HOKKAIDO, Apr 25 (Huckberry) - In our final episode in Japan, the DIRT team went road-tripping through beautiful, snowy Japanese landscapes—and tasting everything in sight. A crown jewel in the northeast corner of Japan, Hokkaido may be famous among skiers and snowboarders for the luscious "Japow," but way beyond the tourist trail there's a burgeoning new food scene and a unique and vibrant history.
From April 1st, a new regulation took effect across Osaka Prefecture requiring all restaurants with a customer seating area larger than 30 square meters to become entirely smoke-free indoors—unless they install a designated smoking room. Establishments violating the rule face fines of up to 50,000 yen, while customers may be fined up to 30,000 yen.
The Imperial Household Agency launched an official YouTube channel on April 1st to introduce the activities of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.
Japan's new fiscal year began on April 1st, with companies across the country holding entrance ceremonies to welcome new employees.
The Japanese government has released an updated damage forecast for a potential Nankai Trough megaquake, estimating that up to 298,000 people could die in the worst-case scenario. This projection reflects a slight reduction from the previous estimate of 332,000 deaths made 13 years ago.
The Japan Meteorological Agency announced on March 30th that cherry blossoms (Somei-Yoshino) in central Tokyo have reached full bloom, one day earlier than the historical average and five days earlier than last year.
Have you ever heard of Karukan, a traditional Japanese sweet from Kagoshima in Kyushu? We recently visited Kagoshima and instantly fell in love with this delicate local treat. Made with just a few simple ingredients—yam, rice flour, sugar, and water—Karukan is soft, moist, and has a subtle yam flavor that's truly unique. (TabiEats)
Pressed olives getting fed to Wagyu cows in Kagawa prefecture, a diet that enjoy only a few cows in Japan, resulting ultimately in a steak that offers - with a bit of fantasy - a very subtle and underlying flavor of juicy olives. (Aden Films)
Ramen, Japan, black ramen, broth, dashi, tonkotsu, miso, chashu, instant noodles... mmm, who's hungry? We love this food, and in this week's Great Big Story, we explore how ramen became a global phenomenon. (Great Big Story)
Join Shizuka expert guide Kaku-san for a unique tour combining tea and mixology. This in-depth tour explores some of the best tea-based food and drink (known as “chawari”) spots in Gakugeidaigaku and increasingly trendy chawari culture in Japan.
Japan’s beloved seafood is now in crisis. Compared to five years ago, catches of Pacific saury have dropped by 80%, Japanese flying squid by 55.5%, mackerel by 50%, and yellowtail by 13%.
Kura Sushi has unveiled its longest-ever conveyor belt, measuring approximately 135 meters, at its newly opened location inside the Expo venue.
Literally, 14 days out from Delivery! She runs the operation at the izakaya while her husband cooks, she has so much passion for her family restaurant! Is it a boy or a girl?! (Japanese Food Craftsman)
Strawberry is a seasonal fruit in Japan that becomes available during winter season, therefore this buffet is only available for a limited time throughout the year. (Jimmy Kim)
