Tight aisles, stacked crates, hand-written price signs in bold red and blue. The strawberries are front and center—198 yen, 298 yen—cheap, fresh, local. Behind them, glossy peppers, bundles of green onions, daikon, lemons… Plastic baskets overflow. Cardboard boxes turned into display trays. No frills, just function. The shelves in the back are packed with snacks,…
The signs are sun-faded, yellowing, nailed to old wood paneling like reminders no one reads anymore. Instructions in stiff fonts and red warnings, next to a 50-yen softener dispenser that’s probably older than half the buildings on the block. The washing machines sit open-mouthed, white and worn, humming with memory. Outside, light filters through patterned…
An abandoned Taito Station arcade in Tokyo stands as a symbol of shifting social habits and a changing city. Once packed with noise, lights, and teenagers crowding around fighting games and claw machines, it’s now dark, empty, and ignored. What used to be a social hub is fading—both physically and culturally. Young people in Tokyo…
Pitan (皮蛋), or century egg, is one of the most misunderstood delicacies in Chinese cuisine. Despite the nickname, it’s not actually a hundred years old — it’s usually preserved for a few weeks to a few months using a mix of clay, ash, salt, and other alkaline ingredients. The result? A black, translucent egg white…
China is a vast country with a rich and diverse food culture. Each region has its own distinct flavors, ingredients, and cooking styles — from the delicate dim sum of Guangdong to the hearty wheat-based dishes of the north. But out of all the regional cuisines, my favorite is Sichuan food. Sichuan cuisine stands out…
Chinese taxis have changed a lot in the past decade. They used to be mostly old, gas-powered sedans—often worn out, not especially clean, and with drivers who preferred cash. Now, in most cities, they’re modern, clean, and mostly electric. The shift to electric vehicles has been rapid, especially in major cities, where government policies pushed…
The delightfully nostalgic Japanese ジャンケンマン (“Jankenman”) arcade machine—a Showa-era gem that’s equal parts kitsch and charm. The machine, made by Sunwise, is based on janken (rock-paper-scissors), the classic hand game that’s settled more schoolyard debates in Japan than any courtroom ever could. The LED display in the center is showing the “peace” or “scissors” sign, and players use the…
Sunday in Akihabara—Tokyo’s Electric Town—is a surreal experience. By noon, the main street, Chuo Dori, shuts down to traffic and turns into a pedestrian zone. Locals, tourists, cosplayers, and camera crews take over the asphalt. The street becomes a moving showcase of otaku culture: anime shirts, bags stuffed with merch, kids filming TikToks in cosplay,…
You step off the main road and find this place — a battered ramen shop squeezed between concrete walls. The yellowed menu, printed in big red numbers, screams cheap prices: 650 yen, 750 yen, no-frills. A cartoon pig clutches a bowl of noodles on the glass door, half peeled from the sun. Inside, the world…
Tokyo has a surprising number of canals, a legacy from when it was known as Edo. The city’s network of rivers, canals, and moats supported commerce, transport, and defense. Today, many of these waterways still exist, though their roles have shifted. Central Tokyo’s Nihonbashi area preserves some of the oldest canals, once the beating heart…
