-
Nagano’s Nature: highlands, mountains and wild deer
I spent the past three days in Nagano on a business trip. A popular destination for school trips, camping and skiing – Nagano was exactly what I needed for a couple of days. I slept well, ate well and overdosed on nature. Although I was working, I finally managed to get a much-needed break from…
-
Shin Okubo: Tokyo’s Korea Town
I’ve heard people rave and rave about Shin-Okubo: Japan’s largest Korea Town. Easily accessible on Tokyo’s Yamanote line, I went there today not quite knowing what to expect. The moment I stepped out of the station, I felt like I was transported to a different country.
-
Jiyugaoka: Street Kebab and Chic Cafe Heaven?
I used to be an expert at eating kebabs, but I’m losing my touch… I made a mess – dropping ingredients, getting sauce all over my face and catching meat as it tried to escape from my pita. I was a bit confused by all the cabbage that was in the pita, but overall it…
-
Yuzu and Kabosu: Japan’s citrus culinary treasures
“We use yuzu in baths on the winter solstice,” she says. “We also make tea, dressings and yuzukosho with it. Yuzu also has a little brother. Its name is Kabosu: commonly grown in the Usuki and Taketa areas in Oita. Unlike yuzu, kabosu is less well-known.”
-
Miraikan: robots and the future of Japan
The creepiest looking robot of the lot. I could hear the whispers of kowai scary all around me. It’s one thing when robots look like robots. It’s another thing when they look kinda like humans. Otonaroid blinks. She waves her hand. She nods. She speaks. She mimics many things that a human can do, except…
-
Uzbek Plov: love at first bite
Uzbek Plov is quintessential comfort food. Rice, carrots and meat all cooked in one thick pot. It’s the kind of dish that warms your heart and your stomach. It has the power to lift you out of a bad mood with one bite. To say that I love plov would be a huge understatement.
-
Why Japan is not an isolated country
Most Japanese people I’ve spoken to consider Japan ‘an isolated country’. Statistics tell a different story. Although self-sufficient in rice production, Japan currently imports 60% of its food. And despite the current narrative that’s playing out in the media with regards to China – the country remains one of Japan’s biggest trading partners, along with the…
-
Kamakura’s Owl Forest
Unlike the Owl Cafe in Akihabara – Kamakura’s Owl Forest is not a cafe. So no sipping on a drink while you stare at the owls. It’s a ‘forest’ – so the owls (and people) have heaps more space to move around. THANK GOD. The ‘forest’ is only a two minute walk away from Kamakura…
-
Okinawan Cuisine: Japan’s secret culinary adventure
The cuisine in Japan varies from region to region. And I must admit – Okinawan cuisine is my personal favourite. Due to a long history of trade, Okinawan cuisine has strong Chinese and Southeast Asian influences. Given my own cultural background, every bite felt a little like home.
-
Day 3 in Okinawa: Ishigaki Paradise
There’s nothing like seeing Mother Nature’s gift to mankind stretch out for hours and hours on end. Could there be anything more glorious? As I felt my bare feet sink into the sand, I was home. Relaxed. Stress-free. The energy from the ocean washed away the mad schedule of the past three months.
Twinn Swan 