Takashi Tamai wanted to cook something no one else in Colorado had thought of. Jeff Osaka was interested in incorporating ingredients with a local bent. Julia Rivera continues to blend Korean and other cooking traditions in a way that has made her food truck wildly popular. All three make some of the weirdest, wackiest ramen … Read more
Temperatures are cooling in Japan, but interest in visiting shows no signs of abating, as autumn arrivals continue to outpace pre-pandemic levels. The country welcomed 2.93 million foreign visitors in August, followed by another 2.87 million visitors in September — well above the 2.52 million and 2.27 million who arrived during those same months in … Read more
Jeff Goldblum once described his first experience of eating Pocky as “almost religious ecstasy”. The actor, trying the Japanese snack on a Rolling Stone live stream back in 2022, was visibly mind-blown by the two sticks he tried (matcha and strawberry cream). “Wow,” he gasped, hand clasped to his chest. “It’s like you’ve reverted to … Read more
The Japanese are often said to be well regarded for their etiquette and social graces. But if this is especially true for those working in Japan’s service industry, the same cannot always be said of their customers. Shoppers are famously referred to as “gods” by the firms that serve them, but some are seemingly taking … Read more
This summer, Hideaki Sato closed his fine-dining restaurant Ta Vie in Hong Kong, which received its third Michelin star in 2023, for several weeks, reopening it only at the beginning of September. While done primarily for renovations and redecoration following nine years of almost non-stop operation, another reason for the pause was for the chef … Read more
Japan is currently more of a tourist hotspot than ever, with its weak yen making it very attractive for holidaymakers. In the first half of this year, about 1.3 million people from Hong Kong visited the country. For some people, however, the prospect of having a holiday in Japan can be a daunting one, with … Read more
A food expert has tried one of the world’s rarest coffees and delivered a damning verdict. Paying £265 for a shot of espresso in Mayfair, London at a luxury coffee bar may sound ludicrous but expert James Hoffmann says there are certain cups of coffee which deserve the valuation. In this case, the scarcity of … Read more
Americans disappointed with the outcome of the U.S. election took their anguish online, with searches related to moving abroad surging following the results of the presidential race. Google Trends showed that searches related to “leaving the country” and “how to move to …” spiked following the news that Donald Trump would be returning to the … Read more
Singapore-headquartered Ant International said it has developed an AI model that predicts currency exchange rates on an hourly basis for both inbound and outbound transactions, which would help businesses reduce transaction costs and better allocate resources, the company said in a statement on Thursday. “Integration of AI into the processing of cross-border transactions is of … Read more
tokyo — Hello Kitty turned 50 on Friday. Befitting a pop icon at midlife, the bubble-headed, bow-wearing character’s fictional birthday has brought museum exhibits, a theme park spectacle and a national tour. And that’s just in Japan, her literal birthplace but not the one listed in her official biography. Confused? Welcome to the party. If … Read more
