Life

The Besshi Copper Mine’s No. 4 Adit was the mine's main transport artery. It was about 10 km long and trolleys ran along the tunnel and the connecting Yontsukyo Bridge. (Photo by Masamichi Hoshi)
Travel & Leisure

From cars to whisky, industrial tourism takes off in Japan

Nine heritage sites reveal the secrets of the nation's economic success

17 January 2020
Traffic is banned from Bangkok's busy Silom Road on weekends, when the street becomes a pedestrian zone lined with food stalls selling local specialties. (Photo by Yohei Muramatsu)
Business trends

Tourist-magnet pedestrian zones return to Bangkok

Street vendors help revive Thai tourism hit by slowing Chinese economy

17 January 2020
Akira Nishino, center, is the first Japanese head coach of Thailand's national soccer team.
Media & Entertainment

Thai soccer's shock run toward Olympics stokes spending spree

Japanese coach leads team to brink of first appearance in half a century

17 January 2020
Chinese badminton superstar Lin Dan, pictured here at the Rio Games in 2016, has two Olympic golds and five world championship titles to his name.
Life

Why Asia loves the low-key but rising sport of badminton

Japan is tipped to challenge other Asian countries for top Olympic medals

15 January 2020
An old stream train makes a rare departute from Hua Lamphong Station in Bangkok. (Photo by David Sutton)
Tea Leaves

In praise of Southeast Asia's old railways

As high speed rail projects proliferate new uses must be found for older lines

15 January 2020
Chinese university students and 20-somethings who have recently entered the workforce are choosing to buy instant hot pots from convenience stores rather than make solo visits to restaurants.
Food & Beverage

Young Chinese fall in love with almost instant meals

Military-inspired dishes show how the country is losing its dining traditions

13 January 2020
Zhenmeat hopes to carve out a large chunk of the Southeast Asian meat substitute market, as the Asia-Pacific market for the product is forecast to reach $15.8 billion in 2020. (Photo by Yusuke Hinata)
Food & Beverage

Chinese startup's plant-based 'meat' sizzles like real thing

Zhenmeat to accelerate R&D to chase Beyond Meat and other rivals

12 January 2020
Akita International University, which has this library open around the clock, has an English-centered education. (Photo courtesy of Akita International University)
Education

English only: Japan colleges teach how to speak with the world

Four universities mix foreign students and overseas study into liberal arts

12 January 2020
Balinese high priestess Ida Resi Alit. People line up for hours at her home near Ubud every day to receive her blessings. (Photo by Ian Neubauer)
Life

Outlook is bright for Bali's 'rain stoppers'

Shamans earn big fees at events, from weddings to global banking conferences

10 January 2020
Sayyed Abrar, one of the 75 participants in Project Dastaan, watches a 3D simulation of his childhood from his home in Fresno, U.S. He and his wife, Musarrat, migrated from Pakistan in 1947 and have not been able to visit since. (Courtesy of Project Dastaan)
Life

Virtual reality reconnects casualties of Partition with ancestral homes

Digital project comes out of Oxford University initiative

8 January 2020
An Australian Aboriginal man plays a didgeridoo at Government House in Sydney.
Tea Leaves

Acclaimed book points to a brighter Australian future

Alternative view of night sky in 'Dark Emu' illuminates debate on Aboriginal rights

8 January 2020
Around 11,000 marriages between Japanese people and foreign nationals ended in divorce in 2018, according to Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare statistics. 
6 January 2020
Japan is updating its long tradition of visitors make small offerings at temples and shrines, in this case the equivalent of almost $1. (Photo by Kotaro Abe)
Society

Losing my tradition: Japan's temples and shrines go cashless

Old clashes with new as digital saisen offerings raises issues among worshippers

6 January 2020
Time & Style factory craftsman Yu Yokoyama.
Arts

Hokkaido furniture maker attracts big names with go-slow approach

Time & Style blends northern Japan's prized timber with old traditions

5 January 2020
Lawyer Huzzatul Islam, who is seeking a ban on the showing of "No Dorai" in Bangladesh, argues lead actress Sunerah Binte Kamal’s outfits, as above, are indecent though he has not seen the film. (Courtesy of Tanim Rahman)
Arts

Film on daring female surfer makes waves in Bangladesh

'No Dorai' yanked from cinemas over lead character's name

4 January 2020
Naomi Osaka poses for the camera on Nov. 7 in Tokyo: The world No. 3 women's singles tennis player hopes to become the first Asian to win Olympic gold. (Photo by Hirofumi Yamamoto)
Interview

Naomi Osaka hungry for her own chapter in Japan's tennis history

With two Grand Slams in hand, 'queen of Asia' has her eye on Olympic gold

1 January 2020
Two years ago, Professor Oussouby Sacko became the first African president of one of Japan's 786 universities. 
Education

Japan's first university head from Africa champions diversity

Inspired by Nelson Mandela, Malian-born professor works to change minds in Kyoto

29 December 2019
Otaimatsu, or great torch ritual, takes place at the summit of Mount Haguro in Yamagata Prefecture on New Year’s Eve.
Travel & Leisure

Time travelers' guide to 10 hidden Japanese treasures

Explore the history and mystery of 'Japan Heritage'

28 December 2019
Screenings on the beach during Zushi’s annual film festival.
Life

The little Japanese cinema that could

In the coastal town of Zushi, three friends helped spark the city's cultural transformation.

27 December 2019
Running is becoming more popular in China, where health-conscious people have traditionally preferred group exercise like tai chi. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi and Getty Images)
Health Care

Jogging is on a run in China, the land of tai chi

Exercise's rising popularity aided by apps that track progress and find friends

26 December 2019
Umbrellas with a design based on an ancient map of the Tokyo Station area can be unlocked with a dedicated app or with the Line messaging app. (Photo by iKasa and Yuki Kohara)
Sharing Economy

Tokyo Station turns to umbrella rental service to cut waste

Service promises to trim refuse in nation that goes through 130m umbrellas a year

26 December 2019
A food stall in Putrajaya: "Telltale Food," a new anthology celebrating Malaysia's culinary diversity, stands as a testament to Asia's loyalty to home cooking in the face of so many foreign temptations.  
Life

Malaysian cuisine hits its literary stride

Food-writing anthology inspired by late Fay Khoo points to a more sophisticated future

25 December 2019
Jaffna crab curry served at the Palmyrah restaurant. (Photo by Palmyrah)
Tea Leaves

Sri Lankan crab curry spreads hope and flavor

A regional dish may help heal the wounds of a bitter civil war

25 December 2019
Christmasland in New Taipei City draws people looking to capture the romance of the season through a camera lens. (Photos by Ken Kobayashi)
Photos

In pictures: Lights, camera, Santa for Taiwan Instagrammers

Circle of friends makes new Christmas tradition in social media era

24 December 2019
A male oracle leads a large group of devotees during the annual Kodungallur Bharani festival, in the Indian state of Kerala. (Photo by Hans Kemp)
Life

Snapping Asia's ancient ceremonies

From crocodile biting to hungry ghosts, Hans Kemp records the region's rituals

23 December 2019