Japan Travel in the Know– category –

The Cold Rice Test: Why Your Microwave Is Useless. Truly exceptional rice remains delicious even when cooled—a cultural point missed by the microwave generation. We explore the brutal efficiency that made rice, not wheat, the cornerstone of Japan, sustained by 400,000 km of ancestral labor (ten turns around the Earth). This profound history culminates in a farmer-run curry house where a simple meal becomes a 10,000-year philosophical experience.

Is communication just 7% words? Then let's spend the other 93% eating Hokkaido's world-class bread. From the theatrical art of asking "Is this Kayser-ish?" to the "carb-on-carb crime" of Yakisoba-pan, explore the unique bakery culture of Japan's northern wilderness.

In Japan's economy, we take turns playing the servant and the served. But as a traveler, you get to skip the "Hell" and enjoy pure "Heaven." Explore the cult of Dormy Inn—the hotel chain that offers free noodles, hot springs, and gourmet breakfasts—and learn why spending your savings on Hokkaido craftsmanship is the smartest move you can make.

From Heraclitus to Dead Poets Society, nature teaches us to "seize the day." But as we look at Hokkaido's shifting red carpets of Coral Grass, we realize that while the universe is in flux, our desire for the workday to end is eternal. Explore the philosophy and beauty of Japan's northern wilderness.

What's the secret to successful fishing? I confess that my human ego prefers bait over the grace of fly fishing. This leads to the salmon homecoming—a majestic life-and-death spectacle in Hokkaido's rivers. I explore the profound ecology of the salmon, arguing that our wooden furniture is made from the ocean's nutrients. I conclude with the amusing human paradox: why you should savor the freshest Ikura (salmon roe) after witnessing the species' great sacrifice.

Last week, I went to Tokyo for business and found all the people in the subway train (in my view) just looked at their smartphones silently. I saw such a scene every day when I lived there, but I realized it was a weird and creepy view where people perfectly make the same posture with no expression on their faces.

Why was I, a former "movie snob," moved by the Science Behind PIXAR? Because CG animation perfectly fuses art and science. For example, PIXAR engineers added "shock absorbers" to virtual springs to naturally animate Merida's curly hair in Brave. Following this logic, we commissioned world-famous architect Sou Fujimoto to design a virtual Hokkaido Rock House (he said yes, probably because he's my high school senior). His design occupies the perfect, non-reproducible space between pure imagination and cold reality—the future of harmonious living.

Travel by train in Japan is safe, punctual in time, etc. There are many advantages, but in Hokkaido, the infrastructure may be gone in the not-so-distant future. Please come here to travel around by rail before that happens.

The small town is called as "a town of miracle." It has no rail line, major route, and water infrastructure in it. Japan is facing a declining population, which is most obvious in rural areas. Nevertheless, the population of the town has been on the increase for these 20 years, surprisingly.

Why is Soba, a grain historically associated with poverty, considered Japan's most elegant noodle—the ultimate first date material? I explore the Paradox of Elegance and the Pavlovian ritual of Shin-Soba (New Soba) season. I conclude with local pride, recommending OKADA, an exquisite Soba restaurant in our buckwheat heartland of Asahikawa—a Tangible Cultural Property where the historic garden view will enhance your appreciation of the elegant grain.