7 articles
The Izakaya Handbook 2026: Otoshi, All-You-Can-Drink, Smoking Rules and the Bill
A Japanese izakaya runs on rules rarely written down in English: a paid appetizer you never ordered, drink plans measured by the clock, smoking rules rewritten in 2020, and a bill you usually settle at the register.
How to Order Ramen in Japan (2026): Ticket Machines, Styles, Etiquette, and the '1,000-Yen Wall'
From ticket machines and noodle firmness to queue etiquette and the '1,000-yen wall,' here is everything first-timers need to order ramen in Japan with confidence.
Conveyor-Belt Sushi in Japan: The Complete 2026 Guide for Visitors
The plates barely revolve anymore and the flat 100-yen-a-plate era is over: kaiten-zushi has changed a lot by 2026. Here is how the system works, what it costs now, how to order, plate colors and checkout, manners, and how to handle wasabi and allergies—fact-checked against official and news sources.
How to Use Japanese Convenience Stores — Food, Payments, ATMs and Services
From the differences between 7-Eleven, Lawson and FamilyMart to what to eat and what it costs, how to ask for heating and chopsticks, withdrawing cash with a foreign card, IC/QR/cash payments, copiers and toilets — a practical guide for visitors and residents.
Japan's Kakigori and Summer Wagashi: A 2026 Regional Guide
From natural-ice icons to Kagoshima's shirokuma, Kyoto's uji-kintoki and Taiwanese fluffy ice. A field-level look at prices, queues and reservations, plus why this ice doesn't give you brain freeze.
Japan Konbini Food Guide for Visitors 2026
From must-try items at Seven, FamilyMart and Lawson to the reality of allergy/halal/vegan labeling, contactless payment with foreign cards, ATMs and hands-free travel. Including what not to over-expect, from a ground-level view.
Doyo-no-Ushi 2026 Falls on July 26 — Why Japan Eats Eel, Why It's Cheap This Year Anyway, and the Cold Summer Dishes That Carry You Through
Summer doyo-no-ushi (the "Day of the Ox") in 2026 is July 26 — a single ox-day this year. Why eel on this day, why it's endangered yet cheaper in 2026, the Kanto-vs-Kansai grilling split, and what to eat on the days you won't splurge on eel.