No45 [Advance] A question of intelligence
In a few years time, roads will be filled with cars that are intelligent, interconnected, and safer. In the la […][...]
FOCUS
No45 [Experience] Suzu dreams of a driverless car
Suzu is a city full of tradition. Each year, it celebrates Kiriko, a festival dating back more than three cent […][...]
No45 [Research] Nissan on the front line
Huge success for the EV Leaf. The company has made innovation its number one priority in anticipation of its f […][...]
No44 [Focus] In the shade of the tea leaves
The Japanese really know how to enjoy tea, and cultivation knowledge gained gradually over time has become a t […][...]
No44 [Taste] New approach to an old tradition
Sakurai Shinya, a lover of green tea, encourages his clients to rediscover the traditions surrounding this bev […][...]
No44 [Retail] A matter of taste
Eleven years ago, Stéphane Danton went into business selling tea. It turned out to be a great adventure. Long- […][...]
No44 [Farming] Mr. Harima’s winning gamble
Choosing to go into organic farming was a game-changer for this farmer from Ujitawara. Under the blazing Augus […][...]
No44 [Atmosphere] A taste of sweetness
There’s nothing like Japanese confectionary to accompany a cup of tea. Don’t miss out on a visit to Higashiya. […][...]
No 43 [Pop culture] A recipe for success
Dance music and tonkatsu: an original combination which many manga and anime fans are going mad about. Young K […][...]
No43 [Focus] For the love of Tonkatsu
Nowadays considered to be one of the country’s favourite dishes, a look at the history of tonkatsu revea […][...]
No43 [Tokyo] Our top ten tonkatsu treats
The next time you travel to the Japanese capital, think about visiting one of these top tonkatsu restaurants. […][...]
No43 [Accompaniment] Western roots, japanese taste
One would never think of enjoying tonkatasu on its own. To enjoy the dish at its best, you need a good sauce. […][...]
No43 [A good idea] Tonki sets the ton(e)katsu
This restaurant, situated in the heart of Meguro, is considered to be one of the best. You have to hand it to […][...]
No42 [Discovery] Bicycles and beer forever
Though public transport in the capital city is very efficient, nothing beats riding around it by bicycle. Toky […][...]
No42 [Adventure] Three men on a bike
43 days travelling from the north to the south of Japan. An amazing journey undertaken by a group of friends. […][...]
No42 [Focus] To cycle or not to cycle…
Contrary to appearances bicycles are ubiquitous in Japan. But there is more to be done. The word “Japan” conju […][...]
No41 [Interview] In the shadow of the superheroes
after playing the key character in Ultraman’s first series, kurobe Susumu still remains very popular 50 […][...]
No41 [Memory] Q-chan, or the testimony of a fan
Since the character was first shown in 1966, the various Ultraman series have enjoyed a unprecedented level of […][...]
No41 [Focus] Happy birthday Ultraman!
Ultraman, a hero created by Tsuburaya Productions, inspires nostalgic memories in Japan. At a time when Hollyw […][...]
No40 [Trend] A simple return to basics
The incredible success of Muji, both in Japan and abroad, expresses a desire to return to basics. Since the en […][...]
No40 [Encounter] The man who sees only white
The celebrated potter Kuroda Taizo has travelled far in his search for simplicity. Todai moto kurashi (lit. it […][...]
No40 [Focus]The design of everyday objects
Japanese products are well-known for their quality and beauty. We found out how it all began. The “Zakka – Goo […][...]
No39 [Focus] Decline? No thanks!
Though there are numerous indications that the situation in the Japan’s provincial regions is worsening, […][...]
No39 [Yamanashi] Misawa Ayana has a keen nose
In a region deep in crisis, winemaking has proved to be the best way to escape the current rural decline. I w […][...]
No39 [Tourism] An el Dorado called minpaku
In the face of an expected shortage of tourist accommodation in the regions, there’s a growing interest in ren […][...]
No39 [Imabari] Organic farming to the rescue
This town’s farmers have found a winning recipe in their search to promote local growth and supply good […][...]
No39 [Hiroshima] Onomichi revisits its past
A victim of population decline, this port city has been rejuvenated through innovative ideas to present its he […][...]
No39 [Miyagi] Onagawa rises up to the challenge
This port city is being rebuilt five years after the ravages caused by the tsunami, thanks to the commitment o […][...]
No39 [Future] Hopes for a horizontal revolution
For years the Japanese government has sought to revitalize the country’s regions, but their methods are […][...]
No38 [Discovery] A divine encounter at jab
The owner of a certain Jazz bar in Fukuoka entices his customers in with a selection of the best black America […][...]
No38 [Memory] The legendary Yoshida Mamoru
To experience the Japanese enthusiasm for jazz, one only needs to pay a short visit to Chigusa jazz cafe. I […][...]
No38 [Talent] ‘Cherchez la femme’
Of course, jazz is not just a man’s world, so here is an overview of the most renowned Japanese women involved […][...]
No38 [Sound] Pitch perfect for Dominique Fillon
This French jazzman found not only inspiration in the archipelago, but also the desire to share his musical kn […][...]
No38 [Music] In the Land of Rising jazz
Jazz music remains a vibrant symbol of freedom in the Land of the Rising Sun, where it is still greatly apprec […][...]
No38 [Guide] A jazz adventure in Yokohama
This Japanese city port is famous for its jazz music. Here are some tried and tested venues. The Sakura […][...]
No37 [Focus] Once a biker, always a biker?
Whether you like it or not, motorbikes are synonymous with Japan, if only because of the pivotal importance of […][...]
No37 [Manga] Crazy hub caps
Since the 1960s, motorcycles have played a considerable role in the world of manga as any manga. Fan knows, Ja […][...]
No37 [Experience] How to negotiate the bends in life
Biker culture is changing in Japan. It needs to adapt to an ageing population. For many people around the worl […][...]
No37 [Movie] World of Bosozoku
God Speed You! Black Emperor by Yanagimachi Mitsuo is an unusual film that bears witness to a bygone era. Sinc […][...]
No36 [Tourism] The low down on Onomichi
To attract more tourists, the local council has invited Lala the cat to help visitors discover the town from a […][...]
No36 [Discovery] Aoshima has stopped purring
A little island lost in the middle of the Inland Sea has become a tourist attraction for cat lovers, but the l […][...]
No36 [Focus] No one can resist a cat
Not everyone is allowed to keep pets, but the Japanese have found a way around the problem. An acute sense of […][...]
No35 [History] Publishers at work
Tokyo Metropolitan Library Hokusai’s talent would not have gained such great recognition without the hel […][...]
No35 [Portrait] The incredible Sugiura Hinako
©Hinako Sugiura・mS.hS ©Ｍasaya Suzuki Thanks to her talent and her wide knowledge of Edo culture, this mangaka’ […][...]
No35 [Destiny] Portrait of a woman with a brush
© 2014-2015 hinako Sugiura – mS.hS / Sarusuberi film partners The work of O-Ei, the main character in Mi […][...]
No34 [Kitchen] A rice cooker named desire
Since it first appeared on the market in the 1950s, this appliance has become a musthave for all those who lov […][...]
No34 [Trend] Returning to your roots
In Kamagawa, southeast of Tokyo, one organization is preserving the increasingly rare terraced rice fields, wi […][...]
No34 [Focus] Rice in search of a new lease of life
For several years now, the consumption of this millennia old food has been decreasing across the Japanese arch […][...]
No33 [Gunma] Ancestral tradition under threat
The combination of an ageing population and a rural exodus is threatening the existence of matsuri in the prov […][...]
No33 [Kumano] Celebrating paintbrushes
The spirit of the paintbrush is celebrated annually just twenty kilometres from Hiroshima. In the soft morning […][...]
No33 [Tokyo] Even the yakuza are here…
The matsuri is a communal event which unites all Japanese, whatever their origin. In his office in the heart o […][...]
No33 [Focus] Festivals!
Whatever the season or the region there is always a traditional festival to go to. Here is a short guided tour […][...]
No32 [Concept] Long live the community
The reinterpretation of tradition is fundamentally important to the work of Atushi and Mayumi Kawamoto. Atsush […][...]
No32 [Project] A simple question of balance
Maeda Keisuke champions the ideal of architecture working in harmony with the surrounding landscape. UID (an a […][...]
No32 [Experience] The capacity to adapt
Manuel Tardits has lived in the archipelago for many years, and shares his fulfilling experiences as an archit […][...]
No32 [Focus] Welcome home!
Japanese houses are not just works of art to be stared at in confusion on the pages of coffee-table books. Wha […][...]
No31 [Focus] 31 ways to read about japan
To celebrate our thirty-first issue, we would like to invite you on a journey of discovery into 31 books relat […][...]
No30 [Focus] Yamada Yoji, champion of a timeless japan
Immensely famous film director in Japan, but little known abroad, here is Yamada Yoji. When I was young I thou […][...]
No29 [Future] The railway’s battle has been won
Four years after the tsunami that destroyed everything, including the railway, getting the service going again […][...]
No29 [Encounter] Raw emotion
Many wounds inflicted by the disaster remain unhealed. They need to be treated before people can move on. It w […][...]
No29 [Regeneration] Watch out, construction in progress!
Four years have passed since the earthquake on the 11th of March 2011, and the city is starting to get back in […][...]
No28 [History] A girl called Yokota Megumi
Abducted in November 1977, aged 13, her parents have been fighting for 37 years to bring her back to Japan. In […][...]
No28 [Focus] Japan has lost its way
Relations between Japan and North Korea are complex, and the situation weighs increasingly heavily on Japanese […][...]
No27 [Encounter] King of small cars
Hardly known outside Japan, Suzuki Osamu has still succeeded in exporting his brand around the world. The moto […][...]
No27 [Focus] Pleasing the ladies
Aware of the importance of attracting female customers, Nissan has put together a new concept called Ladies Fi […][...]
No27 [Focus] Small but sturdy
Keijidosha are all the rage, now making up 30% of all car sales throughout the nation. In most countries, car […][...]
No26 [Encounter] Advice from Mr Yamazaki
The head of the Tokyo Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park reminds us of a few common sense rules. According to the […][...]
No26 [Experience] Prevention is better than cure
Vulnerable to the whims of nature, Japanese people learn to prepare for the worst through fun and games. Livin […][...]
No26 [Focus] An Archipelago of volcanoes
Despite the danger they sometimes present, these mountains of fire still have a powerful attraction for the Ja […][...]
No25 [Testimony] The world according to Shirato
A kappa, as imagined by Katsumata Susumu, an extract from issue 67 of Garo, October 1969. collection Claude Le […][...]
No25 [Focus] A thorn in the side called Garo
First published just fifty years ago, this magazine has not only had an impact on the world of manga, but also […][...]
No24 [Tips] The Best of Tokyo’s Depachika
When you next travel to the Japanese capital, don’t forget to visit these magical places. here are some we rec […][...]
No24 [Focus] The Food paradise
Set off on an adventure to discover one of Japan’s best-kept secrets: the basements of large department stores […][...]
No23 [Focus] Characters who serve the public interest
In Ishinomaki, in the region ravaged by 2011’s tsunami, mascots are a source of comfort. They have been […][...]
No23 [Focus] Mascot planet
After becoming Japan’s favourite little characters, the rest of the world is now falling for this army of chee […][...]
No22 [Luxury] The Orient Express made in Japan
Since last October, you can discover Kyushu Island while on board an exceptional train designed by Mitooka Eij […][...]
No22 [Discovery] Their originality is their strength
Yufuin no mori With an exterior that is curvaceous and rounded. This is a train that you immediately want to c […][...]
No22 [Focus] The railway world renewed
The idea of special excursion trains was first developed on Kyushu Island. They are now multiplying across the […][...]
No21 [Museum] A memory failure
In Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, the Yushukan Museum reveals its own version of the Second World War. Many countrie […][...]
No21 [Focus] Which version of history ?
A visit to Yasukuni Shrine and provocative declarations means that the past never ceases to create waves. On D […][...]
No20 [Development] An inseparable destiny
The Tohoku region is not only famous for its sake; the excellence of its fishing is also well proven. The area […][...]
No20 [Experience] Kashiwa Daisuke at his best
Master-brewer at the Otokoyama brewery, this former salesman carries on the tradition out of a deep love for h […][...]
No20 [Resistance] The post-Fukushima antidote
In Kitakata, the Yamatogawa brewery produces a 100% guaranteed alcohol while supporting the region’s producers […][...]
No20 [Sake] Sake, the soul of Tohoku
Badly damaged by the tsunami of March 2011, the region is being rebuilt, partly thanks to this drink of the go […][...]
No19 [Revolution] A reinvented bookstore
Not only is it architecturally remarkable, Tsutaya Daikanyama also owes its success to its original business m […][...]
No19 [Youth] The happy dream factory
Created by a group of mothers, the Kodomo no honya bookshop’s reputation now stretches beyond the capital. Som […][...]
No19 [Idea] A bold initiative by Nakajima
The manager of Post has chosen to promote one publisher at a time to enable their work to become better known. […][...]
No19 [Discovery] Treasures galore
To give one the time to stop and think; this is the aim of the founders of Cow Books. Naka-Meguro is conside […][...]
No19 [Focus] Tokyo, bastion of books and bookshops
In 2013 there were 1,675 bookshops in the capital of Japan, compared to only 802 in London. Just as in other p […][...]
No18 [Journey] Through the tower of delights
Even someone not often inclined to go shopping cannot resist the appeal of Tokyu Hands. Being someone who does […][...]
No18 [Discover] Tokyu Hands, a place of wonder
Located in the young district of Shibuya, this department store is a unique place frequented by a wide range o […][...]
No17 [Experience] Ramen forever
Noodle soups are a synonym for success. Here are two examples in Singapore and New York. Even purists do not c […][...]
No17 [Gastronomy] Japan is ready to go
A country’s cuisine is of great importance to it, both culturally and economically. Many see its protect […][...]
No16 [Meeting] Machida Shinobu, sage of the sento
Machida Shinobu has made a study of sento for the past 30 years. He knows all the secrets of public baths. Tak […][...]
No16 [A tale] It’s all a question of temperature
The Matsuyanagi family have been managing this establishment in Yotsuya for the past 45 years. It is growing i […][...]
No16 [Practical information] What you need to know
There is a list of words the sento user needs to know in order to take full advantage of the place. Entotsu – […][...]
No16 [Culture] We want our daily bath
Washing and relaxing in very hot water is a ritual deeply embedded in Japanese life. It’s time to scrub each o […][...]
No15 [Record] Great dishes in little boxes
There exist approximately 3,000 varieties of ekiben across Japan. Zoom Japan is going to let you in on which o […][...]
No15 [Trend] Food to go Japanese style
We investigated how the relationship the Japanese have with ekiben has changed over the last few decades. For […][...]
No15 [Culture] The art of eating on a train
Since the end of the 19th century, the Japanese have known how to combine the pleasure of travelling with eati […][...]