https://www.scmp.com/rss/325681/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Japan’s nightlife venues are facing dire times after the country declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic. That poses a dilemma for the country’s ever-thriving adult entertainment industry: do they stay open and try to maintain clients while risking their health? Or shut entirely and face losses? Unlike the country’s restaurants, which have started offering “bento” takeout lunchboxes as alternatives to drinking and snacking at after-work izakaya bars, adult venues rely on... https://www.scmp.com/health/keep-red-light-shining-japans-sex-industry-faces-dilemma/article/3080846?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/health/keep-red-light-shining-japans-sex-industry-faces-dilemma/article/3080846?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2020 12:03:52 +0000 Since Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced an official state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic on April 7, the nation’s major cities have been in the eye of the storm. In Tokyo, major department stores have closed down, nightlife venues are facing dire times and many restaurants are offering “bento” takeaway lunchboxes as alternatives to drinking and snacking at after-work izakaya bars. But what does that mean for the country’s ever-thriving adult services industry? In Tokyo,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3080701/japans-sex-industry-stays-open-amid-pandemic-workers-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3080701/japans-sex-industry-stays-open-amid-pandemic-workers-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2020 09:30:08 +0000 With the Rugby World Cup in full swing in Japan and the 2020 Olympics on the horizon, the country is setting its sights on being more internationally accessible and adaptable. But the nation’s reliance on physical cash is still a daily cultural quirk many travellers are struggling to adjust to. As a result, there’s a lot of wasted currency floating around. Enter Pocket Change, a money exchange kiosk that does more than just exchanging one currency for another. Instead, Japan’s latest travel... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3034043/japans-pocket-change-turns-old-foreign-currency-e-cash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3034043/japans-pocket-change-turns-old-foreign-currency-e-cash?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Oct 2019 23:45:14 +0000 Even with the steamy sun hovering in the clear blue midafternoon sky, the decision to walk to our accommodation from the airport, bags in tow, is easily made. My friend and I have just arrived in Yoron, a small island that forms part of Japan’s Amami Islands archipelago that sits just to the north of Okinawa. We have been on trains and aeroplanes since 5.00am, but with the land mass of Yoron spanning only 20 square kilometres (eight square miles), everything feels accessible. And with white sand... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3017796/white-sand-beaches-clear-waters-japanese-island-tropical?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3017796/white-sand-beaches-clear-waters-japanese-island-tropical?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jul 2019 04:15:22 +0000 On the cusp of Kobe’s city limits is Arima Onsen, one of Japan’s oldest spa towns. Set amid mountains dotted with patches of green, Arima is where the gods would bathe, according to legend. In contrast to Kobe’s fast-paced rhythm, Arima is dedicated to relaxation and preserves traditional Japanese culture. The town is on the northern side of Mount Rokko, a mountain that separates the heavily urbanised Kansai region – which encompasses the cities of Kobe and Osaka – from a lush, volcanic region... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3009029/arima-onsen-japanese-hot-springs-resort-thats-much-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3009029/arima-onsen-japanese-hot-springs-resort-thats-much-more?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 May 2019 04:30:13 +0000 Incense smoke is a fabric of Japanese traditional ceremonies, so ubiquitous it’s often overlooked. Incense listening is an exercise that focuses on the sensory ambience incense’s delicate aromas create. The ancient practice is known in Japanese as kodo; the compound ‘do’ in the word means ‘the way of’ appreciating, and is similar to shodo, which is calligraphy, sado (the tea ceremony), and to kado (or ikebana) – the Japanese art of flower arrangement. Kodo is meditative like the tea ceremony,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3005934/japanese-art-incense-listening-what-it-and-where-you-can?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3005934/japanese-art-incense-listening-what-it-and-where-you-can?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Apr 2019 00:00:12 +0000 Lukasz Palka has spent over a decade in Tokyo, equipped with a camera, ready to immortalise the city’s fleeting moments with the swift flick of the shutter. The Polish born, US-raised photographer began his career in Japan as a teacher, but within a year or two of arriving realised the confines of city living saw him stuck in similar routines; work, eat, bed, repeat. Tokyo on the cheap: how to save money on your next Japan trip A conscious and fateful purchase changed his life. “I did not get... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2178339/tips-tokyo-street-photographer-insiders-guide-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2178339/tips-tokyo-street-photographer-insiders-guide-people?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Dec 2018 00:15:15 +0000 In August the Hotel Okura Tokyo in the inner-city district of Toranomon announced that all of its 508 rooms were fully booked for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Most of the rooms have been booked to accommodate officials affiliated with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Around half of the guest rooms at the Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba in Odaiba, beside Tokyo Bay, have been snapped up by IOC officials as well. Have a layover at Tokyo’s Haneda airport? Here’s how to spend it It may seem... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2164645/2020-summer-olympics-best-tokyo-hotel-and-hostel-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2164645/2020-summer-olympics-best-tokyo-hotel-and-hostel-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Sep 2018 16:00:45 +0000 When it comes to drinking, nobody does it better than the hardworking, hard-partying population of Tokyo. Wander the streets of the city on a weekend and you’ll see locals unwinding in a cosy izakaya (Japanese pub). It may look fun, but for many foreigners it’s perceived as a world that is difficult to access. Social codes, ‘locals only’ door policies and a language barrier can make the city’s nightlife somewhat intimidating for tourists. Enter a new, immersive bar-hopping tour from Tokyo-based... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2123160/discover-real-tokyo-after-dark-new-bar-hopping-tour-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2123160/discover-real-tokyo-after-dark-new-bar-hopping-tour-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Dec 2017 10:00:46 +0000 Tokyo is often considered an expensive city to visit, but these days that reputation is rather unjustified. Of course if you want to spend the money there are plenty of places to do it, but with a little planning and a few insider’s tips, holidaying on a tight budget in Tokyo is possible. Here’s how. Where to eat Tokyo is home to some of the best food in the world, but did you know it’s also home to some of the cheapest? Whether it costs 500 yen (US$4.40) or 5,000, you will be sure to find a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2120235/five-ways-you-can-save-money-your-next-tokyo-trip-meals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2120235/five-ways-you-can-save-money-your-next-tokyo-trip-meals?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Nov 2017 05:46:02 +0000