December 2025
All aboard one of Japan's most scenic train lines
A local photographer’s passion for his hometown saves a disaster-wrought railway in Fukushima. Here's my piece for the Japan Times. A hot-spring bathhouse along the Tadami Line is also highly recommended. Surrounded by forests and with a river just in front of you, the view from the bath is superb.
Night Bakery Gives Bread and Jobs to Those in Need
Here's my piece for Tokyo Weekender, featuring an initiative led by a culinary expert to help people in need, while reducing food waste. Nahomi Edamoto, the culinary expert, passed away in February 2025. I’d like to express my deep respect for all she accomplished during her life and offer my heartfelt condolences.
Maruto Shoyu: Nara's oldest soy sauce warehouse back as a hotel
Here's my article for Japan Travel. It’s a revival story of a centuries-old soy sauce brewery in the ancient Japanese capital of Nara. Staying in the 130-year-old wooden warehouse and enjoying a traditional meal feels almost like slipping back to the days when samurai still walked the streets. It’s more than a stay — it’s […]
Natsumame in Kyoto Vows to Make You Love Natto
The fermented soybeans are notoriously pungent, but a natto restaurant in Kyoto gives tips for getting that first bite down. Here's my article for Tokyo Weekender on a Natto restaurant in Kyoto's Gion district.
Avatar Robot Café Dawn: Power to the People With Disabilities
Here's my article for Tokyo Weekender, featuring Avatar Robot Cafe Dawn. At this café, people living with ALS and other severe disabilities—many of whom can’t easily leave their homes—work as remote “pilots,” operating OriHime and OriHime-D robot avatars to greet guests and serve food. Talking with the staff is genuinely moving. Even while navigating tough […]
How Kohei Matsuno Makes 3D Latte Art Magic at Hatcoffee
Here's my article for Tokyo Weekender, featuring a pioneering 3D latte artist who runs his own cafe in Kuramae, near Asakusa area.