
The Best Matcha in Kyoto: Where to Drink It and Where to Buy It
In this article: Introduction Matcha in Kyoto ranges from a bowl of tea whisked at your table by someone whose family has...
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Food & Culture
The Japanese Kissaten: Dark Wood, Flannel-Filtered Coffee, and Ketchup Spaghetti
In this article: Introduction The coffee at a serious kissaten arrives after about six minutes, in a cup the master chose, on...
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