Life

Chichibugahama Beach in Mitoyo, Kagawa Prefecture, is fast becoming a must-see for foreign tourists looking for that perfect Instagram moment. (Photo by Seiya Tsuji)
Economy

Sacred mountains and Shibuya 'scramble' vie for Japan's tourists

Quest for tourists' yen promises everything from big-city vibe to spirituality

1 September 2019
An assortment of spices and other basic ingredients needed for a typical Sri Lankan Sinhalese meal, as presented by Viran Perera of Na Tree Catering. (Photo by Rajpal Abenayake)
Life

Sri Lankan chefs cook up an international audience

The island's unique cuisine is steadily acquiring a global profile

1 September 2019
Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura, left, has lifted basketball's popularity in Japan. (USA TODAY Sports/Reuters)
Media & Entertainment

NBA deal poised to pay off for Japan's Rakuten after fast break

E-commerce giant hopes for boost from streaming top draft pick Hachimura's debut season

31 August 2019
The Sri Lankan government has stepped up security around Islamic religious buildings to curtail a violent backlash against the country’s Muslim minority in the wake of the Easter attacks on churches and hotels by Islamist militants.
Life

Sri Lanka looks to Islamic gathering to revive tourism after attacks

Ashara Mubaraka marks the country's first major international event since Easter bombings

30 August 2019
Muslim tourists pose for a selfie at Tokyo's Sensoji Temple on Aug. 23. Halal tourism is the fastest-growing travel niche in the world. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) 
Business trends

Halal tourism boom draws Muslim holidaymakers to Asia

The world's fastest-growing travel niche is forecast to be worth $300bn globally by 2026

28 August 2019
Swe Swe Aung of social enterprise Doh Eain, left, and local teenager Hsu Lin Htet, who helped design the park (Photo by Lorcan Lovett)
Tea Leaves

Yangon puts 'girl power' into green spaces

Safety comes first in city park designed by young women

28 August 2019
Before an Ace suitcase hits the market, a lot of testing is done in the "torture room," right.
Companies

Japanese luggage titan Ace thrives with a little help from a 'torture room'

Diversification and a commitment to 'Made in Japan' give the decades-old business global cachet

26 August 2019
Winemaker Nikki Lohitnavy inspects vines at the family-owned GranMonte Asoke Valley winery, a roughly two-hour drive north of Bangkok. The area has evolved into a Thai version of Italy's Tuscany.
Life

Thailand's tropical winemakers set out to rival Tuscany

'New latitude' labels are winning prizes, despite climate and soil issues

23 August 2019
A high-rise condominium in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture: Living in city centers is a new trend among the Japanese.
Construction

Fearing ghost towns, Japanese cities ban high-rise condos

Suburban areas risk spike in empty houses if residents gather in city centers

22 August 2019
A boy kicks a soccer ball on a beach in Colombo.
Tea Leaves

A sporting chance for peace

After Easter bombings, Sri Lanka looks to soccer for a return to normality

21 August 2019
A passenger catches some sleep as his flight prepares for takeoff.
Life

What jet lag? ANA's app helps business flyers adapt quickly

Software prompts travelers on when to eat and sleep to feel less tired

21 August 2019
Sea urchins grown on "ranches" in the northeastern Japanese town of Hirono feed for four years before being harvested. (Photo by Takumi Sasaki)
Food & Beverage

Rich Asians raise fortunes of Japanese sea urchin ranchers

Baby uni fatten up on seaweed before being shipped to Thailand and Hong Kong

17 August 2019
Broker Arvinzaya Khenz, right, inspects raw cashmere for color and quality. Mongolia’s Bayantsaagan region is famous for its highly coveted white cashmere. (Photo by Sarah Trent)
Life

Mongolia's cashmere trade tries to break into the 21st century

Government fails to squeeze brokers out of traditional industry

16 August 2019
Wild Borneo pygmy elephants take up residence on the grounds of Sabah Softwoods. (Courtesy of Shavez Cheema)
Life

Luxury tours put eastern Sabah on Borneo's ecotourist map

Malaysian state hopes to divert visitors from Kota Kinabalu to rainforest

13 August 2019
Lamima, the world's largest working wooden yacht at 65 meters, charters for $20,000 per day. (Courtesy of Lamima)
Life

Indonesia finds luxury use for humble sailing vessel

Wooden ships augmented by rock-star features provide leisure cruises

9 August 2019
Vegetarian cuisine is on the rise in Japan, but it still has a ways to go.
Business trends

Japan's northern island rolls out 'green' carpet for vegetarians

Hokkaido wants restaurants to increase options to accommodate tourists

8 August 2019
A colonial-era postcard of the Pegu Club
Life

Yangon's historic Pegu Club comes back to the future

Multimillion-dollar restoration evokes a grander era in Myanmar

7 August 2019
A depiction of anti-Chinese violence in 19th-century America 
Tea Leaves

In New York's Chinatown, don't mention politics

Manhattan museum shows how Trump rhetoric echoes 'yellow peril' era

7 August 2019
Lasers and LEDs light up the facades of skyscrapers in Shenzhen at the Shenzhen Light Show. (Photo by Masayuki Terazawa)
China tech

Shenzhen in pictures: a former fishing village is transformed

Over a few decades, Hong Kong's neighbor has become a high-tech hub

4 August 2019
Wallace (last name withheld) wrote a note supporting Hong Kongers and criticizing the police for their lack of response during triad attacks: “I’ve lived in Hong Kong for 51 years,” he said. “I’ve never heard of police stations shutting their gates!”
Hong Kong protests

Hong Kong's Lennon Walls offer bright, defiant protests

Citizens write messages of resistance on Post-it notes against Beijing's tightening grip

2 August 2019
The Kiyomizu-dera Temple Security Association counts shopkeepers, business owners and monks among its members.
Life

Meet the team with a burning desire to protect Kyoto's Kiyomizu-dera temple

Monks, shopkeepers and business owners ready to rush in should fire threaten one of Japan's most cherished treasures

31 July 2019
Brent Kerehona receiving new moko during the live demonstrations for the Maori Markings: Ta Moko exhibition opening day 2019
Tea Leaves

Maori Australian revives in-your-face cultural identity

Traditional body art is making a comeback among Polynesian immigrants

31 July 2019
Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh, Constance Wu and Gemma Chan pose in January. "Crazy Rich Asians" star Awkwafina's recent film "The Farewell" has hit the theaters on July 12. 
Media & Entertainment

After 'Crazy Rich' smash, Hollywood embraces Asian faces

Success of Awkwafina's 'The Farewell' proves diversity is good business

31 July 2019
The iconic Tiger’s Nest Monastery in the Paro Valley is Bhutan’s most famous tourist site. Founded in the eighth century, the Buddhist temple clings to a cliff 900 meters above the valley floor. (Photo by Phuntsho Wangdi)
Life

Bhutan's neighbors 'undermining' elite tourism strategy

Regional tourists are spoiling the fun for global big spenders, operators say

28 July 2019
End of the run: A player from Fukui cries after his team's loss in the prefectural semifinals in July 2011.
Life

Agony and ecstasy: Why Japan is obsessed with high school baseball

The annual Koshien Stadium competition is the closest thing to a national festival

24 July 2019