“However persuasive they might be as facsimiles, shokuhin sampuru are subjective interpretations, seeking not only to replicate dishes but to intensify the feelings associated with the real thing.”
Japan
Posted inEditor's Pick
Zero Zen
“A great exchange rate, ChatGPT, and kimono-wearing bros have turned Kyoto into the loveliest tourist trap on earth.”
Posted inTop 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Featuring stories from Charlotte Bailey, Hanif Abdurraqib, Taylar Dawn Stagnar, Patrick Madden, and Kevin Chroust.
Posted inEditor's Pick
My Quest to Find the Owner of a Mysterious WWII Japanese Sword
“When I was a kid, I was fascinated by a traditional katana my grandfather had brought home from Japan in 1945.”
Posted inReading List
Remember the Titans: An ‘Attack on Titan’ Reading List
The influential anime didn’t just upend kaiju tropes—it delivered an unsettling look at imperialism and hubris.
Posted inTop 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Featuring stories from Michelle Shephard, Adrienne Mason, Dylan Levi King, Sara Mitchell, and Saskia Solomon.
Posted inEditor's Pick
Eastern Promises
“In a Tokyo of tourists, the citizens have become strangers.”
Posted inCuration
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Featuring stories from Paul Kix, Matthieu Aikins, Matt Alt, Elisa Gabbert, and Sophie Elmhirst.
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Joy of Clutter
“The world sees Japan as a paragon of minimalism. But its hidden clutter culture shows that ‘more’ can be as magical as ‘less.’”
Posted inEditor's Pick
How Tokyo Became an Anti-Car Paradise
“The world’s biggest, most functional city might also be the most pedestrian-friendly. That’s not a coincidence.”