Japan

Articles on Japan and the Japanese

Roppongi

Everybody in Japan has heard of Roppongi, the legendary entertainment quarter sandwiched, like a juicy filling, between Akasaka in the north and Azabu in the south.

Alfresco Dining in Eccentric Settings

A description of a unique food stall in Tokyo in which all patrons were, by order or the proprietor, equal -- and he enforced this rule rigorously.
Cherry

Dark Side of the Moon

A comparison between Tokyo in the aftermath of the Great Tohoku Earthquake and East Berlin of the 1970s
Cherry

Responding to indiscriminate violence and destruction

An account of a trip to northeast Japan to deliver supplies to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on 11 March 2011.

Sumo Wrestling - The Naked Truth

A light-hearted and not strictly politically correct look at the national sport of Japan.

Shunga—From titillation to high art

A brief introduction to the Japanese erotic woodblock prints of the Edo Period (1603 - 1868)

Poison and the Police

True tale of three cases of poisoning that made fools of the Japanese police.

The Last Journey of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ, so the story goes, set off from the Middle East and made his way to Japan, where he married and settled down.

Fugu — Dining with Death

Japan has the highest suicide rate in the world, so it is hardly surprising that they enjoy eating a dish that, if improperly prepared, can be fatal.

Sapporo—Japan’s Northern Capital

Brief introduction to the largest and most famous city of northern Japan.

Kusaya—Edible Fish or Biological Weapon

An unusual delicacy that tastes much better than it smells.

The First Englishman in Japan

The inspiration for numerous books or films — James Clavell’s Shogun and the TV miniseries Shogun, for example — Will Adams landed in Japan in 1600, and spent the rest of his life there.