Kabukicho: Tokyo’s famous red light district 27 Aug 2013 | 04:30 am

Kabukicho, Tokyo’s famous red light district, has been going through some changes of late. Huge redevelopment has left the place in danger of losing part of its character (like this wonderfully retro ...

Drunk and asleep on Tokyo’s streets 26 Aug 2013 | 04:30 am

After a month away, returning to Japan towards the end of August makes the heat and humidity seem all the more intense. An unrelenting presence that wears one down and makes lethargy — not to mention ...

Time out at Tsukiji fish market 22 Aug 2013 | 04:30 am

Tsukiji fish market is best known for its huge tuna and their resultant carcasses, but arguably just as interesting are the old, rather ramshackle shops and stalls that surround it. A good number of w...

Endearingly gritty Tokyo subway entrances 19 Aug 2013 | 04:30 am

There’s an awful lot to be said for Tokyo’s cleanliness, particularly in relation to its public transportation network. In fact the only real negative is a genuine lack of character — a certain steril...

Beers, smiles and babies 15 Aug 2013 | 04:30 am

One of Tokyo’s many tiny ramen joints 12 Aug 2013 | 04:30 am

Whatever the weather, and whatever the season, ramen is a firm Japanese favourite. A love affair that means one is never far away from a place specialising in the stuff. Some are fancy. Some are big. ...

Grime and grilled chicken 8 Aug 2013 | 04:30 am

Unlike many other kinds of eateries, cleanliness isn’t something one necessarily looks for when it comes to yakitori. In fact, it arguably involves an inverse correlation of sorts (if that makes any k...

Grotty and grim public showers in Tokyo 5 Aug 2013 | 04:30 am

For all of its much touted modernity, Tokyo is also incredibly old fashioned — archaic even. An element that does have plenty of positives, not least of which is a large number of utterly endearing, l...

Tokyo’s oldest newspaper seller? 1 Aug 2013 | 04:30 am

Another year. Another day. Another batch of sports newspapers sold.

Outdoor Tokyo drinks 29 Jul 2013 | 04:30 am

The incessant heat and humidity make Tokyo’s increasingly long summers difficult to deal with. And on the countless days when it simply wears one down, there really don’t seem to be any benefits. Exce...