Smiley Smile, a new bar in Bashamichi named after the Beach Boys’ song, is certain to bring a smile to your face with its friendly staff and cozy interior. They have recreated the atmosphere of a home kitchen so that you really do feel as if you (more…)
January, 2011:
Artisan
by Ry Beville
I appreciate the art and delicate taste of French cuisine, but when I have the hunger of a viking, it’s just not what I go for. The problem: typically small portions. Well, that’s certainly changed with the opening of Brasserie Artisan, a French (more…)
Officially, Yokohama
by Ry Beville
The association of certain goods with certain countries or regions is of course a world-wide phenomenon: Florida oranges, Swiss chocolate, Australian beef, Hong Kong dim sum… In Japan, however, meibutsu, or “local goods,” is a part of custom (more…)
Isomura Keiko 磯村恵子
by Ry Beville
I’m not a connoisseur of jam, but I know a good one when I taste it. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a staple of American childhood (my own included) and it is one of the few items I’ll splurge on here in Japan despite its relatively high (more…)
Yokohama Photo Festival
by Kondo Hiromitsu
Tokyo’s Sumida Ward held an event called the “Sumida Photography Expo” about four years ago. It actually encompassed two events that required about two years of preparation: the “Tokyo East Perspective” and “Sumida Worker Biographies.” (more…)
Nigiwai-za にぎわい座
by Sugano Yasuyo
Japan is bursting at the seams with everyday comedians. Turn on the TV and you’ll find at least one channel showing some kind of entertainment programming or talk show with a popular comedian. And getting a good laugh from the improv (more…)
Live Painter: Dragon 76
When does a hobby become a way of life? There’s probably no particular moment; it’s a long road, somewhere along the way of which an individual suddenly realizes: this is what I want to do, and I’m doing it. Fujita Satoshi (aka “Dragon76″) (more…)