2+ day, 4+ hour ago  (140+ words) The Japan Times The Frenchmen who gave sake a Champagne soul Carl Hirschmann got into sakemaking because he trusted his gut " literally. For years, the Frenchman suffered from acid reflux whenever he drank alcohol, especially wine. Over-the-counter medications and consultations…...

5+ day, 7+ hour ago  (272+ words) Japan was overtaken by China as the world's second-largest creditor nation in 2025 despite setting a fresh record for its tally of overseas assets. Japan's net external assets rose to an all-time high of "561. 8 trillion ($3. 5 trillion) at the end of 2025, according…...

1+ week, 1+ hour ago  (162+ words) The Japan Times Japan imperial couple likely to visit Kumamoto in September The Imperial Household Agency is making arrangements for Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to visit Kumamoto Prefecture in late September, which marked the 10th anniversary in April of a…...

1+ week, 4+ hour ago  (540+ words) When Portuguese merchants and missionaries arrived in the southern port of Nagasaki in the late 16th century, they brought with them escabeche " a fried and pickled seafood delicacy popular in their homeland. Serves 2 as a main course Serves 4 to 6 as an…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago  (273+ words) The Japan Times What I ate at So No Ma, Kyoto's newest fine-dining restaurant Kyoto " In late March, Kyoto's luxury hotel boom gained another entrant with the opening of Capella Kyoto " but the property's most compelling attraction may be So…...

1+ week, 1+ day ago  (173+ words) The Japan Times Beyond the native speaker myth: Who "owns" the Japanese language? The boundaries of belonging and when fluency becomes exclusion Japan continues to draw an unspoken but influential boundary " one that sorts and evaluates people according to whether…...

2+ week, 1+ day ago  (125+ words) The Japan Times Anglophone bookworms unite across Japan Reading doesn't always have to be a solitary activity: A burgeoning book-based social scene in Tokyo and other cities is allowing English-language bibliophiles to find kindred spirits. While literary types in Japan…...

2+ week, 7+ hour ago  (161+ words) OZU, EHIME PREF. " Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Saturday afternoon visited the city of Ozu in Ehime Prefecture and met with people affected by a massive rain disaster that hit the region in 2018. During the meeting, the Emperor asked…...

2+ week, 4+ day ago  (100+ words) The Japan Times Legendary figure skater Kaori Sakamoto announces marriage Kaori Sakamoto's retirement news conference in Kobe delivered one final surprise from one of Japanese figure skating's most decorated stars. "This is a personal matter, but I got married recently,…...

3+ week, 5+ hour ago  (116+ words) Koji Suzuki, the Japanese author known for horror novels including "Ring," died at a Tokyo hospital Friday. He was 68. "Rakuen" (Paradise), his debut novel, received the Superior Award at the 1990 Japan Fantasy Novel Awards. "Ring," released in 1991, was adapted into…...