What do you think about when you think about Japan? Fuji-san, shinkansen, tabi, kabuki, rituals, gravel gardens, shrines among the pines. Not here. Beyond the postcards are the people; a nation of unusual ingenuity, fire…
As their cutesy, cartoon profiles – and fanbases – continue to soar, Japan’s cuddly collection of corporate mascots has come to inhabit a central part of the nation’s identity. We meet these celebrated creations and the…
With each Japanese household spending thousands of yen a year on cakes and sweets, confectionery is big business in Japan and nothing in the sweet-tooth calendar is bigger than the National Expo.
As Tokyo gets set to host the Olympics and Paralympics after 2020’s false start,
a multitude of behind-the-scenes players have long been exercising their minds to
ensure a gold-standard Games. We meet some of the unsung…
Looking to escape the metropolis to downsize? Our global network of correspondents have come up with a definitive list of the world’s best small cities, which provide the right balance between opportunities for rich cult…
Japan is full of master craftsmen, traditional stage artists and virtuoso musicians. But it’s only the elite – and those who have been plying their trade for decades – that is rewarded with the accolade of “living national…
If, like many recently, you’ve considered downsizing from the metropolis to a more manageable municipality, our second annual Small Cities Index will point you to the compact civic spots that offer rich culture, varied…
Lockdowns and physical distancing have left our cities all but deserted and fellow citizens out of reach. But the temporary absence of the hubbub that usually characterises the places in which we live has allowed us to view…
The past 12 months have seen many best-laid plans scuppered and refocused the attention of some onto pursuing jobs they want in industries
they admire. Are you game for a change?
Pizza has long been heralded as a cheap, all-American staple. But delegates at Las Vegas’s International Pizza Expo were also witness to a booming artisanal pizza trend – and some dough tossers to boot.
South Korea has created a golf culture that leaves most other nations swinging away in a sandy bunker. Monocle visits some of the country’s top clubs and meets their quirky members and attentive staff.
Despite an unsettled history and political identity, due to its location at the point where Japan faces China under the watchful eyes of the US military, Naha seems healthy, happy and relaxed, and a long way from Japan’s…
Central Saint Martins is flying the flag for art and design education in the UK, despite short-sighted government policies. Monocle goes back to school.
The ancient art of sumo has been under threat in recent years from the dwindling numbers of homegrown wrestlers, match-fixing allegations, bullying and doping scandals. But fresh leadership in the Japan Sumo Association…