Loving the Yuzu

Loving the Yuzu

For us, the yuzu is everything we love about Japan. Tangy yet mellow, the yuzu’s subtlety and nuance are a revelation: when you first taste it, it is both oddly familiar and yet an unforgettable surprise. No wonder this hardy citrus fruit, a prominent part of washoku...
Monks and Brothels

Monks and Brothels

A number of years ago, I found myself celebrating Christmas in the depths of Kyoto’s red-light district. The club was a time capsule of the bright and brash 1980s, albeit sparingly decorated in 100 yen store-bought tinsel, draped over the neon lights. Amidst the flash...
One-stop persona

One-stop persona

Standing before the magazine rack of a kombini , any foreigner would marvel at the sheer number of titles catering to every interest. Some, like Classy, have hundreds of thousands of readers; others, like Oggi, will be more niche. But what is even more remarkable is...