Affairs
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How relaxing are Japan’s electric baths? The answer might shock you
Hidden among Japan’s steaming bathhouses is a tradition that has bathers quite literally buzzing. Despite what you think about combining water with electricity, the “denkiburo” proves that some rules are made to be broken.
How Tokyo made it to the top of Monocle’s 2026 Quality of Life Survey
Our Tokyo bureau chief tells us about daily life in the calm, clean and ambitious Japanese capital.
Good cities point the wayfaring stranger in the right direction
Wayfinding is an art form and one too often neglected. There is a whole industry built around this craft that seeks to manoeuvre us around airports, hospitals and cities using signs, graphics and clever…
For democracy’s sake, France’s centre-left should reopen ‘bars-tabacs’
Where ‘bars-tabacs’ close, votes for the far-right rise. Why not bring them back?
JD Vance is attempting to write his political future. His boss has other ideas
In the US vice-president’s new book, ‘Communion’, Vance seeks distance from Trump by positioning himself as just a regular guy.
How to cool cities naturally, without resorting to air conditioning
Humanity has adapted to environmental challenges. But to mitigate the effects of a warming world, cities must look to the past to glimpse a better future.
Trump weaponises architecture ahead of the US’s 250th birthday
Donald Trump is busily attempting to recast the US capital in his own image – but why does that image seem to resemble the ‘Germania’ envisioned by the Nazis?
A national birthday is a rare opportunity for the US to put political differences aside – if only people could agree how
The 250th anniversary of the US’s Declaration of Independence is an opportunity for a divided nation to come together. Alas, president Donald Trump has other ideas.
Does Barcelona’s building bonanza bombard everyone’s wellbeing?
The clatter of cranes and major construction projects cuts through the atmosphere of Barcelona. But are we sacrificing today for a distant future?
The Dutch seek to ‘dronify’ their military with lessons from Ukraine
The Dutch armed forces are aiming to become Europe’s most innovative military. The Netherlands’ grand ambitions relies on an expansion of drones and, if the chief of defence has his way, robots too.
