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JapanDen •

Inside Japan’s Vending Machine Culture

A vending machine dreamVending machines are literally everywhere in Japan. At first glance, they may seem ordinary, just another part of the urban landscape. Yet their sheer number is remarkable.Estimates vary, but Japan is believed to have roughly 4 to 5 million vending machines nationwide, or about one for every 25 to 30 people—among the highest per-capita concentrations in the world. Most sell drinks, from canned coffee to bottled tea. But even a “standard” machine can surprise overseas visit...
VOYAPON •

From Osaka to Everywhere: How Mister Donut Won Over Japan

Only 30 minutes north of central Osaka, Minoh (also spelled Mino or Mino-o) is the kind of place that makes you forget you’re near one of Japan’s largest cities. Home to Minoh Falls, a 33-meter-high waterfall in one of Japan’s oldest (and smallest) quasi-national parks, the area has long been a favorite weekend escape for Osakans. But, Minoh also carries another somewhat unexpected claim to fame: it’s the birthplace of Japan’s donut obsession. In 1971, the very first Mister Donut opened its door...
Tokyo Weekender •

Nothing Says Spring in Tokyo Like Vegan Sakura Burgers

Like an unseasonable snow fall, mounds of pink and white petals have already begun accumulating across the city, marking a sudden (though not unexpected) conclusion to Tokyo’s 2019 cherry blossom season.
While things might be wrapping up throughout much of the Kanto region, further north incredible displays of sakura can still be readily viewed, with a full bloom not even expected until May 5 in Sapporo.
And much like the actual cherry blossom, while seasonal menus have largely disappeared, ther...
Tokyo Weekender •

5 More Must-Try Vegetarian Restaurants In Tokyo

Hey, welcome back – if you read the previous guide. That, as you can see, was just a taste of the vegetarian and vegan options Tokyo has to offer. Here are a few more select recommendations.

Located on a side street near Aoyama Gakuin University, this 100% vegan restaurant has an undeniable trendy flair, but still works for a casual lunch or evening with friends.
Borrowing heavily from Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, the restaurant’s mood lighting and elegant flair gives you a hint of the exten...
Tokyo Weekender •

These Sakura-Themed Pretzels Pair Well with Spring – and Pink Glitter Beer

The coming of spring in Tokyo is an exciting season for many. The weather begins to gradually warm and then, what for months was just a grey backdrop, suddenly is filled with color as the city’s many cherry blossoms start to bloom. Tourists and locals alike gather to view the flowering cherry blossom (or sakura), picnicking at parks with family members, friends and co-workers.
But as quickly as the city is filled with the soft pink and white hues of sakura, their petals soon and, rather dramatic...
JAPAN Forward •

Tastes of Mt. Fuji

Tokyo is often considered a foodie’s paradise, with Japan’s capital having more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city in the world. From the chaos of Tsukiji Market—where sushi of all types entice both locals and foreigners alike—to cozy izakaya serving yakitori, ramen shops, and vegetarian-friendly restaurants, there seems to be something for everybody. However, if one ventures out from the famous mega-city, they will experience many traditional Japanese foods that, while having less...

Travel

VOYAPON •

Shikanoshima: The Island Where Japan Met the World

Shikanoshima may be small, but its history reaches back to the very beginnings of Japan’s recorded past. Located at the mouth of Hakata Bay in Fukuoka Prefecture, the island is known for the discovery of a gold seal, believed to have been given by a Chinese emperor to a local ruler — one of the earliest physical pieces of evidence of Japan’s existence in written history. It was here, too, that the Mongol Empire launched two invasion attempts in the late 13th century, both of which ultimately fai...
VOYAPON •

Why Omiya Deserves a Spot on Your Itinerary

Less than an hour from central Tokyo, Omiya in Saitama Prefecture is one of the region’s most important transportation hubs. Fifteen rail lines converge here—including six Shinkansen routes—making the city a gateway to northern and eastern Japan. That and the fact it has one of the country’s largest railway museums has turned Omiya into something of a pilgrimage site for train enthusiasts.


Despite this, Saitama has long carried the nickname “Dasaitama,” a mash-up of dasai (“uncool” or “lame”)...
SETOUCHI REFLECTION TRIP •

A Nostalgic Japanese Landscape - A Relaxing Inn in the Mountains to Revitalize Your Body and Mind

In the quieter parts of Japan, life moves at a different pace. From thoughtfully renovated farmhouses and traditional ryokan to coastal villages and stunning natural landscapes, these accommodations offer a nostalgic retreat for guests who want to unwind and relax. What’s more, they provide a meaningful way to reconnect with the land and its traditions—by experiencing time-honored building techniques, local cuisine, and living history firsthand.
SETOUCHI REFLECTION TRIP •

Five Cycling Routes in Setouchi

Sandwiched between Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, the Setouchi region is a calm, island-dotted corner of western Japan best known for its Mediterranean-like climate and sparkling inland sea. It’s also one of Japan’s premier cycling destinations, with a network of routes — most notably the iconic Shimanami Kaido, which links Onomichi in Hiroshima Prefecture with Imabari in Ehime Prefecture — that appeal to both casual and more professional cyclists.
VOYAPON •

Shibamata: Exploring Tokyo's Time Capsule

Located in the far northeast of Tokyo, along the Edo River which marks the border with Chiba Prefecture, you’ll find Shibamata. A town unlike many others, where Tokyo’s Showa-era charm is still part of daily life. From its centuries-old temple to a shopping street lined with local vendors and cafés, Shibamata offers something rare in a city obsessed with innovation: continuity. For film buffs, there’s even an entire museum dedicated to Otoko wa Tsurai yo — a long-running Japanese film series...
VOYAPON •

Fussa: Little America in Tokyo

Hidden away in Western Tokyo, a large area that once formed the northern part of Kanagawa Prefecture, Fussa might not be the first place that comes to mind when planning a day trip. Known for its quiet residential neighborhoods, the city, however, offers something you really can’t find anywhere else in Tokyo: a glimpse of retro Americana. Up and down National Route 16 (aka Fussa Base Side Street), you’ll find everything from antiques and vintage clothing to New York-style bagels and classic Amer...
Tokyo Weekender •

The Top 5 Shotengai Shopping Streets in Tokyo

If you truly want to experience Tokyo, or need to squeeze in some last-minute souvenir shopping before continuing your travels, consider spending a few hours in the city’s shotengai. Essentially meaning “shopping street,” the shotengai you’ll find here are diverse, ranging from pedestrian-filled streets with flashy signs and vendors loudly hawking their wares, to quiet, almost forgotten corners of Tokyo with mom-and-pop stores offering traditional goods.
Either way, shotengai often are found nea...
JAPAN Forward •

Japan: The Colors of Springtime

Japan is perhaps best known for its cherry blossom season, which sees much of the country turn an eye-catching shade of pink. Tourists the world over flock to Japan, hoping to view the ubiquitous cherry blossoms during full bloom, while local residents often enjoy o-hanami or outdoor flower viewing parties. What I will term “sakura fever” seemingly overtakes the country. I mean, you pretty much can find cherry blossom variations of anything from beer and cakes to udon and potato chips. 
 
Howeve...
JAPAN Forward •

A Day with Nagano’s Iconic Snow Monkeys

Tokyo experienced its heaviest snowfall in four years in late January 2018. It brought travel chaos—halting train service in the megacity, while 250 international flights were canceled—and, on a lighter note, plenty of Instaworthy photos. However, heavy snowfall is common throughout much of Japan, especially the northernmost island of Hokkaido, which, for enthusiasts of winter sports, transforms into a paradise. Travelers often make a yearly pilgrimage to popular ski resorts like Niseko, Rusutsu...

Culture

VOYAPON •

A Torii Without a Shrine: The Forgotten History of Haneda Airport

Haneda is by far Japan’s busiest airport, handling well over 200,000 passengers each day. For many travelers, it is also their first encounter with Tokyo.


Yet very few of those people realize that just outside Haneda’s perimeter stands a lone torii (a traditional gate to a Shinto shrine) facing the runways. Unlike most torii in Japan, this one does not lead to a shrine, but marks the former site of Anamori Inari, a coastal shrine once central to the villages that occupied this land long befor...
VOYAPON •

Step Aboard the Soya: Tokyo’s Antarctic Icebreaker

Permanently moored in Odaiba (near the site of the now closed, ship-shaped Museum of Maritime Science) the retired icebreaker Soya has lived several lives. Built before WWII, repurposed during it, and later sent to Antarctica, the ship’s long career mirrors some of the most dramatic changes in Japanese history. Now preserved as a museum ship, Soya offers visitors an easy but rewarding stop, where decades of history unfold within a short, walkable visit along Tokyo Bay.


The Soya was first laid...
JAPAN Forward •

‘Aggretsuko’: Netflix's Cute Red Panda Who Rages Against the Machine

If you spent any time scrolling through Netflix this weekend, you probably saw a new original animated series called Aggretsuko. The show is from the makers of Hello Kitty and it focuses on a 25-year-old red panda named Retsuko, who works as a mild-mannered employee in the accounting department of a large Tokyo corporation.
 
However, unlike typical Sanrio characters—a certain white kitten comes to mind and, yes, I know Sanrio claimed she’s a British schoolgirl and not a cat—Aggretsuko details t...
JAPAN Forward •

Emojis: A Story that Began in Japan

Emojis have imbedded themselves in our smart phone-obsessed culture. The Emoji Movie may have received a less-than-stellar critical review (currently holding an impressively low 8% on Rotten Tomatoes and stumbling its way into winning the Razzie for Worst Movie in 2017), but the symbols themselves continue to grow in popularity. 
 
They can represent anything from what you’d like for lunch to feelings of romance, travel plans, LGBTQ+ issues (see what occurred in China earlier this year), religio...
JAPAN Forward •

12 Things You Might Not Have Known About St. Patrick’s Day

Earlier this month, alongside a flurry of announcements concerning the start of Tokyo’s cherry blossom season, the “biggest Irish event in Asia” was held in Yoyogi Park. The unabashedly named I Love Ireland Festival attracted over 100,000 visitors last year, marking what is becoming a rather unexpected annual tradition in Japan - St. Patrick’s Day.
 
The irony of covering this topic is not lost upon the author—check my name.
 
I attended the festival, which boasted Irish performers like Mundy—a...

News + Opinion

JAPAN Forward •

Can China Keep Up As Southeast Asia Diversifies Ties?

Former United States President Barrack Obama referred to himself as “America’s first Pacific president.” At the same time, China has made its own more tangible pivot of sorts toward Southeast Asia.
 
Since the announcement of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in late 2013, Beijing has emphasized the importance of neighborhood diplomacy. From its perspective, Southeast Asia will play a crucial role in the development of its 21st Century Maritime Silk Road—both  proposed routes would go through t...
JAPAN Forward •

The US and Vietnam: Old Enemies, New Friends?

America’s eight-year military intervention came to a rather ignominious end as the last United States combat forces withdrew from South Vietnam on March 29, 1973. Having already violated the ceasefire, the North Vietnamese—who had fought nearly 20 years to see their country united—seized the opportunity and launched a massive offensive. The southern capital, Saigon, quickly fell to communist forces in a 1975 offensive, which led more than a quarter-million people to flee the country. These final...
JAPAN Forward •

Japan and Vietnam: An Emerging Partnership in a Contested Region

While traveling across northern Vietnam I kept seeing a particular store called Japanese Shop that primarily sold imported goods. Curious, I asked my friend, who then was guiding me through Hai Phong. He told me, “Japanese products are really popular in Vietnam right now.”
 
However, it’s not merely Japanese products, but Japan itself that is increasingly popular in this Southeast Asian country. Indeed, the luxury Osaka-based retailer, Takashimaya, opened a store in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) ba...
JAPAN Forward •

Are Racial Stereotypes of Japanese-Americans Alive? US Congressional Hearing Sparks Debate

The subject of war-time internment of ethnic Japanese in the United States became a hot topic in the halls of the U.S. Congress again recently. During its March 15 hearing, when the House Committee on Natural Resources was considering President Donald Trump’s proposed 2019 budget, it was noted that the budget did not include continued funding for the Japanese American Confinement Sites (JACS) program.
 
 
The JACS program, which has spent more than US$21 million on research and preservation of t...
Modern Ghana •

South Thailand’s Forgotten Insurgency

Located in the Chidlom district of central Bangkok, the Erawan shrine became the site of what Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha would later describe as “the worst incident that has ever happened in Thailand.” Popular with locals and foreign tourists, a bomb exploded near the Hindu shrine at 6:55 p.m. on August 17, killing 20 people and injuring more than 120. Chinese, Hong Kong, Singaporean, Indonesian and Malaysian citizens were among those killed in the blast. Only a few miles away, a second ex...
Modern Ghana •

Ghana’s Economy: Short-Term Worries And Sustainable Growth

Earlier this month the Italian-based company ENI, Vitol Group—a Dutch trading house, and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) signed a deal with President John Dramani Mahama that would see the development of an offshore oil reserve located about 60 km from the Western Region's coast.Once fully operational, the Offshore Cap Three Points (OCTP) project will access 1.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 500 million barrels of oil beneath the South Tano basin. Ghana currently produces 12...
The Daily Signal •

Could the Nicaragua Canal Project Bring Russia Back to Central America?

Following a unanimous vote in the National Assembly’s Infrastructure Committee, Nicaraguan officials have begun preparations for the so-called Interoceanic Grand Canal, which will connect to Lake Nicaragua by means of a 177.7 mile (286 km) waterway. President Daniel Ortega signed an agreement for the ambitious construction project with Hong Kong Nicaragua Canal Development Investment Company (HKND Group) on June 13, 2013. Demonstrating its growing influence in Latin America, Russia will be respo...
The Daily Signal •

Boko Haram: Nigeria’s Ongoing Insurgency

On November 28, the terrorist group Boko Haram attacked a mosque in Kano, a city in northern Nigeria, killing more than 100 people according to reports. The attack during Friday prayers is yet another reminder of Boko Haram’s violent insurgency. While Boko Haram has been active in Nigeria for years, the group catapulted to international notoriety last spring after Abubakar Shekau appeared in a video where he claimed responsibility for the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from the village of Chibok i...
The Daily Signal •

Boko Haram: Nigeria’s Ongoing Insurgency

On November 28, the terrorist group Boko Haram attacked a mosque in Kano, a city in northern Nigeria, killing more than 100 people according to reports. The attack during Friday prayers is yet another reminder of Boko Haram’s violent insurgency. While Boko Haram has been active in Nigeria for years, the group catapulted to international notoriety last spring after Abubakar Shekau appeared in a video where he claimed responsibility for the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from the village of Chibok i...
The Daily Signal •

Those Who Confront Death

The Kurdish people are often described as the largest ethnic group in the world without a nation-state; nevertheless, they have greatly influenced regional events—most recently in combating the Islamic State (IS), which now controls large swaths of territory within Iraq and Syria. Historically a nomadic people, the Kurds (today numbering about 20–30 million) inhabit a mountainous region along the borders of Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Armenia.
Under the brutal dictatorship of Saddam Hussein,...
The Daily Signal •

Behold the Russian Sandworm

Earlier this month, it was discovered that a sophisticated cyber espionage campaign had been targeting Western government leaders and institutions—including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, energy and telecommunication companies, the Ukrainian and European Union governments, and one academic inside the United States—for almost 5 years.
Dubbed “Sandworm,” a reference to the science fiction series Dune, the (likely) Russian-based phishing campaign exploited a zero-day vulnerability—software...
The Daily Signal •

Ebola Cases, Already Rampant in West Africa, Expected to Double Every 3 Weeks

Ebola’s devastating impact throughout West Africa—along with several cases in Europe and the United States—has garnered global attention, but the affected countries are now suffering from a hidden impact of the outbreak. Non-Ebola deaths are skyrocketing in West Africa because of the increased strain on an already weak medical and emergency response capability.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention an estimated 8,000 people have contracted the virus and nearly 4,500 deathsh...
The Daily Signal •

6 Things You Should Know About Khorasan

Khorasan, a group of veteran terrorists created by al-Qaeda’s leadership, was little known until its plans to attack Western targets captured the attention of the international community. Although U.S. intelligence agencies have been aware of the group’s existence for months, this information was not publicly disclosed until Director of Intelligence James Clapper acknowledged the threat posed by Khorasan during a press conference in September. Here are 6 things you should know about the group:
P...
Modern Ghana •

Boko Haram: A Growing Threat To Nigerian Stability

On May 14th, 2013, President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria declared a state of emergency in thecountry's northeastern states of Yobe, Borno, and Adamwa.Explaining his decision in a televised speech, Jonathan said that the level of violence in the country's north was resulting in "fear among our citizens and a near breakdown of law and order in parts of the country."He continued, stating, 'What we are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups,...
Modern Ghana •

White Gold: The Plight of Africa’s Elephants

In March of this year, poachers in southwestern Chad killed as many as 86 elephants, including over 30 pregnant females and 15 calves. The killings took place in the Mayo-Kebbi Est region, located along the country's border with Cameroon. While the identity of those involved has not yet been determined, there is little dispute over what motivated their actions, ivory. The growing demands of the ivory trade are likely responsible for a series of elephant massacres that have recently taken place t...
Modern Ghana •

As the Syrian Mosaic Crumbles

Syria, a country that many outside observers believed would weather the unrest and political upheaval of the Arab Spring, erupted in violence on March 15th, 2011. What initially started out as a call for political and economic reform quickly morphed into an armed uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. Today much of Syria resembles a war zone; few areas have been left unscathed by the ensuing violence as the government continues with a brutal security crackdown. For its part, the media has c...
Modern Ghana •

Losing the Coast: Kenya’s Secessionist Dilemma

In many ways, Kenya is still feeling the effects of the post-election violence from the 2007 presidential election; tourism rates have yet to fully recover, the economy remains in a weakened state, and ethnic/tribal tensions continue to flare up. This has caused many observers, both within and outside Kenya, to fear that there may be a repeat of the violence seen in 2007 ahead of the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for early 2013. In fact, we might be seeing a small glimpse of this in...
Modern Ghana •

Timbuktu: A City Losing its Soul

In late June of this year, members of the Islamist organization, Ansar Dine, desecrated and destroyed the 16th century tomb of the Sufi Muslim saint, Sidi Mahmoud Ben Amar. The tomb, which was an UNESCO World Heritage Site, was vandalized before being burnt to the ground. But this attack was not simply an isolated incident; just a few weeks earlier, the group destroyed Timbuktu's independence monument, which depicted the city's protective genie, Al Farouk. Ansar Dine has also threatened to demol...