MONTHLY FEATURE View More

After 10 Chaotic Years, YOSHIKI’s Music and His Way of Life Became a Ray of Light for the World

YOSHIKI is a composer, pianist, rock drummer, and the leader of Japanese rock bands X JAPAN and THE LAST ROCKSTARS. Consequence calls YOSHIKI “one of the most influential musicians and composers in Japanese history,” and Billboard says he is “a musical innovator.”

In this interview, we asked him how he continues to take on challenges at a time when hope is hard to see.

<SUMMER IS HERE! > CHEERS!Beer Time🍺🍻

Discover Japanese Beer Eventhough Japan is famous for sake, Japan is a beer drinking country. Dinner always start with beer! With carefully selected ingredients, Japanese beer has been made to a rich, bitter, first-rate taste, with an irresistible aroma, and refreshing after-taste that will blow away your stresses with just one sip! The Best Way to Pour Beer Japanese beer has more foam?  We usually think less foam means less bitter and we are getting more of what we paid for.  But in Japan, people prefer to have more than an inch of foam.  The beer foam affects the taste…

INTERVIEW View More

I LIVE IN JAPAN / Lisowska Magdalena / English Teacher

September 2023 (VOL.191) Lisowska Magdalena Were you hesitant to relocate to Japan? No, I dreamed of coming to Japan since I was a teenager. After moving to Japan did you have any funny or interesting experiences? When I moved to Japan, I got lost so many times.  I didn’t have a map either or a sim card.  I just asked for directions at convenience stores. Can you talk about your activities in Japan? I enjoy teaching children as well as traveling around and discovering delicious foods with my family and friends.  Japanese kids are so cute, and it is wonderful…

I LIVE IN JAPAN / Betti FULAN / Singer, Songwriter, Pianist, Model

September 2023 (VOL.191) Betti FULANbut everyone calls me Fulan in Japan What is your occupation in Japan? Right now, I work in the entertainment business in Japan as a freelancer model and singer.  I also compose music and do shows where I perform as a Singer and Pianist.  In the future, I plan to work full-time as a musician, and I really would love to become a singer for anime and video games. What is the distinctive difference between the lifestyle in Italy and Japan? There are many differences, but the first thing which comes to my mind is the…

After 10 Chaotic Years, YOSHIKI’s Music and His Way of Life Became a Ray of Light for the World

YOSHIKI is a composer, pianist, rock drummer, and the leader of Japanese rock bands X JAPAN and THE LAST ROCKSTARS. Consequence calls YOSHIKI “one of the most influential musicians and composers in Japanese history,” and Billboard says he is “a musical innovator.”

In this interview, we asked him how he continues to take on challenges at a time when hope is hard to see.

I LIVE IN JAPAN / Nic Flynn / English Teacher and photographer

August 2023 (VOL.190) Nic Flynn What do you do in Japan? I work a few different jobs in Japan, including as a part-time English teacher, photographer, and media assistant, while working on my own side projects with photography and video work. What is the distinctive lifestyle difference between your country and Japan? The difference that sticks out to me the most is how the two cultures perceive their space.   In America, people don’t like others getting too close to them as we see them as not only possibly a threat, but we just aren’t comfortable with that.  I don’t know…

LEARN JAPAN View More

JAPANESE SAMURAI / Fujiwara no Michinaga

Fujiwara no Michinaga is an important figure that always appears in Japanese history textbooks. While he was a powerful man who held political power, he was also known as a man of culture who loved poetry and waka poems and passed on his valuable literary works to the modern age.Fujiwara no Michinaga is an important figure that always appears in Japanese history textbooks. While he was a powerful man who held political power, he was also known as a man of culture who loved poetry and waka poems and passed on his valuable literary works to the modern age.Fujiwara no Michinaga is an important figure that always appears in Japanese history textbooks. While he was a powerful man who held political power, he was also known as a man of culture who loved poetry and waka poems and passed on his valuable literary works to the modern age.

JAPANESE SAMURAI / Matsuo Bashō

Do you know someone who is famous for haiku?  In Japan, there are several people that are famous for their haiku.  Among them, Matsuo Basho, who was active in the Edo period (1603-1867), is known worldwide for developing haikai, the original form of haiku.  

In this article, we will introduce who Matsuo Basho was and what his masterpiece “Oku no Hosomichi” (The Narrow Road to the Interior) is all about.

JAPANESE SAMURAI / Nasu no Yoichi

What would you do if you were asked to choose between attempting to shoot an arrow through a fan 70 meters (230 feet) away and being killed if you failed, or committing seppuku (Japanese: “self disembowelment”)? There was a man in the past who was faced with such an ultimate choice. This article will introduce a man named Nasu No Yoichi, who succeeded in making that choice.

FOOD View More

<SUMMER IS HERE! > CHEERS!Beer Time🍺🍻

Discover Japanese Beer Eventhough Japan is famous for sake, Japan is a beer drinking country. Dinner always start with beer! With carefully selected ingredients, Japanese beer has been made to a rich, bitter, first-rate taste, with an irresistible aroma, and refreshing after-taste that will blow away your stresses with just one sip! The Best Way to Pour Beer Japanese beer has more foam?  We usually think less foam means less bitter and we are getting more of what we paid for.  But in Japan, people prefer to have more than an inch of foam.  The beer foam affects the taste…

【Sapporo U.S.A.】 STONE BUENAVEZA

LIVE BUENA! ◆SAPPORO BEER USA ACQUIRES STONE BREWING CO. Last fall, Sapporo U.S.A., maker of the number one selling Asian beer brand in the United States, acquired Stone Brewing, one of America’s largest and most innovative craft beer brands.  With this merger, Sapporo gains major, high-quality brewing capacity on both U.S. coasts that will enable it to significantly increase production to meet the strong consumer demand of its Sapporo-branded beers for the domestic market. ◆ABOUT STONE BREWING COMPANY San Diego-based Stone Brewing is the 9th largest craft brewery in the United States.  Stone operates breweries in Escondido, CA and Richmond,…

【Asahi Beer U.S.A.】Asahi Super Dry・Asahi Super Dry 0.0%

Asahi Super Dry is the #1 selling beer in Japan.  It is brewed using the finest malted barley, hops, yeast, and rice to give it a dry, crisp taste and a quick, clean finish that never lingers.  We call it Karakuchi. Asahi Super Dry goes well with all kinds of dishes from strong to delicate flavors, such as Yakiniku BBQ to Sushi and Sashimi.  Drink by itself or with food at home or in a restaurant with family, friends, co-workers, and others.  It’s available at most Japanese restaurants and grocery stores. In March 2023, Asahi introduced Asahi Super Dry 0.0%,…

Steamed Wagyu Style Beef | Tokyo Table | Oishii Choice

Tokyo Table  $45.00 Steamed Wagyu Style Beef (949) 263-0000 |   2710 Alton Pkwy. #101, Irvine, CA 92606 . Limited time special menu!  Try it while it’s available.  Wagyu Beef, Nappa cabbage, Brown onion, Carrot and Kabocha are cooked in a bamboo steamer.  Ponzu and Sesame sauce are served for soft, juicy, and savory beef and veggies to eat with.  Japan’s popular steam cooking is a healthier method that keeps nutrients retained in ingredients.  Tokyo Table serves authentic Japanese dishes and various drink menus! . . . . .

TRAVEL View More

Beautiful Islands of Setouchi

Let’s Visit Them All!
“Setouchi Triennale” is a big festival that is held once every three years on the islands of Setouchi. Serving as a venue, each island has lots to see not only during the festival but also other times. Here we will introduce attractive aspects of the ten islands.