Restaurant Review
Kijisoba Kijiya, Kyoto, Japan: Pheasant meat ramen near Kinkaku-ji
0.1 mile (200 meters) away from Kyoto’s top tourist spot Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) is Kijisoba Kijiya (きじそば 雉弥) […]
Travel
Japan Oni Exchange Museum, Fukuchiyama, Kyoto
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train As Japan’s Demon Slayer (鬼滅の刃) movie broke box […]
Restaurant Review
Football Diner at Sanga Stadium by KYOCERA, Kameoka, Kyoto
The theme song for Kyoto Sanga F.C. ‘ヒートウェイブ京都サンガ’. In Kyoto, one may or may not have heard the […]
Restaurant Review
Kyoto’s 3 best izakayas of all time
As a local/native in Kyoto, I’ve been in search of the best izakaya (居酒屋: Japanese tavern) for as […]
Restaurant Review
EAGLE OSAKA: Best gay bear bar in Osaka
Since its opening on March 29 in 2024 in Osaka (Japan’s L.A.)’s gayborhood ‘Doyamacho (堂山町)’, EAGLE OSAKA has […]
Restaurant Review
IWABA CAFE: Fukui’s most Instagrammable cafe at Tojinbo Cliffs
Tojinbo Cliffs, or just simply Tojinbo (東尋坊), is one of Fukui’s most popular tourist destinations. It’s also one […]
Restaurant Review
Fawda Restaurant, Bethlehem: Modern Palestinian cuisine by Fadi Kattan
Birthplace of Jesus, or The Church of the Nativity, is one of the World Heritage Sites located in […]
Uncategorized
10 strange food eaten so casually in Japan
As a born and raised Japanese, I encounter these 10 food items such as natto, tarako, and TKG […]
Restaurant Review
Ura Stand, Kyoto: Chicken sashimi and kushiage at hip retro izakaya
Chicken sashimi (raw chicken) sounds impossible to eat. So does it in Japan in general. But some know […]
Restaurant Review
Explosion: Osaka’s only gay club
Explosion (エクスプロージョン) in Osaka’s gay district, Doyamacho (堂山町), would be the most expected answer to “Are there any […]
Restaurant Review
Jiyuken Namba Honten: Osaka’s most famous curry shop
Founded in 1910 as Osaka’s first yoshoku (西洋料理 / Western food) restaurant, Jiyuken Namba Honten (自由軒・難波本店) is now […]
Restaurant Review
Rakuan: Best soba noodle in Tokyo’s gay district Shinjuku Nichome
Tokyo’s Shinjuku Nichome (新宿二丁目) is considered one of the biggest gay districts in the world. It’s definitely Japan’s […]
Restaurant Review
Hokodo Coffee: Japan’s oldest cafe’s Kyoto branch at Imperial Palace
Hokodo (放香堂) is a Kyoto-based tea company that opened Japan’s first cafe Hokodo Coffee (放香堂加琲) in Kobe, Hyogo […]
Restaurant Review
LIVING ROOM at W Osaka: Hotel club lounge/cafe/bar in Tadao Ando building
Inside the sleek black monolith-looking building of W Osaka designed by an Osaka-born architect, Tadao Ando, is LIVING […]
Restaurant Review
Port Sa’id, Tel Aviv: Israel’s star Eyal Shani’s restaurant by synagogue
Shalom Aleichem (שלום עליכם). During my 3 year stay in Tel Aviv, a Jewish song ‘Shalom Aleichem (שלום […]
Restaurant Review
Musashi Sushi Honten: Kyoto’s best revolving sushi chain downtown
Founded in 1977 in Kyoto, Musashi Sushi Honten (寿しのむさし 三条本店) is probably the most famous sushi chain in […]
Restaurant Review
kitchen Bisshon, Kyoto: tachinomi izakaya pizzeria in an alleyway
Tachinomi izakaya(立ち飲み居酒屋) means a Japanese casual standing food bar. So tachinomi pizzeria, kitchen Bisshon, clearly took advantage of […]
Restaurant Review
Kyoto’s 6 best izakaya houses (kaikans)
Izakaya house (kaikan / 会館) is a machiya townhouse (machiya / 町屋) or a retro building that is […]
Restaurant Review
Caramel Mama, Kyoto: Japanese diva Yumi Matsutoya fandom bar
Yumi Matsutoya (松任谷由実) a.k.a. Yuming (ユーミン) is one of the most successful female singer-songwriters in Japan. She is […]
Restaurant Review
Kushihachi Honten: Unrivaled, Kyoto-based kushikatsu izakaya chain
Background music at Kushihachi Honten. Kushihachi (串八) is a Kyoto-based, kushikatsu (串かつ: deep-fried skewers)-focused Japanese izakaya chain. Its […]
Restaurant Review
Kyoto’s only Subway at Aeon Mall KYOTO
Kyoto’s only Subway (サブウェイ イオンモールKYOTO店) is located in a food court on the 4th floor of Kyoto’s second […]
Travel
Jankara Deep Fuse: Best karaoke bar in Osaka
Jankara Deep Fuse (カラオケ喫茶 ディープ / ジャンカラ ディープ布施店) in Osaka is probably Japan’s cheapest karaoke bar (all-you-can-drink-alcohol and […]
Restaurant Review
Tenzankaku Hihi-yokocho: Japan’s longest countertop izakaya in Osaka
At retro Uehommachi Hi Hi Town (うえほんまちハイハイタウン), a Japanese underground food hall (地下飲食店街) connected to Osaka-Uehommachi Station (大阪上本町駅), […]
Restaurant Review
Shintamon Sakakura, Osaka: Malaysian Japanese tachinomi izakaya
Tachinomi izakaya(立ち飲み居酒屋) means “Japanese standing food bar” (more details). Amid a tachinomi izakaya neighborhood surrounding busy Temma Station […]
Restaurant Review
TEL AVIV: Kyoto’s Israeli izakaya restaurant downtown
TEL AVIV (テルアビブ / TEL AVIV ISRAELI STREET FOOD BAR) opened on December 1st, 2023 in Downtown Kyoto […]
Restaurant Review
Ganso Mawaru Genrokuzushi Honten, Osaka: birthplace of revolving sushi
Ganso Mawaru Genrokuzushi / Ganso Mawaru Genroku Sushi (元祖廻る元禄寿司) is a Japanese sushi chain known as the birthplace […]
Restaurant Review
Hokkyokusei Shinsaibashi Honten, Osaka: birthplace of omurice
In a Studio Ghibli’s famous Spirited Away bathhouse-ish retro Japanese teahouse (茶屋) is Hokkyokusei Shinsaibashi Honten (Hokkyokusei Shinsaibashi […]
Restaurant Review
Hachimonjiya, Kyoto: Legendary dive bar downtown
Hachimonjiya (八文字屋) looks like an old atelier operated by Kyoto-born award-winning photographer Fusayoshi Kai / the bar’s owner. […]
Restaurant Review
Bar Kisaragi, Kyoto: Pop diva Miyuki Nakajima fan hangout
Miyuki Nakajima (中島みゆき) is one of the most sold Japanese singer-songwriters of all time. Her energy is more […]
Restaurant Review
Rokuzaemon, Kyoto: Speakeasy John Wick izakaya downtown
So John Wick izakaya means a Japanese izakaya (居酒屋: tavern) that looks like it could appear in the […]
Restaurant Review
Gnome, Kyoto: Cozy left-wing Irish pub
Going to an Irish (or British) pub is sort of like a cool foreign thing to do in […]
Restaurant Review
Kushitatsu: Kyoto’s only whale meat restaurant in Arashiyama
As the controversy of Japan’s whale-eating culture catches international attention, there are certainly some Japanese restaurants that serve […]
Restaurant Review
Ishimaru Shoten, Kyoto: Tiki bar in the alley in Pontocho
Pontocho (先斗町) is one of the five most popular neighborhoods in Downtown Kyoto. Bars and restaurants are crammed […]
Restaurant Review
ha ra, Kyoto: Au naturel cafe by Kamo River
ha ra is famous for two things. One is that the cafe is operated by an ex-manager of […]
Restaurant Review
Saiko People OSAKA, Japan: Contemporary pan-Asian izakaya
Just one station away from garish, John Wick 4-featured Namba (なんば) is quiet Sakuragawa (桜川) where posh Saiko […]
Event
Rainbow Festa Osaka (Kansai Rainbow Pride)
Rainbow Festa Osaka (レインボーフェスタ大阪), also known as Kansai Rainbow Parade (関西レインボーパレード) is an annual two-day event at Ogimachi […]
Travel
Free manga library at Daimaru Kyoto (Manga No Kabe)
Daimaru Kyoto Daimaru Kyoto(大丸京都店) is a Kyoto location of a Japanese department chain Daimaru (大丸) founded in Fushimi, […]
Travel
Daimaru Kyoto’s 8th floor: Restaurants, rooftop, and manga library
Daimaru Kyoto (大丸京都店) is a Kyoto location of a Japanese department chain Daimaru (大丸) founded in Fushimi, Kyoto […]
Restaurant Review
Pig & Whistle: Kyoto’s most famous British pub
Except for Japan’s mighty British pub chain ‘HUB’, it should be Pig & Whistle that’s the most famous […]
Restaurant Review
Kafu, Kyoto: Retro hip Okinawan tavern
On a historical street market/commercial district ‘Sanjo-kai Shotengai (三条会商店街)’ is a retro hip Okinawan tavern ‘Kafu (かふー)’. It’s […]
Restaurant Review
Dublin, Kyoto: Clearly an Irish pub
Interestingly, in Japan, the word “pub (パブ)” indicates Philippine thanks to “Philippine pubs (フィリピンパブ)” where Japanese male sleazeballs […]
Restaurant Review
DE FRITES STAAN, Kyoto: Dutch french fries specialty bistro
It looked like a handsome Japanese bakery or a bistro to my Japanese eyes when I first saw […]
Restaurant Review
TORIKI BURGER, Kyoto: Chicken sandwich shop by Japan’s top yakitori chain
Japan’s top yakitori chain ‘Torikizoku (鳥貴族)’ opened the first Kyoto location of its chicken sandwich chain ‘TORIKI BURGER […]
Restaurant Review
Din Tai Fung, Kyoto: Upscale Taiwanese dim sum chain
Din Tai Fung – once rated as one of the top 10 gourmet restaurants in the world by […]
Restaurant Review
Konparu Osu Honten: Nagoya’s legendary kissaten-cafe chain
Konparu is one of Nagoya’s most famous kissaten (喫茶店) cafe chains known for its authentic retro vibe. Here’s […]
Restaurant Review
Sekai No Yamachan Honten: Nagoya’s legendary izakaya chain
Sekai No Yamachan (世界の山ちゃん) is a Nagoya-based izakaya chain specializing in Nagoya comfort food. Here’s what Sekai No […]
Restaurant Review
Yabaton Yaba-cho Honten: King of misokatsu chains in Nagoya
Yabaton is a misokatsu (deep-fried pork tonkatsu with miso sauce) specialty chain based in Nagoya, Aichi prefecture. Here’s […]
Restaurant Review
Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima: Kyoto’s only gyoza specialty sauna
Here’s what Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima Donguri-ten / Gyoza-yu(京都 夷川餃子 なかじま 団栗店 / ぎょうざ湯) looks like. Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima […]