Fiona Wilson
Pushing out the boats
With territorial disputes in the East China Sea intensifying, the Japan Coast Guard has had to rapidly evolve. We drop anchor at Ishigaki Island, where its crew police these vital waters.
Inside Tokyo’s colourful community bus
An electric bus service has injected a new playfulness into a borough of Tokyo in need of a revamp. We hop aboard and meet Eiji Mitooka, its creator and Japan’s foremost train designer, who…
Tokyo 2020: on top of their games
This year’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games are unlike any that have come before. In the run up to the event, we met the designers, planners and people behind the scenes.
Nihonbashi neighbourhood guide
Nihonbashi has deep roots in finance. In the Edo period this was the commercial centre of the city, with bustling canals, streets and markets. Recently, the neighbourhood has been attracting attention once again as…
A night in bustling Tokyo
Tokyo manages to avoid the chaos of other big cities. How? Rules and etiquette are important here – some old, some new. They are not always obvious, so let us show you how to…
A day in quaint Tokyo
From chopstick wrangling to cash handling, you’d be wise to brush up on some of the key customs and good manners before travelling to Japan. And in today’s changing landscape there are some new…
Kyoto: The Monocle Travel Guide
Japan's ancient capital may be full of hushed streets steeped in tradition but don't be fooled: there's plenty of forward-thinking retailers, innovative chefs and modernist architecture too. Our Kyoto guide will help you navigate…
