Culture and Etiquette
Staying in a Ryokan: What Actually Happens, Hour by Hour
You are not booking a room. You are booking an evening with a fixed schedule, two enormous meals and a set of…
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Guides that apply anywhere in Japan.
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Reading list for Nationwide
Culture and Etiquette
Onsen for Beginners: Rules, Tattoos and the Small Towel
Naked, in front of strangers, in water hotter than you expect. It is easier than it sounds and better than almost anything…
Culture and Etiquette
Japanese Etiquette: What Actually Matters, and What Doesn’t
Most etiquette advice about Japan is written for people who will never go. Here are the eight things that genuinely matter, the…
Eating in Japan
Drinking in Japan: Sake, Shochu, Highballs and Where to Try Them
How to read a sake label, why everyone is drinking whisky and soda, and the difference between a standing bar and a…
Eating in Japan
Sushi, Ramen, Udon, Soba: What to Eat Where
Six things worth eating properly at least once, what separates a good version from a bad one, and roughly what each should…
Eating in Japan
Izakaya Etiquette: How a Japanese Night Out Actually Works
The small dish you did not order, the rule about pouring your own drink, and why everyone orders a beer first. An…
Eating in Japan
Regional Specialities, Prefecture by Prefecture
Japan organises its food by place with a seriousness other countries reserve for wine. One dish per prefecture worth changing your route…
Eating in Japan
Halal, Allergies and Dietary Needs in Japan
Japan's allergen labelling law is stricter than most countries and its restaurant culture is far less prepared. What is legally disclosed, what…
Eating in Japan
Vegetarian and Vegan in Japan: The Honest Guide
Japan is harder for vegetarians than almost any developed country, and the reason is a fish stock that is in nearly everything.…
Eating in Japan
Konbini Food: What to Buy at 7-Eleven, Lawson and FamilyMart
A 250 yen rice ball that is better than most restaurant food anywhere else. What to buy at each of the three…