Latest news with #Kaiseki
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
Toyama: Japan's Hidden Heart of Refined Luxury Travel
A quiet revolution is unfolding along the coast of north-central Japan, where discerning travelers are discovering Toyama , a destination that speaks to the soul of high-end, experiential travel. Nestled between the dramatic peaks of the Northern Japan Alps and the glassy waters of Toyama Bay, this once-overlooked region is emerging as record numbers of immersion-seeking travelers flock to Japan's best-kept luxury secret, where nature, culture, craftsmanship, and serenity converge. 52 Places to Go in 2025 Renewed accessibility makes it easier than eager for travelers in Tokyo to glide there smoothy on the high-speed Hokuriku Shinkansen on a journey that's just over two hours and now closer than ever for day trips or brief multi day experiences. Its location along the Shinkansen route also makes it an ideal stopover between Tokyo and Kyoto, offering a rare moment of calm and richness between two of Japan's busiest cities. At the heart of Toyama's allure is its deep connection to nature. The region is famed for the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, where travelers can take in panoramic views of Japan's most majestic peaks. In contrast, the coastal plains offer some of the world's finest seafood, including the translucent firefly squid and delicate white shrimp, served in minimalist kaiseki meals that elevate purity and seasonality to an art form. The World Heritage-listed Gokayama Gassho-style village adds another layer of cultural and scenic richness, offering a glimpse into Japan's rural past amid stunning mountain landscapes. Equally enchanting is Toyama's unbroken thread of artisanal heritage across the region, glassmakers, woodworkers, and washi paper artisans welcome guests into their studios for rare, hands-on encounters. These are not staged performances, but deeply human moments of connection and learning—made possible by Toyama's sincere, unhurried pace. In a world increasingly saturated with over-tourism, Toyama offers a rare kind of luxury: space, silence, and soul. Here, the journey is measured not in checklists but in emotions—moments of awe, discovery, and calm. As a new wave of U.S. travelers seek meaning over materialism, Toyama is quietly answering the call. About Visit Toyama Toyama Prefecture is located in the Hokuriku region of north-central Japan, bordered to the north by the Sea of Japan and nestled between Ishikawa, Nagano, and Gifu prefectures. The prefecture's natural beauty spans the rugged Tateyama Mountain Range and the scenic Toyama Bay. In between these lies much unspoiled countryside, which over centuries has shaped a distinct regional culture. Toyama is an unhurried destination offering authentic cultural experiences, idyllic scenery, and gourmet seafood with relative quietness compared to more obvious locales such as Kyoto or neighboring Kanazawa. Easy shinkansen and limited express rail access from Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka—all covered by various Japan Rail passes—make Toyama Prefecture perfect for wider discovery, as well as a convenient base from which to explore more of Hokuriku. Accommodation options include traditional ryokan inns, restored craft ateliers, and sustainably-conscious boutique hotels that are destinations in their own right. For more information, visit or @toyama_visit on Instagram. Media Contact Gabriella Ribeiro [email protected] ### SOURCE: Visit Toyama Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Brilliant boxer Waseem's world title celebrated
Pakistan's WBA bantamweight champion Muhammad Waseem (second from right) is seen with Consulate General of Japan in Karachi Mr Hattori Masura (first right) and other Consulate officials. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD WASEEM "I am very proud of Waseem, I am not a big fan of sports but I am very impressed with Waseem's achievements," The Consulate General of Japan in Karachi Hattori Masaru was brimming with joy and delight as he hosted the recently crowned World Boxing Association bantamweight champion Muhammad Waseem at the reception on June 3 at his residence. The meeting and dinner were held to celebrate the Pakistani ace boxer's feat, which he achieved on May 10 in Quetta, where he defeated Venezuela's Wiston Orono with a knockout in the ninth round. Waseem had fulfilled his lifelong dream to win a world title in his hometown of Quetta, and he managed to bring several international boxers and officials from around the world to his city despite the aerial war that was taking place between India and Pakistan at the time. Mr. Hattori was honouring Waseem on Tuesday, emphasising the role the 37-year-old pugilist is playing in bridging the gap between Japan and Pakistan. Waseem has spent years training in Japan since 2015 onwards. The training in Japan gave him the foundation as he switched to professional boxing from amateur in 2015. Waseem's reception by the Japanese Consulate General was a mix of tribute to both Japan and Waseem's deep-rooted connection to Karachi, which had been his home and grooming ground after his home Quetta. "It is my honour to welcome the champion," Hattori told this correspondent. "He knows Japan so well and he is also a world champion, as a Jqapanse I am very much happy that he got the champion belt." At the dinner, Mr. Hattori was also accompanied by Mr Nakagawa Yasushi and Kumagae Takahiro. Waseem also invited his friend Farid Khan and this correspondent to attend the reception. Nakagawa, who is also a friend of Waseem's added that he insisted that the former two-time World Boxing Council Silver Flyweight champion bring his friends along at the intimate meeting which was followed by a traditional Kaiseki menu. Waseem is also in the middle of planning his next bout and he will aim to consolidate his world championship titles, where he would want to not only retain his WBA belt, which he had brought in a silver briefcase to show Mr. Hattori and his friends at the dinner, but he would want the WBC, World Boxing Oraganisation and the International Boxing Federation titles too. He is hoping to fight with Japan's multi-weight world champion Junto Nakatani. Mr Hattori shared his experience of Karachi and Pakistan since he was appointed a year and a half ago. "Karachi is a very cosmopolitan city, and every night and weekend there are events. But when it comes to sports here in Pakistan, I watched the softball event that I enjoyed very much. It was held by the Pakistan Softball Federation," said Hattori, who is a baseball fan himself. "Pakistan is totally different from Japanese customs and culture," he said when asked about how he would describe Pakistan to the world. "It is also the home to Indus Valley Civilisation, Japanese people know it well and we teach our children about it in junior high school, so people know about it well. When it comes to having cultural exchange through sports Mr Hattori added: "There are so many Japanese-oriented sports that are taken up by Pakistanis like Jiu-jitsu and Karate, so Pakistani people know about Japanese culture and that helps." Meanwhile, Waseem added that he wanted to thank the consulate officials. "The Japanese always respect the sportspersons and especially boxing, I have always been welcomed and respected by Mye Nakagawa, who is a great friend of mine, and by the Japanese Consulate, they have always supported me. "I am also looking for a fight, hopefully with Nakatani, but nothing is confirmed yet, I might know about it by next week or so," said Waseem. Waseem, also known as Falcon, will be flying out to the United Kingdom for further training by the end of this month. Meanwhile, Nakagawa concluded with encouraging words, "I'm greatly honored to have such a great athlete and a pride of Pakistan as a friend. I wish all him best and more success. And go on further, go Falcon, go."
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- The Citizen
Franschhoek
Fine dining, trails, pools and privacy. Few villages in South Africa offer what Franschhoek does: award-winning gastronomy, premium wines, and a plethora of enticing accommodation options – all framed by towering Cape Fold mountains. Just a few of the reasons why, when asked as a travel journalist what my favourite village in South Africa is, Franschhoek automatically flies off my tongue. On a recent visit, I sipped, tasted and walked my way through several new experiences. ALSO READ: Bustling New York Epicurean heaven at Epice Only months ago, Epice was named Africa's Best Restaurant in the prestigious World Culinary Awards, so it had to feature on our Franschhoek escape. Arriving in the wood-panelled restaurant, the day's theme is set as a staff member wheels over a spice trolley to meet the day's stars: Epice is spice in French, and each course is dedicated to a particular spice. Next, the drinks trolley arrives for an aperitif – bubbles, local beers or tableside-crafted cocktails with thrilling theatrics. Then a three-hour, 11-course spice journey that's informative, entertaining and, most importantly, incredibly delicious. Two tiers of wine pairings are offered, or a wine list to choose from. At the helm of Epice is chef Charné Sampson. She's a force to behold in the kitchen and supremely humble. This spills over to the rest of the staff. I sensed that the pretence around fine dining was dropped, but not the quality. Picture: Jared Ruttenberg East meets West at Ōku Set in a glass room on Franschhoek's main street awaits an Asian experience unlike anything else in the country. Ōku presents a mouth-watering Kaiseki – a fusion 11-course, bite-sized Japanese-inspired tasting menu. With the minimal yet effective Eastern-style décor, I felt at home surrounded by the sculptured miniature trees, as my parents were bonsai farmers for most of their lives. It was a refreshing change to have an experience dedicated purely to Asian cuisine. Every course felt like a surprise. Meal highlights were the coriander-crusted springbok with miso purée, bok choi and black garlic jus, and then ume plum pickled beetroot with yuzu ginger crème, kimchi and sesame. Alongside the wines in the dedicated drinks pairing, special tipples including imported beer and Sake were included. Picture: Jared Ruttenberg Head to the Hills at Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve After all of the calorie intake, a hike was just what the dietitian ordered. Driving up Franschhoek Pass is not only a scenic excursion, but the drive to the top is rewarded with the entrance to Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve. The 13km Perdekop trail offers scenic vistas throughout, especially from the elevation of the halfway stop. Towards the end, the pools at a river crossing offer a welcome reprieve from the heat. If you'd like to skip the longer trail, you can still visit the river on a short stroll from the parking lot. The reserve is open from sunrise to sunset all year round, including public holidays, and the day permits (bought at the gate) cost R70 per person, with children under 12 free. Remote Escape at Peak Cottage For my visit, I scoured the sleep options to find something special to return to after exploring. As much as I've enjoyed the luxury hotels in the village, sometimes it's the luxury of solitude you're after – which is why I had to click Book when I discovered the remote Peak Cottage. Driving out of Franschhoek, the road narrows as it passes through vineyards and farmlands right up to the head of the valley, where Peak Cottage is perched on the slopes of the mountain. Sequestered away from all the activity below, Peak Cottage features two air-conditioned bedrooms, an open-plan kitchen and lounge, outdoor dining by the braai, a garden for picnics and a splash pool – all while having the towering mountains at your back door. That my suitcase with clothing remained behind in Cape Town and wasn't a problem speaks to the absolute privacy offered by the cottage. This winelands escape is around R4 500 a night for four. Just don't overplan your schedule; you'll want enough time to soak up the gloriously wild solitude that Peak Cottage provides. Picture: Jared Ruttenberg NOW READ: A holiday to remember at Sun City
Business Insider
14-05-2025
- Business Insider
I tried Anthony Bourdain's favorite egg sandwich, which cost $2 from a Japanese convenience store. I wish the US had such tasty, cheap options.
It was my first trip to Japan from the US, so I did plenty of research about must-try foods. Oysters in Hiroshima. Kaiseki meals in Kyoto. Egg salad from a convenience store? During my research, tamago sandos popped up again and again. They're sold in restaurants, vending machines, and convenience stores, or konbini. Dutch and Portuguese traders introduced bread to Japan in the 16th century, and Western-influenced sandwiches became more popular during the Meiji Era in the late 19th century, per Tasting Table. Japanese chefs soon adapted sandwiches to add their own culinary style, flavors, and techniques. My friend swore by the 7-Eleven version, but I wanted to try Lawson's. Lawson started in Ohio in 1939 and opened stores in Japan beginning in 1975. Only two stores remain in the US, both in Hawaii. Sandwiches from both 7-Eleven and Lawson have their fans, and you can find dupe recipes from Food & Wine, Tasting Table, and more. Paradise. Utopia. These are the words people use to describe the bounty to be found in 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart, the three major convenience store chains in Japan. Estimates put the number of konbini at around 56,000, The Guardian reported in 2024. They offer a huge variety of items, from underwear to face masks to alcohol. It's the wealth of fresh, prepared foods that sets them apart from their US counterparts. It was around 10 a.m. on a Sunday, and the egg sandwiches were nearly all gone from the shelves. There were plenty of potato salad options left, though. Tuna and egg and ham and egg options were also available. My sandwich expired two days after I bought it, at 11 p.m., according to its label. Milk bread and Kewpie mayo are the keys to a great egg sandwich. Fluffy and lightly flavored, milk bread, or shokupan, adds a touch of sweetness. Bon Appétit compared its softness to white bread but with more fat. The sandwiches are crustless, cut into perfect squishy triangles. Those trying to replicate the sandwich in the US typically use Kewpie mayo. The Japanese brand uses an extra egg yolk, several types of vinegar, and MSG, per Tasting Table. The result is a creamy, rich sauce that's a little different from other types of mayo, though the US version doesn't contain MSG. I paired it with a café au lait and bottled water, all for under $4. There was no shortage of canned coffees and other beverages available in to-go cups. The latter came with straws to pierce through the foil tops. After buying my items, I tasted the sandwich. The bread was soft and springy, while the filling was rich with a touch of tanginess. When I got back to the US, I checked out the sandwich options in my local 7-Eleven. There was a small cooler with a few options, including an egg salad. It cost $5.29, more than double what I paid in Tokyo. Since its "best by" date was the same day, I decided to skip trying it. It wasn't my favorite tamago sando I had in Japan, but I'd definitely eat one again. In Kyoto, I usually spent breakfast at sit-down restaurants that invariably had incredible, creamy egg sandwiches and perfectly brewed coffee. I was able to enjoy a leisurely meal while planning out my agenda for a day of sightseeing. When you're late for work or rushing to the airport, though, stores like 7-Eleven and Lawson can't be beat for a speedy, inexpensive option.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Japan's currency was one of the first challengers to the U.S. dollar—why 90s predictions of a ‘yen bloc' fell apart
Prophecies that the U.S. dollar will lose its status as the world's dominant currency have echoed for decades—and are increasing in volume. Cryptocurrency enthusiasts claim that Bitcoin or other blockchain-based monetary units will replace the dollar. Foreign policy hawks warn that China's renminbi poses a lethal threat to the greenback. And sound money zealots predict that mounting U.S. debt and inflation will surely erode the dollar's value to the point of irrelevancy. But contra the doomsayers, Paul Blustein argues that the dollar's standing atop the world's currency pyramid is impregnable—barring a catastrophic misstep by the U.S. government. In his book King Dollar: The Past and Future of the World's Dominant Currency, he notes the dollar's supremacy stems from several factors—mainly, the unrivaled depth, breadth, and liquidity of U.S. financial markets, as well as America's legal and regulatory infrastructure. Although other currencies have similar features and are used internationally to some extent, none can match the dollar. All alternatives have drawbacks that limit their global role. What follows is the story of one such major currency—the Japanese yen—and why it failed to take the dollar's throne. Kaiseki dinners featuring multiple courses of delicacies, exquisitely presented on hand-crafted ceramics and lacquerware, served by kimono-clad waitresses, washed down with free-flowing sake and other alcoholic beverages, followed by karaoke sessions with geishas simpering over the singing performances—that was the sort of hospitality accorded U.S. Treasury officials who traveled to Tokyo in the 1980s for 'yen-dollar talks.' Their hosts held senior positions in the powerful Ministry of Finance, which gave them entree to the capital's most exclusive dining establishments and nightspots, all costs covered by Japanese government expense accounts. For all the delights of their evening entertainment, however, the Americans generally found these visits frustrating. Their goal was to persuade Japan to internationalize the yen by removing heavy regulations over the nation's financial system and allowing money to move freely in and out of the country. This point bears repeating to ensure that it sinks in: The U.S. government wanted to make the yen more like the dollar; Treasury officials were not only willing to countenance another currency playing a global role similar to that of the greenback, they were insisting on it. But progress was glacial. Their Japanese counterparts were skilled at parrying U.S. proposals with painstaking explanations of why Tokyo couldn't take the measures Washington wanted or why, if implementation were to proceed, it would have to go 'step by step' over a number of years. It didn't help that the negotiations were typically conducted in a stilted atmosphere, with each side sitting opposite the other at long tables while dozens of junior Finance Ministry officials hovered along the walls and in nearby rooms to provide their superiors with logistical support. U.S. impatience with Tokyo's 'step by step' approach was manifest at one session when Treasury Undersecretary Beryl Sprinkel, an ardent free marketeer with a stentorian voice, rejected the argument offered by the lead Japanese negotiator, Vice Minister Tomomitsu Oba. 'I grew up in Missouri on a dirt farm,' boomed Sprinkel, who recalled that when piglets were born, 'we had to cut their tails off. When we cut them off we didn't cut them off one inch at a time! That would just hurt them more. We just hacked them off once up at the top and that was the end of it.' The translation, which took a few seconds to transmit, evoked shocked silence at first on the Japanese side of the table, until Oba laughed, which led to peals of laughter among his subordinates as well. The next day, Oba declared that he had understood Sprinkel's story and henceforth Japan's approach would change from 'step by step' to 'stride by stride.' As the story suggests, U.S. officials, who were actively encouraging a competitor currency to assume some of the dollar's international status, were up against a government that had no interest in mounting such a challenge. Japanese officials saw a low-profile yen as a crucial element in their nation's postwar economic miracle, and they were loath to mess with success. That miracle was then in full swing. Toyota, Nissan, and Honda had invaded the U.S. auto market in the 1970s and found it ripe for plucking; similar conquests had been achieved in consumer electronics by Sony and Matsushita Electric, in computers and integrated circuits by Fujitsu and NEC, in power generation and heavy machinery by Toshiba and Hitachi, and by other ultra-competitive Japanese firms in a host of sectors ranging from steel to construction equipment to machine tools. Books with titles such as Japan is Number One and Trading Places: How We Allowed Japan to Take the Lead explained to Americans how this resource-poor island nation, having rocketed to second place in the world's GDP rankings and accumulated the world's biggest stash of foreign exchange reserves, was on course to challenge the United States as the dominant economic power. To attain such supercharged growth, Japanese policy makers had adopted a development model based on what economists call 'financial repression,' the idea being to use the financial system for the benefit of the nation's manufacturers and exporters. In the first quarter century after the war, these policies were draconian, with dollars and other foreign currencies carefully husbanded for allocation by bureaucrats to obtain machinery, technology, and other inputs from abroad needed to build industrial strength. So tight were restrictions on cross-border money movements during this period that as late as 1970, almost no Japanese trade was invoiced in yen. These regulations were loosened somewhat in subsequent years, but even in the 1980s, Japanese banks and savers were strictly limited in the amounts of money they could send abroad; government planners wanted a big pool of capital kept at home so that industrial firms could obtain the maximum amount of funding at the lowest possible interest rates. Another facet of this policy involved discouraging foreigners from buying yen in unlimited quantities lest that cause the exchange rate to rise, which would render Japanese goods less competitive on world markets. Washington's tolerance for these policies was at an end by the 1980s. U.S. manufacturers were in a lather about the handicap they faced as a result of the dollar's strength vis-a-vis the yen. Moreover, American banks, securities firms, and money managers were clamoring for access to Japan's protected financial markets. Under heavy U.S. pressure to shift away from its mercantilist practices, Tokyo agreed to a yen-dollar pact in 1984 that liberalized its financial system somewhat, and during the 1980s the percentage of Japanese exports denominated in yen rose from less than 30% at the beginning of the decade to nearly 40% by 1991. The yen-dollar deal was followed in 1985 by the Plaza Accord, which explicitly called for the yen to rise against the greenback Although those agreements helped address U.S. grievances, Japan's economic muscularity only grew more formidable than before. To counter the effects of endaka (yen appreciation) on exports, the Bank of Japan cut interest rates to historically low levels, which drove prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and property in major Japanese cities to stratospheric heights. Japanese multinationals adroitly coped with soaring costs at home by shifting much of their labor-intensive manufacturing overseas—to North America and Europe, where their customers were; and to East and Southeast Asia, where they could export their premium-branded goods from low-cost production bases. This process firmly entrenched Japan as the top trading partner and foreign investor for most of its Asian neighbors, giving Tokyo a degree of influence that Japanophobes found disconcerting. One oft-cited piece of evidence was how the 17,000 workers at Matsushita's Malaysian plants donned Matsushita uniforms and started their days with the company song and calisthenics, just as employees did at Matsushita's Osaka headquarters. 'Japan has established a presence in the region so rapidly that talk of a 'coprosperity sphere' is already a cliché,' reported Newsweek in an August 1991 cover story which was titled 'Sayonara, America' and lamented that U.S. companies were falling far behind amid an unprecedented burst of dynamism. 'This year, for the first time since the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development began keeping statistics, the Asian nations of Japan's yen bloc will generate more real economic growth than either the European Community or the combined economies of North America.' That phrase—'yen bloc'—was widely bandied about, referring sometimes to a trade zone that Tokyo would presumably control but also to the prospect that the Japanese currency, liberated from the shackles of financial repression, would dominate Asia to America's detriment. The yen's share of reserves in East Asia topped 17% by 1990, and the borrowing of yen surpassed the borrowing of dollars by those in Asia seeking foreign credit during this period. In 1995, in her Foreign Affairs article 'The Fall of the Dollar Order,' Yale diplomatic historian Diane Kunz foresaw grave consequences: 'As the yen area solidifies and the yen becomes the common Pacific currency, Americans will need to sell dollars for yen to conduct business with any Asian nation,' she wrote. 'The death of the dollar order will drastically increase the price of the American dream while simultaneously shattering American global influence.' Later that year in another Foreign Affairs article, titled 'Dominance through Technology: Is Japan Creating a Yen Bloc in Southeast Asia?,' Price Waterhouse consultant Mark Taylor warned that 'U.S. firms may soon find themselves excluded from a Japan-centered regional economic bloc.' This ballyhoo about the yen was poorly timed. By the mid-1990s the Japanese economy was mired in deflation following the bursting of its stock and property bubble. Among the authorities' many desperate efforts to revitalize the economy was a 'Big Bang' reform package in 1996 ending all remaining capital controls and including other steps aimed at turning Tokyo into a financial hub, much as London had done a decade earlier. But Japan could not overcome its legacy of financial repression. The nation's banks, accustomed to being cosseted by the Finance Ministry, were saddled with bubble-era loans that neither they nor their powerful regulators wanted to recognize as unpayable. Seeing the banking industry struggling to stay afloat, foreign financial firms downsized their Tokyo operations and headed for other, more vibrant centers of Asian finance such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Shanghai. Even after further liberalization policies were adopted in 1999, the yen remained a distant also-ran as an international currency. It accounted for 5.5% of foreign exchange reserves in 2001, declining by 2016 to around 3%, and played a modest part even in Japan's own trade, where it was used in only about 37% of Japanese exports and 26% of imports. Although Japan enjoys enviable wealth, its growth has remained anemic, stunted by a rapidly aging society and dwindling population, so its gravitational pull has never again come close to that which it exuded during the 1980s. The Bank of Japan has bought such vast quantities of the government's bonds in its effort to stave off deflation that there has been very little trading in those bonds in recent years—yet another reason for the yen's relatively low ranking in the currency league tables. Perhaps if Finance Ministry officials had taken the moral of Beryl Sprinkel's piglet story to heart and dismantled their controls much earlier, dollar users would have had strong motivation to shift to yen. But the opportunity was missed. Excerpted from KING DOLLAR by Paul Blustein. Published by Yale University Press. Copyright © 2025 byPaul Blustein. Used with permission. All rights reserved. This story was originally featured on Sign in to access your portfolio
