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August 13, 2026
 

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CHEFS

What once was a summertime treat you could get for a few coins is becoming a luxury item worth several thousand yen.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Aug 9, 2026
?6,000 for shaved ice: Is luxury ¡®kakig¨­ri¡¯ worth it?
The summer staple is being elevated into an extravagant treat by dessert purveyors ¡ª with varying results.
Chef Kenji Kawamura honed his craft in Italy for six years before returning to his hometown in Ibaraki Prefecture to open Nonna Nietta.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Aug 2, 2026
At Nonna Nietta, Italian magic in suburban Tsukuba
Chef Kenji Kawamura spent six formative years training as a chef in Italy. That dedication shows in the deep, authentic flavors up and down the menu at his Ibaraki restaurant.
Originally created as a sweeter improvement on existing traditional Japanese confectioneries, "anmitsu" has since become a symbol for the arrival of scorching summer days.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 26, 2026
A symbol of summer, this Japanese dessert brings sweet relief
Not even 100 years old, ¡°anmitsu¡± has nonetheless become a symbol of Â鶹´«Ã½ oppressive summers ¡ª and the sweet relief that a spoonful of the dessert provides.
Miki Tanaka says that a key part of her service as a sommelier is keeping a close eye on how her customers peruse and engage with the wine list when they first sit down at her restaurant.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 19, 2026
Kansai¡¯s first Michelin-selected sommelier knows how to read a room
In April, Miki Tanaka was given the Michelin Guide¡¯s first-ever sommelier award for Kyoto and Osaka.
Chef Yasuhiko Uchida was born in Saga Prefecture but has made his home in Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture, since 2012.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants
Jun 28, 2026
In Kyushu¡¯s far south, Senti.U sparks a culinary destination
Drawn by the quality of Kanoya¡¯s local produce, chef Yasuhiko Uchida relocated to the Osumi Peninsula. Now, his restaurant is a shining example of Kagoshima¡¯s culinary appeal.
At Stanza della Sincerita, wood-fired "amadai" (tilefish) caught on the Sea of Japan coast is served on a "risotto" topped with diced summer vegetables and seaweed ¡ª chef Makoto Harada¡¯s version of traditional Yamagata-style "dashi."
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants
May 16, 2026
One of Â鶹´«Ã½ best meals is hidden in a Yamagata hot spring town
Chef Makoto Harada combines Italian flavors with the northern region¡¯s culinary traditions.
Giuseppe Errichiello's RistoPizza by Napoli Sta Ca was named Asia's top pizzeria in the most recent rankings from the 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific guide.
LIFE / Food & Drink
May 8, 2026
Tokyo¡¯s top pizzaioli have raised the city to the upper crust
RistoPizza by Napoli Sta Ca and The Pizza Bar on 38th have dominated Asia¡¯s best-of pizza rankings.
Since taking over Maz last month, chef Yuya Nakamura has been gradually introducing more Japanese influences to the restaurant's innovative Peruvian cuisine.
LIFE / Food & Drink
May 2, 2026
New head chef at Maz explores Peruvian food through a Japanese lens
Fukuoka native Yuya Nakamura has big shoes to fill as he takes over from the talented Santiago Fernandez.
With six three-starred restaurants in this year's Michelin guide, Kyoto continues to build on its reputation as a gourmet destination.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 28, 2026
Gourmet capital Kyoto now has six three-Michelin-starred restaurants
The latest edition of the Michelin Guide Kyoto & Osaka sees Miyamaso earn three stars ¡ª the first time since 2020 that Kyoto has a new three-starred entry.
SoNoMa chef partner Kyle Connaughton (right) and chef de cuisine Keita Tominaga both have ties to Sonoma County in Northern California, the restaurant¡¯s namesake. Connaughton rose to prominence there with SingleThread, while Tominaga¡¯s father ran a Japanese restaurant in the region.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 27, 2026
The American chef reconnecting with Japan through a Kyoto restaurant
Kyle Connaughton reflects on a career shaped by ¡°kaiseki,¡± California farming and a lifelong pull toward the country that inspired him.
At Park Hyatt Tokyo's revamped Girandole, chef Kojiro Tsutsumi (left) is tasked with executing Alain Ducasse's vision of a French brasserie.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 24, 2026
Girandole by Alain Ducasse is a stunning ode to brasserie fare
The renowned French chef and restaurateur¡¯s latest venture in Tokyo hits all the right notes, thanks to the deft skills of chef de cuisine Kojiro Tsutsumi.
After working at his family's restaurant in Kyoto, chef Koki Watanabe moved to the countryside far north of the city, opening Inaka no Taiho in 2021.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants
Apr 17, 2026
Chickens go from coop to table at Inaka no Taiho
The talented Koki Watanabe offers a farmhouse-style dining experience in the woods of northern Kyoto.
¡°The Art and Science of Tempura: A Comprehensive Guide to Ingredients, Techniques and Equipment" offers a deep dive into the art of tempura, from frying methods to kitchen tools.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 3, 2026
How to make better batter for tempura
¡°The Art and Science of Tempura¡± cookbook shows you how to make a restaurant-quality crust for your fried ingredients. But will the recipe work in your kitchen?
This year's Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list spans 17 cities across Asia, with Penang, Ubud and Kasauli appearing among the entries for the first time.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Mar 26, 2026
Tokyo earns seven spots on Asia¡¯s 50 Best Restaurants list
Sazenka and Maz climb ranks, but Osaka¡¯s La Cime stole the show as Â鶹´«Ã½ highest-ranked restaurant.
Yoyogi-Uehara is home to eclectic dining options, such as La Pita de Maison Cinquantecinq, which offers pita sandwiches and other Middle Eastern fare like falafel and hummus.
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Mar 6, 2026
Pitas, parfaits and more in Yoyogi-Uehara
Just a 10-minute train ride away from bustling Harajuku, the calm residential neighborhood is home to several gourmet options that locals would prefer to gatekeep.
At Peter, The Peninsula Tokyo's revamped flagship restaurant, chef Yohan Da Costa balances French and Japanese elements in his modern French cuisine.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Feb 15, 2026
How Yohan Da Costa is redefining Peter at The Peninsula Tokyo
After 12 years, The Peninsula Tokyo¡¯s flagship restaurant has swapped its steak-and-grill theme for a French concept led by up-and-coming chef Yohan Da Costa.
Chef Masashi Motooka opened Restaurant Kam in Saitama Prefecture, taking over a property formerly used by his wife's late grandfather. The garden is an extension of his kitchen ¡ª his daily menu is determined by whatever is ready to be picked.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants
Jan 30, 2026
In Saitama, Kam finds its garden-to-table concept ripe with potential
Chef Masashi Motooka is making a name for himself with his deft execution of French cuisine paired with greens picked from his own backyard.
Keita Wojciechowski's ¡°Culinary Encyclopedia of Japan Vol. 2: Tools, Techniques, Traditions,¡± is part dictionary, part textbook.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 28, 2026
No pictures, just text: A Japanese cookbook for the nerds
Keita Wojciechowski¡¯s book, ¡°Culinary Encyclopedia of Japan Vol. 2: Tools, Techniques, Traditions,¡± makes up for its lack of images with a granular look at cooking methods.
Spanish restaurant Miguel Juani serves five different types of paella.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 2, 2026
Start 2026 with familiar flavors of home
For foreign residents in Japan during the new year, homesickness can creep in. We show you where to go to feed your nostalgia.
Sushi, such as this Kyoto-style "saba b¨­zushi" (rolled sushi with vinegared mackerel) at Kibun, stood out in Tokyo's dining scene in 2025.
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Dec 26, 2025
Tokyo dining in 2025 was defined by sushi and cutting-edge fare
The city¡¯s restaurant scene had no shortage of drama this year as culinary stars set up new shops, Italian stalwarts left and iconic establishments reemerged from their renovation.
Gut bacteria may be behind many of Â鶹´«Ã½ colorectal cancer cases
A Japanese research team found that a toxin produced by certain E. coli strains, colibactin, caused genetic mutations in nearly half of colorectal cancer cases studied
¡®Total whiplash¡¯: Foreign residents react to Â鶹´«Ã½ changing permanent residency rules
The entrance to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward, Tokyo, in March. For some foreign residents of Japan, tightening measures for permanent residency have become one factor in a broader calculation over whether remaining in the country makes financial sense over the long term.
She is Russia¡¯s richest woman. Her business empire is going up in flames.
Tatyana Kim, the head and co-founder of Wildberries, speaks about Ukrainian drone attacks on the company's warehouses in the course of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, at an unidentified location, in this still image from a handout video released on July 31.
Severe tropical storm Chan-hom makes landfall near Tokyo
Severe Tropical Storm Chan-hom made landfall around Ibaraki Prefecture, near Tokyo, on Tuesday night.
What Â鶹´«Ã½ language rules for permanent residency should look like
Potential health care workers hoping to find work in Japan take Japanese language instruction in Jakarta. Not all applicants for permanent residency should be expected to reach this level of proficiency.
Where do foreign residents in Japan want to die?
The Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery is one of the few cemeteries in Japan that allows burials, albeit with conditions for the deceased, including foreign nationality and permanent residency in Kanagawa Prefecture.
¡®Total whiplash¡¯: Foreign residents react to Â鶹´«Ã½ changing permanent residency rules
The entrance to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward, Tokyo, in March. For some foreign residents of Japan, tightening measures for permanent residency have become one factor in a broader calculation over whether remaining in the country makes financial sense over the long term.
As Â鶹´«Ã½ concrete jungles sizzle, urban forestry offers an all-natural fix
People and birds find relief from the sun in Tokyo's Nakano Ward earlier this month. While experts agree that urban greening is crucial to mitigating the impact of climate change, trees are becoming even more scarce in Japanese cities.
Â鶹´«Ã½ brewers experiment with a secret ingredient: music
At Smoke Craft, a craft beer brewery in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, music isn't just a background to the brewing process ¡ª it's an ingredient.
As countries ban social media for children, Japan mulls a different approach
Data from NTT Docomo¡¯s Mobile Society Research Institute released in June found that 55% of respondents across all age groups said they fiddled with their phones when they had nothing to do, even when another person was in front of them.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

Disaster relief workers Taichi Kato (left) and Seiji Yoshimura enter the collapsed living quarters at Kyuganji temple in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture.
What Kumamoto revealed about Â鶹´«Ã½ earthquake readiness
By Alex K.T. Martin

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