Food

Seven Days in Japan

If you’ve ever had the good fortune to visit Japan, you’ll doubtless have been left with the same wealth of feeling I have, as I write from my home in London. The chaotic modernity of Tokyo versus the historical richness of Kyoto, to the Idyllic countryside, kind gestures of the people and the absolute obsession with the detail in their craft.

Food

With the Ainu

Native to Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaido, the world’s few remaining Ainu people protect an ancient culture, unique to this small corner of the globe. Hunter-gatherers by tradition with a deep reverence for nature, traditional Ainu food is a direct product of Hokkaido’s bountiful landscape.

Craft

Ronny Behnert’s floating Torii

In 2019, German photographer Ronny Behnert travelled the length of Japan photographing traditional Torrii gates. Despite capturing some of Japan’s most photographed landscapes, the resulting series won Behnert first prize in the Sony World Photography Awards, 2020.

Wellness

Keep warm in a hot mountain spring

Hokkaido, Japan’s coldest, wildest prefecture is home to fewer people per square kilometre than anywhere else in the country. Sandwiched between Honshu’s northern tip and Russia’s frozen Kamchatka Peninsula, Hokkaido’s rugged landscape, dramatic climate and abundant wildlife makes it a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts.