We know our readers venture far and wide, and once you arrive at your destination it’s often the first-hand local knowledge that’s most interesting – people who know the stories behind the cities. So relax and let us tell…
Embedding a tiny chip into the pages of a passport is standard practice for thwarting counterfeiters. But in Japan’s latest attempt to prevent forgeries the foreign ministry plans to use art: ukiyo-e woodblock prints by…
The beautifully preserved town of Obuse in Nagano prefecture is home to old sake breweries and silk farms. It’s also where we parade this season’s womenswear.
With any luck you’ll spot a sumo wrestler out and about in Ryogoku, the riverside neighbourhood that is home to Kokugikan, Tokyo’s distinctive sumo stadium. Across the water is Kuramae, another old neighbourhood close to…