In Ian Fleming’s You Only Live Twice, the Australian spy Dikko Henderson gets a vile hangover drinking Japanese whisky. James Bond, more of a martini man, is amazed that Dikko would even consider drinking that gutrot, saying, ‘I can’t believe Japanese whisky makes a good foundation for anything.’ That neatly sums up the attitude of most foreigners to Japanese whisky for most of its more than 80-year history. In 2001, that all started to change when a 10-year-old Yoichi made...
Read MoreSeptember 16th, respect for the elderly day in Japan
Japan has many strange holidays. In the past there were religious holidays, but the government decided that religious days should not be celebrated as public holidays unlike all the other religions in the world like for instance the Christians who celebrate chrismas and other major Christian holidays, or the Jewish people who celebrate passover or Muslims who celebrate their sugar feast at the end of the fasting period. I could go on and on. Many countries celebrate their...
Read MoreThings to do this week in Tokyo September 16th – September 21st
Deborah J Carter Mon Sep 16, 2013 B Flat American jazz singer Deborah J Carter will be stopping in Tokyo for one night only as part of her September Japan tour. Having started her career in Okinawa (where her Japan tour will culminate later this month), she’s now based in Europe, and her music draws inspiration form a range of cultures. She will be accompanied by the Amsterdam Trio – consisting of Joost Swart on piano, Mark Zandveld on bass, and Seb Kaptein on drums...
Read MoreEarth’s largest volcano found in Pacific Ocean east of Japan
The largest single volcano ever found on Earth lies quietly in the depths of the Pacific Ocean, about 1,500 km east of Japan, having been extinct for millions of years. Scientists have now discovered the dome-shaped behemoth, which has a footprint the size of New Mexico. The discovery topples the previous world record holder for largest volcano — Mauna Loa, one of the five that form the Big Island of Hawaii. The area covered by the newly discovered volcano rivals the...
Read MoreSurfing in Tokyo
The perfect wave is closer than you think For many Tokyoites, surfing is synonymous with just one place: Shonan. The coastal area in Kanagawa Prefecture is generally regarded as the birthplace of Japanese surf culture, and it teems with boarders during the summer months – never mind that the swell is often pretty pathetic. Local schools include Easy Surf in Shichirigahama (beginner classes ¥5,000; private lessons ¥15,000), and Shonan Surfin School, which has shops...
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