Life

A giant panda at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington eats a farewell cake on Sept. 23. (Photo by Tomoko Ashizuka)
Life

Panda fans in Washington lament animals' looming return to China

Smithsonian zoo to soon close chapter on 51-year relationship

27 September 2023
Something for everyone: The goods at shrine and temple flea markets are always surprising. (Photo by Stephen Mansfield)
Life

Japanese flea market culture reflects shifting social attitudes

On any weekend in Tokyo, visitors can step back in time as they sift through trash and treasure

24 September 2023
Visitors pack the street near Kiyomizu-dera Temple, one of Kyoto's biggest tourist draws. 
Life

Japan's tourism explosion: Be careful what you wish for

International visitors to towns like Morioka threaten the charm that lures them

21 September 2023
Architect Renzo Piano was born in Genoa, Italy, and although he now travels to building sites around the world, he spends one week of each month there. (Photo by Masahiko Takeda)
Life

Renzo Piano reflects social change through architecture

Famed Italian architect brings spirit of Genoa to buildings around the world

17 September 2023
Hikers pass through a tea plantation in Sri Lanka. Soon to be officially launched, the Pekoe Trail spans 300 kilometers across the island's Central Highlands, passing river valleys, tea gardens, forested hills, sacred sites and rural villages. (All photos courtesy of Tangerine Tours)
Life

Hiking Sri Lanka's tea trail

New path through verdant Pekoe hills shows the island is not just about beaches

16 September 2023
The Karen Environmental and Social Action Network, or KESAN, works with local communities to protect wildlife and biodiversity in an area of eastern Myanmar. However, its task has been overshadowed by the conflict engulfing parts of the country. (All photos courtesy of KESAN)
Life

Myanmar's forests fall victim to conflict

Environmental groups curb activity even as illegal logging increases

14 September 2023
Yurts have been used for over 2,000 years in Kazakhstan and other Central Asian communities as practical, simple and portable homes. They are now getting a new lease of life as a draw for tourists.
Life

Yurt alert: Traditional tents make a comeback in Kazakhstan

Portable dwellings thrive as tourist attractions and emergency housing

9 September 2023
Staff dressed in black and white livery serve customers at Britannia in Mumbai. The Irani cafe continues to draw diners despite its state of graceful dilapidation. (Photo by Anil Senior)
Life

Mumbai's last remaining 'Irani' cafes recall lost culture of Bombay

Iconic Britannia celebrates centenary as new saloons pay homage to fading legacy

27 August 2023
Cambodia's cuisine has similarities to that of neighbors Vietnam and Thailand but also boasts a long, unique history. (Photo by Jun Takai)
Interview

Hidden gem: Cambodian cuisine counts blessings of the Mekong

Envoy to Japan discusses traditions around fish paste, watermelon rice and more

27 August 2023
A view from the balcony of Saint Stepanos Monastery: The Armenian monastery is located 15 kilometers from the city of Jolfa in the northwestern Iranian province of East Azerbaijan. (All photos by Tala Taslimi)
Life

Traveling off the beaten path in Iran

Remote attractions are becoming more accessible despite tension with the West

17 August 2023
A resplendent 24.5-meter junk with four en-suite cabins and two 12-meter sails, the Catba Imperial was commissioned in the late 1990s. (All photos by Ian Lloyd Neubauer)
Life

Vietnam's popular sailing junks face extinction

Traditional wooden vessels to be banned from famous Ha Long Bay due to accidents

12 August 2023
Called the "god of sake brewing" by his fans, Naohiko Noguchi says he wants to keep making sake until his last day on Earth. 
Life

Sake 'god' Naohiko Noguchi, 90, is giving up on retirement

Master brewer strives to build global brand, based on 70 years' experience

30 July 2023
Children enjoy the rough and tumble of Brazilian jujitsu at H/Art Academy in Phnom Penh. The site gives youngsters the chance to break out of the concrete jungle and make new friends, according to organizers. (Photo by Markus Bell)
Life

Brazilian jujitsu uses force for good in Cambodia

Triumphs at regional contest build on social program for poorer children

29 July 2023
Tourists from around India and beyond have been heading to the country's nature reserves to see tigers such as this one in the state of Maharashtra. (Photo by Charukesi Ramadurai)
Life

India highlights upside of 'tiger tourism'

Visitors deserve some of the credit for successful conservation efforts

22 July 2023
A young hawksbill turtle swims toward the surface in waters off the Maldives. (Courtesy of Olive Ridley Project)
Life

Maldives fights to keep turtle eggs off dining tables

Local tastes for traditional delicacy threaten the animals' survival

20 July 2023
A 32-year-old man who livestreams his video games moved to a soundproof apartment because of complaints from his next door neighbor where he used to live. (Photo by Hideki Yoshikawa)
Business trends

Shout it out loud: Soundproof apartments catch on in Japan

Nearly 3,000 people on waiting list as COVID changes lifestyles

16 July 2023
A customer holds a cup of a legally brewed beer at the United Peoples Brewery in Bangkok. (Photo by Papangkorn Bamrungmuang)
Life

How craft beer helped turn Thai politics

By closing the lid on brewing, Bangkok's elite may have unseated itself

8 July 2023
Shigenao Tamura walks along a path that crisscrosses the 17,000-hectare farm he manages in Uruguay. "There are no farms of this size in Japan," he says. (Photo by Sengo Perez)
Life

Japanese founder's legacy lives on at Uruguay farm

New generation opens up markets with japonica rice and wine

2 July 2023
Osaka's street-food scene is bursting with flavor and variety, from motsu-nabe beef intestine hot pot, far left, to takoyaki octopus balls, far right. (All photos by Stephen Mansfield)
Life

Osaka is Japan's 'soul kitchen'

Gourmet tour of a food-obsessed city yields cultural insights and expanded waistlines

1 July 2023
Meals should be made with the freshest ingredients and enjoyed slowly, says Cambodian food evangelist Ros Rotanak. (Photo by Markus Bell)
Life

Cambodian 'food archaeologist' saves one dish at a time

Like many good foodie stories, chef's rise to fame starts with missing home

24 June 2023
Viktor Korotov came to Japan as a refugee in March. (Photo by Hideki Yoshikawa)
Ukraine war

Displaced Ukrainian chef treats Japanese to homegrown dishes

Chef Viktor Kolotov introduces host country to tastes from war-torn nation

22 June 2023
A nighttime scene along Mumbai's Mohammed Ali Road, a popular street food destination. A growing array of tours are being developed to highlight the city's diversity. © Getty Images
Life

Mumbai tour boom reveals startling diversity

India's second city is home to much more than finance and Bollywood movies

18 June 2023
The eastern Indian city of Kolkata is home to over 9,000 sweets stores, ranging from popular chains to tiny mom and pop shops.
Life

Kolkata makes mark as sweetest spot in South Asia

Bengali cuisine famed for its unique sugary dishes

16 June 2023
Canal No. 1 was completed in the Meiji era (1868-1912) was built to revive Kyoto, which had fallen on hard times after the capital was relocated to Tokyo. (Photo by Kazuki Kagaya)
Travel & Leisure

Lake Biwa Canal Cruise in Japan adds multilingual app

Trip down historic canal offers tourists new way to enjoy Kyoto area

11 June 2023
Local chefs are helping raise awareness -- and the popularity -- of indigenous Taiwanese cuisine. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Embers Restaurant, Bulaubulau, John Krich)
Life

Taiwan chefs go back to island's roots

Foraged and indigenous cuisine moves up the menu

8 June 2023