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☆ I took a luxurious sightseeing train in Japan for just $12. The stunning views weren't even the best part.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-12 | by ( Anna Staropoli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I paid $12 to take a luxurious sightseeing train in Japan from Nara to Kyoto. Because I was traveling solo, I had to purchase two twin seats, sold as a pair. The train had comfortable plush chairs, a café, a reading nook, and a bidet in the bathroom. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . The Kintetsu Railway's Sightseeing Limited Express "Aoniyoshi" train connects Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto and makes train travel stylish and convenient.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Kintetsu, Business Locations: Japan, Nara, Kyoto, Osaka

☆ Bukchon Hanok Village: South Korea to set visitor curfew for historic district to crackdown on tourists
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Known for its picturesque and well-preserved traditional Korean houses called “hanok,” Bukchon Hanok Village is one of Seoul’s most popular tourist hot spots – attracting thousands of visitors every day. But tourists greatly outnumber residents and complaints about noise, littering and privacy issues in the vicinity have escalated over the years. Located in the Jongno district in downtown Seoul, Bukchon sits near other cultural landmarks like the Jongmyo royal ancestral shrine and the grand Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces. In a bid to ease tensions and control crowds, district officials will start to restrict tourist access to the popular village from as early as October this year. Out-of-control tourists have been especially problematic in Kyoto, one of Japan’s most popular tourist cities, famed for its iconic Gion geisha district.

Persons: Rhee Soo, Lee Youn, ” Lee, Overtourism, Sindere, “, ”, Emma Hägg Organizations: South Korea CNN, CNN, Tourists Locations: Seoul, South Korea, throngs, Jongno, Bukchon, South Korea’s, Korea, Barcelona, Italy’s, Venice, Japan, Mount Fuji, Kyoto, Sweden, Swedish

☆ 3 big mistakes people traveling to Japan make, according to someone who's visited 11 times
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Maria Noyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewOut of the 34 countries travel blogger Grace Cheng has visited, none has left such a lasting impression than Japan. AdvertisementCheng first visited Japan in 2017, and she's gone 11 times since then. "Tokyo is not Japan," Cheng said. "The best way to experience the streets and just get to know the country itself is just to get lost," Cheng said. "The best restaurants that I've found have come from stumbling upon them just walking the streets," she said.

Persons: —, Grace Cheng, Cheng, she's, Sean Pavone, MIXA, it's, Rasmus Jurkatam, I've Organizations: Service, Business, International Trade Administration, Google Locations: Japan, NYC, Kyoto, Tokyo, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Osaka

☆ ‘Eat until you’re bankrupt’: Why Osaka is called the ‘kitchen of Japan’
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-07 | by ( Richard Quest | Joe Minihane | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Osaka, Japan CNN —Let’s be honest. Food is practically a religion in Osaka, which is now anticipating the global spotlight as it gears up to host Expo 2025. It is known as the kitchen of Japan, and, for foodies, any tour of its myriad culinary delights must start in Dotonbori. Like so many parts of Japan, Osaka is obsessed with baseball. The club began life in 1936 and briefly played as the Osaka Tigers, before reverting to Hanshin, the city 20 minutes west, where it plays at Koshien Stadium.

Persons: Japan CNN —, Osaka hasn’t, Craig Ferguson, Junko Ogura, “, Junko, Osakans, who’ve, Metin, ’ ”, Long, ”, Sanders, Takada, ” Takada Organizations: Japan CNN, Osaka, CNN, Getty, Hanshin Tigers, Osaka Tigers, Koshien, Tigers, Japan, Hardcore, “ Hanshin Tigers Locations: Osaka, Japan, Kyoto, Dotonbori, Nipponbashi, Namba, Tokyo, Kobe, Anadolu, Hanshin, men’s, Finland, Estonia, ” Tokyo

☆ I spent $38,000 to take my toy poodle on a private jet to Japan. I want to plan a trip for my other dogs next.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-30 | by ( Faye Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The second trip came with a significantly higher price tag of $38,000. Gladys TsoiOur first trip to Japan included two other poodle friends, while our second trip in April 2024 was a family affair with my parents and brother. For the second trip, we opted for a private jet both ways. Gladys TsoiOur second trip, which took place in April, lasted 8 days and covered 10 prefectures. Our road trip took us through Fukuoka, Oita, Yufuin, Kumamoto, Beppu, Nagasaki, Yanagawa, Sasebo, and Itoshima.

Persons: —, Gladys Tsoi, we'd, splurging, Hershey, Milo, mutt, Mount Fuji, Tsoi, Mount Aso, I'm Organizations: Service, Business, Hong Kong International Airport, Hershey, Japan, Mount, Korean Air, Japan Airlines Locations: Hong Kong, Japan, Malibu, Tokyo, Hakuba, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Izu, Seoul, Inumo Shibakoen, Shibuya, Mount Omuro, Kyushu, Fukuoka, Oita, Yufuin, Kumamoto, Beppu, Nagasaki, Yanagawa, Sasebo, Nampuro, Milo

☆ ‘Miss AI’ beauty pageant and the complicated quest for the ‘perfect’ woman
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-27 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

None of these women are real — everything about them, even the emotion that flickers across their faces, is generated by artificial intelligence (AI), for the world’s first ever AI beauty pageant. Fanvue World AI Creator AwardsEach of the contestants has a unique and distinctive personality, as well as face. But, echoing the reality of most modern Miss USA beauty pageant winners since the competition’s inception in 1921, most are White, thin and have long hair and symmetrical features, detailed Hilary Levey Friedman — a sociologist and author of “Here She Is: The Complicated Reign of the Beauty Pageant in America” — in a phone interview. Fanvue World AI Creator AwardsCreators of these AI models add that the technology itself is not necessarily the problem. Fanvue World AI Creator Awards“Influencers are just behind a screen,” Mohammad Talha Saray, one of Seren Ay’s creators, said.

Persons: ” Dr Kerry McInerney, Lalina, Turkey’s, Kemal Ataturk, Anne Kerdi, Zara Shatavari, Hilary Levey Friedman, Aiyana, McInerney, “ They’re, they’re, they’re compling, ” Aiyla Lou, “ DALL, Furkan Sahin, Seren, ”, Sally, Ann Fawcett, “ there’s, “, ” Fawcett, Asena, Sahin, Sofía, ” Eliza Khan, Levey Friedman, “ There’s, Merriam, Novales, Aitana, Lil Miquela, Calvin Klein, ” Mohammad Talha Saray, there’s, Anne Kerdi’s, Sébastien Keranvran, Anne, ” Anne Kerdi, Anne goodnight, Fanvue, it’s Organizations: CNN, Leverhulme Centre, Intelligence, University of Cambridge, Pageant, America ”, Miss, Prada Locations: French, Kyoto, Japan, Brittany, France, Miss USA, America, Brazil, Morocco

☆ London’s Kew Gardens Has Long Links to Japan. Now the Emperor Is Set to Visit.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-25 | by ( Megan Specia | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Emperor Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, of Japan visit Kew Gardens on Thursday as part of a state visit to Britain, the links between their island nation and the famed London landmark will be on full display. Dotted through the botanic gardens’ 330 acres are constant reminders of that longstanding relationship. Nearby, gravel neatly raked into waves and swirls surrounded by Japanese plant species evokes a traditional tea garden. Dignitaries and heads of state from many countries regularly stop by Kew Gardens during official tours, joining the crowds that account for roughly 2.3 million visits annually at one of London’s most popular tourist destinations. But, for the emperor and empress, the site will perhaps hold even more relevance.

Persons: Emperor Naruhito, Masako Organizations: Kew, Kew Gardens Locations: Japan, Britain, London, Japanese, Kyoto

☆ Japanese hotel accused of canceling Israeli guest’s reservation because of ‘war crimes’
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-24 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A hotel in the Japanese city of Kyoto allegedly canceled an Israeli tourist’s reservation because of “war crimes,” drawing criticism from local officials who said it violated regulations. The traveler who received the Whatsapp messages made an initial complaint to the Israeli embassy in Tokyo. The Israeli embassy says it would appreciate an apology from the hotel but will not pursue any legal action over the allegation. Since then, more than 37,000 people have been killed in Gaza by Israeli military offensives, according to Gaza health authorities. A United Nations inquiry this month found that both Israel and Hamas have committed war crimes amid the war in Gaza.

Persons: ”, Ido Bromberg, Bromberg, “, ” Bromberg, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Rinka Tonsho Organizations: CNN, Embassy, Israeli Defense Forces, Israel’s, El, United Nations Locations: Kyoto, Gaza, Tokyo, Israel, Palestine, “, Japan, Tel Aviv, Israeli

☆ Nvidia CEO: One of the most 'profound learnings in my life' came from a gardener—how it made me successful
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-15 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Jensen Huang's biggest career lesson didn't come from a mentor or a fellow tech CEO. "I used to work from one of our international sites for one month each summer," Huang, the billionaire co-founder and CEO of computer chip company Nvidia, said during a commencement speech at the California Institute of Technology on Friday. While there, Huang came across a man working in a vast garden. Their interaction was brief, but the gardener's words became one of the "most profound learnings in my life," Huang said. This gardener has dedicated himself to his craft and doing his life's work.

Persons: Jensen, didn't, Huang Organizations: Nvidia, California Institute of Technology Locations: Japan, Kyoto

☆ Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki, credited with fusing East with West, has died at 95
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Tokyo (AP) — Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki, who won the prestigious Pritzker Prize for designs praised as smartly and artfully fusing the East with the West, has died. Maki, who taught architecture and urban design at Harvard, died June 6, his office, Maki & Associates, said Wednesday. A devoted educator, Maki, in addition to teaching at Washington University, Harvard and the University of Tokyo, lectured around the world. Maki, along with fellow Tange students Arata Isozaki and Kisho Kurokawa, were the pillars of Japanese modernism. The Pritzker, in selecting Maki, praised him as part of a new wave of architects rebuilding postwar Japan.

Persons: Fumihiko Maki, Pritzker, Maki, Mark Lennihan, Zaha Hadid, Kengo Kuma, Skidmore Owings, St . Louis, oku, ” Maki, “, Kenzo Tange, Arata Isozaki, Kisho Kurokawa, Bill Lacy, Arnold Brunner Organizations: Tokyo, Harvard, Associates, National Museum of Modern Art, Yerba Buena Center, Arts, Trade, Trade Center, Pritzker, University of Tokyo, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Skidmore, Jackson & Associates, Washington University, Washington University , Harvard, MIT Press, American Academy of Arts, American Institute of Architects, AIA Locations: Kyoto, U.S, San Francisco, New York, Chiba, Japan, Hillside, Tokyo, Manhattan, British, Iraqi, Michigan, Merrill, Chicago, Sert, Cambridge, St ., Israel

☆ Shibuya City: Tokyo neighborhood to ban drinking in public places
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The measure, which is expected to take effect in October, will see drinking alcohol forbidden on streets or public places in Shibuya from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. every day. Shibuya City, which is a self-governed district within Tokyo, can make its own local regulations. Last fall, Shibuya banned Halloween-related activities in the district, with alcohol cited as a main reason behind the prohibition. That included a ban on drinking alcohol outside of bars and restaurants. Local Gion residents have also taken some measures themselves, such as blocking off private alleys.

Persons: Ken Hasebe, Hasebe, overtourism, ” Organizations: CNN, Shibuya, overtourism, Local Locations: Shibuya, Japan, Shibuya City, Tokyo, Meiji, Kyoto

☆ Japanese store near Mount Fuji issues apology in response to overtourism
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Lawson’s, one of Japan’s largest convenience store chains, has an outpost in the small town of Fujikawaguchiko. Tourists have flooded into Fujikawaguchiko to take one specific picture – a shot of Mount Fuji behind a Lawson’s store, where the mountain’s classic elegance contrasts with the store’s modern neon signage. Although Lawson’s has not encouraged visitors to take pictures of their store, the company nevertheless issued a statement addressing the issue on May 5. Many of them headed to the same destinations, crowding Kyoto’s narrow streets and the walking trails of Mount Fuji. And Lawson’s is not the only Japanese tourist destination that has resorted to putting up signs warning visitors of bad behaviors.

Persons: Fuji –, Lawson’s, Lawson, –, overtourism, Fujikawaguchiko, Semans Organizations: CNN, Fuji, Mount Fuji, ”, Mount, UNESCO Locations: Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi prefecture, –, Japan, Mount, Yamanashi

☆ Super-aged Japan now has 9 million vacant homes. And that’s a problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Chris Lau | Mayumi Maruyama | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“This is a symptom of Japan’s population decline,” said Jeffrey Hall, a lecturer at Kanda University of International Studies in Chiba. “It’s not really a problem of building too many houses” but “a problem of not having enough people,” he said. According to figures compiled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, 14% of all residential properties in Japan are vacant. “When an earthquake or a tsunami occurs, there is a possibility that vacant houses will block evacuation routes as they break down and get destroyed,” he said. In other rural areas with a high concentration of vacant houses, akiya have stalled development, the professor said.

Persons: ”, Jeffrey Hall, “ It’s, don’t, Akio Kon, it’s, “ They’re, Buddhika Weerasinghe, Yuki Akiyama, Akiyama, ” Akiyama Organizations: CNN, Kanda University of International Studies, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Kanda University, “, Bloomberg, Getty, Ministry, Internal Affairs, Communications, Tokyo City University, Homes Locations: Japan, New York City, Tokyo, Kyoto, Chiba, Kanda, Yato, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa prefecture, Tambasasayama, Noto, Ishikawa, Europe, West, “

☆ Japan’s Kansai International Airport says it hasn’t lost a single piece of baggage in 30 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —While Singapore and Doha’s airports compete against each other for the title of “world’s best,” another aviation hub is focusing on a different achievement. Japan’s Kansai International Airport (KIX) is marking 30 years without losing a single piece of luggage. In a press statement, Japan’s seventh busiest airport said that it had not lost any passenger bags since opening in September 1994. It’s worth noting that according to the airport, their baggage handlers and ground staff have never lost a bag. Timely baggage arrival is just one of the factors looked at when naming a “world’s best” airport.

Persons: “, ” Kenji Takanishi, ”, CNN’s Mai Nishiyama Organizations: CNN, International, Haneda Locations: Singapore, Kansai, KIX, Osaka Bay, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Tokyo, Narita

☆ Airlines That Offer 'Stopover' Programs, Some With Free Hotels
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Airlines capitalize on this trend with "stopover" programs, some even offering free hotels and food. Airlines have jumped on this growing trend with built-in "stopover" programs, which can come with free or discounted hotels, excursions, transportation, and food at the layover destination. Essentially, you can't intentionally book a longer layover to quality for the free stopover hotel. Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty ImagesSingapore Airlines' stopover program is available via the multi-city tool, similar to other carriers, where travelers can add hotels, transfers, and activities. Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesTurkish Airlines' stopover program gives economy travelers a one-night free hotel stay and business flyers a two-night free stay if the period between their connecting flights in Istanbul exceeds 20 hours.

Persons: —, Robert Smith, Markus Mainka, Liang Xu, Nicolas Economou, Thomas Mukoya, Suparat, Finnair, Shutterstock Icelandair, Marcio Rodrigo Machado, Bauer, Griffin, Alexi Rosenfeld, CHARLY TRIBALLEAU, Massimo Insabato, It's, Matheus Organizations: Service, Airlines, Travelers, An Air Canada Boeing, Getty Images Air, Air France, KLM Air France, KLM, Air, China Southern Airlines, China Southern Airlines Airbus, Getty Images China Southern Airlines, Copa Airlines AP Copa Airlines, Copa, Emirates, Emirates Airbus, Getty Images Emirates, Dubai Connect, Ethiopian Airlines Ethiopian Airlines, Reuters Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Etihad Airways Airbus, Shutterstock.com Etihad Airways, Fiji Airways Fiji Airways, Shutterstock Fiji Airways, Iberia Airbus, Japan, Japan Airlines Boeing, Japan Airlines, Latam Airlines Boeing, Latam Airlines, Hotels, An Oman Air, Getty Images Oman Air, Qantas, Getty, JAL, Oneworld, Qatar Airways, Qatar Airways Boeing, Getty Images Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian Airlines Royal Jordanian Airlines Boeing, Getty Images Royal Jordanian Airlines, Air Lines, Swiss International Air Lines Airbus, Getty Images Swiss, Singapore Airlines, Airbus, Getty Images Singapore Airlines, Portugal, TAP Air Portugal Airbus, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines, Turkish Airlines Airbus, Getty Images Turkish Airlines Locations: Getty Images Air Canada, Canada, Air France, Xinhua, Panama, Panama City, Emirates, Dubai, UAE, Addis Ababa, Abu Dhabi, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific, Helsinki, Iberia, Iberia Airbus Iberia, Madrid, Icelandair, Reykjavik, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, São Paulo, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Recife, Manaus, Curitiba, Belem, Oman, Muscat, layover, Bangkok, San Francisco, AFP, Switzerland, Singapore, Lisbon, Porto, Portuguese, Azores, Madeira, Istanbul

☆ A 33-year-old man turned a Japanese farmhouse into a mountainside Airbnb retreat for $25,000 — here's how he did it
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Claire Turrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewSingaporean Xian Jie Lee, 33, moved to Japan in 2012 to study political science. Xian Jie LeeShu told Lee that he could rent a farmhouse in a village called Ryujinmura. "I removed the tatami (traditional straw floor covering) in the inner room and fell through the floor," Lee said. Xian Jie LeeWhile renovating the guesthouse, Lee turned his own home into a café three days a week to earn extra income. Xian Jie LeeLee has also been able to participate in unique experiences himself.

Persons: —, Jie Lee, Lee, Shu, Wayakama, Xian Jie Lee Shu, who'd, shoji, Lance Yeo, Xian Jie Lee, he'd, Xian Jie Lee Lee Organizations: Service, Business, YouTube Locations: Japan, Kyoto, Wakayama, Singapore

☆ What’s your single best tip for traveling in Japan? Here’s what frequent visitors said
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-07 | by ( Oliver Horovitz | Mike Cappetta | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

To help travelers bridge the cultural gap, CNBC Travel asked frequent visitors for their single best piece of advice when visiting Japan. The staff at Kinkos — located in all major cities in Japan — will walk you through the whole process. Be sure to only pack and wear your best (clean and hole-free) socks while in Japan. She has made nine trips to Japan, on top of spending her middle and high school years in Yokosuka. — Miles Ashton, a Chicago-based entrepreneur who has made more than 10 trips to Japan, including a nine-month stint living in Tokyo.

Persons: — Tyler Monahan, it's, Henry Rose, Oliver Horovitz, — Henry Rose, Horovitz's, —, — Oliver Horovitz, Tina Horne, Istock, Lawson, Noriko Hayashi, I've, — Jeffrey Cole, you'd, I'd, — Miles Ashton Organizations: CNBC Travel, Staff, Bloomberg, Getty, Tokyu Locations: Japan, — Tyler Monahan , New Jersey, Osaka, Tokyo, Seattle, Kyoto, — Oliver Horovitz , New York City, Aspen , Colorado, Yokosuka, Hokkaido, — Jeffrey Cole , Colorado, Miyakojima, Akihabara, Chicago

☆ China's Nio to expand battery swap services to gain an edge on EV infrastructure
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Pictured here is a Nio battery swapping station in Haikou, Hainan province, China, on May 9, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesBEIJING — Chinese electric car company Nio has been expanding its battery swap partnerships in a bid to gain an edge on the infrastructure side of the EV ecosystem. Nio also announced agreements earlier this year to work with two local battery companies on battery swap services. While having a large network of battery charging stations helps address those concerns, battery swapping is a faster method as it takes only a few minutes. CLSA's Luo said businesses also prefer to invest in normal charging stations than swap stations because they make a higher return.

Persons: Nio, —, JAC —, Ding Luo, Shen Fei, Shen, it's, Le, William Li, Shay Natarajan, Luo, Ford Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Chery, CNBC, Battery, Nissan, Sino Auto, Mobility Impact Partners, General Motors Locations: Haikou, Hainan province, China, BEIJING, U.S, San Francisco, Kyoto, Japan, Madrid, Spain, Europe, North America

☆ Opinion: If Marjorie Taylor Greene wins on Ukraine aid, we’re headed for dangerous territory
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Julian Zelizer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia is the new boss in town. Greene is intent on blocking funding to Ukraine — a massive blow to both NATO and the US’ own commitment to the post-World War II international order. This standoff demonstrates just how far the Republican Party has moved from the era of Ronald Reagan. Long before Greene, a growing number of Republicans began expressing increased skepticism toward international institutions like the United Nations. With Greene keeping Johnson’s feet to the fire when it comes to aid to Ukraine, the GOP’s revolution is almost complete.

Persons: Julian Zelizer, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Greene, ” Greene, —, we’ve, Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Long, “, John Bolton, New York “, Jesse Helms of, George W, Bush, Saddam, Frances’s Jacques Chirac, Donald Trump, Bush’s, Putin, Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, Trump, MAGA Organizations: CNN, Princeton University, The New York Times, America, CNN — Republican, Republican, Ukraine, NATO, Republican Party, Soviet, United Nations, GOP, Republicans, UN, Senate Foreign, Iraq, Trump, Caucus Locations: Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Ukraine, United, United States, New York, Jesse Helms of North Carolina, Kyoto, Iraq, Russia, Helsinki, America

☆ Jimmy Kimmel says his trip to Japan last week made him realize that the US is a 'filthy and disgusting country'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewLate-night host Jimmy Kimmel said observing hygiene standards in Japan has drastically changed his perspective of cleanliness in the US, and joked that he's "never felt dirtier" in his home country. Kimmel said on Tuesday evening episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" that before going to Japan on a seven-day family trip, he thought the US was "pretty buttoned-up" despite having areas for improvement. "But now, after traveling to Japan, I realize that this place, this USA we're always chanting about, is a filthy and disgusting country," he said. In 2019, a Japanese toll operator installed public toilets on the Central Nippon Expressway that could measure driver fatigue. Kimmel is one of tens of millions to recently visited Japan on holiday.

Persons: —, Jimmy Kimmel, Kimmel, loos, Garner's, I've Organizations: Service, Business, Central Nippon, Japanese, Germany, FIFA Locations: Japan, USA, Tokyo, Kyoto

☆ In Kyoto, Five Hotels to Add to Your Travel Wish List
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( John Wogan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Andre Fu, the interior designer behind hotels like the Upper House in Hong Kong and Villa La Coste in Aix-en-Provence, France, has infused his signature aesthetic (extravagantly refined, with warm woods and luxurious textures) within the confines of a particularly historic area of Kyoto. The 161-room Mitsui, opened in late 2020, sits across from Nijo Castle, an enormous 17th-century compound and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s in stark contrast to the hotel, whose only timeworn element is an imposing entrance gate — a traditional wood structure over 300 years old and a remnant of the days when the Mitsui family lived on the grounds. Once past the gate, you’ll find a glass-and-steel building, designed by the Japanese architect Akira Kuryu, and landscaping that’s meant to echo the original garden pathways of the Mitsui residence, planted with cherry trees and steppingstones that meander above a glassy pond. Rooms from about $1,360 a night.

Persons: Andre Fu, Villa, Mitsui, Akira Kuryu, Tetsuya Asano Organizations: Villa La Coste, Mitsui, UNESCO, Ritz Paris Locations: Hong Kong, Aix, Provence, France, Kyoto, Nijo

☆ Red rice yeast: Japan orders recall of ‘beni koji’ products over suspected link to four deaths
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Himari Semans | Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

All three supplements contain “beni koji” - rice fermented with red yeast – an ingredient said to lower cholesterol levels that is traditionally used in food seasoning and preservation, and rice wine production. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s website says its beni koji products use a strain of bacteria in fermentation that does not produce citrinin. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday said the government was investigating the deaths and the suspected link to beni koji, adding it was prepared to act. Across the Taiwan Strait, the island’s Food and Drug Administration ordered distributors to suspend the import of more than 150 products containing beni koji, including those made by Kobayashi. And in Singapore, authorities recalled a sparkling sake, a type of rice wine, by Kyoto-based Takara Shuzo, which uses beni koji in its production.

Persons: Kobayashi, beni koji, Benikoji, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s, “, Fumio Kishida, ”, Takara Shuzo, beni Organizations: Tokyo CNN, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Wednesday, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, CNN, Weibo, Drug Administration Locations: Japan’s, Osaka, beni, Asia, China, Japan, Taiwan Strait, Singapore, Kyoto

☆ Asia’s 50 best restaurants for 2024 revealed
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —After losing the number one spot to Bangkok in 2023, Tokyo has reclaimed its crown as the city with the top eatery in the region at the annual Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards, which were announced in Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday evening. The list – part of the global “World’s 50 Best” brand – is compiled by the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, which is made up of more than 300 food critics, writers, chefs and restaurateurs, all selected for their knowledge of Asia’s restaurant scene. Though Singapore didn’t have any restaurants in the top five, nine of its venues made the top 50 list – more than any other city. Courtesy The World's 50 BestThe “Asia’s Best Female Chef” award went to Pichaya ‘Pam’ Soontornyanakij, owner of Bangkok restaurant Potong, which came in at 17 on this year’s list. Mineko Kato of restaurant Faro in Tokyo won the Asia’s Best Pastry Chef award and Kevin Lu of Logy, in Taipei, was voted Asia’s Best Sommelier.

Persons: Daniel Calvert, Calvert, “, ”, Sézanne, I’ve, we’d, Gaggan, Seroja, Gaggan Anand, Thitid “, Sühring, Le Du –, Ton, Bangkok –, Odette, Pichaya, Pam ’ Soontornyanakij, Ton’s Nusara, Mineko Kato, Kevin Lu, Logy, Sung Anh, Mosu, Danny Yip, Hong, Le, Fu, Hui, Samrub, Villa, Ling Long, Ando, Les Amis, Baan, Goh, Anan, Tam’s Organizations: CNN, Marunouchi, Restaurants Academy, Hospitality, Toyo, Meta, Studio, Bund Locations: Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul, South Korea, Japan, France’s Champagne, Maronouchi, Asia, ”, Kolkata, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thai, ” Singapore, Faro, Taipei, Nusara, Suhring, Osaka, Odette, Sorn, Le Du, Potong, Shanghai, Logy, Masque, Mumbai, Manila, Delhi, Seroja, Taichung, Taiwan, Mume, Wakayama, Lolla, Avartana, Chennai, India, Fukuoka, Jakarta, Kyoto, Anan Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Macao

☆ Japan's yen hits 34-year-low, heating talk of intervention
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Japanese 1,000 yen, 5,000 yen and 10,000 yen banknotes arranged in Kyoto, Japan, on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. The contradictions in Japan's efforts to protect the yen while slowing the pace of rising bond yields are becoming increasingly clear in currency and debt markets. The yen was last at 151.22 against the dollar at 10:19 a.m. London time after paring back some losses. The yen hit a 34-year-low on Wednesday, weakening as much as 151.97 against the U.S. dollar and fueling market questions over potential government intervention to prop the Japanese currency. "There is now a higher chance of Japanese FX intervention.

Persons: Kentaro Takahashi, Shunichi Suzuki, Masato Kanda, Kanda Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, U.S ., Bank of Japan, Financial Services Agency, Reuters, FX, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Bank of America Global Research Locations: Kyoto, Japan, London

☆ Gardens of Stone, Moss, Sand: 4 Moments of Zen in Kyoto
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Paula Deitz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Once, when the Buddha was asked to preach about a flower he was presented, he instead “gazed at it in silence,” according to the British garden designer Sophie Walker in her book “The Japanese Garden.” In this spiritual moment Zen Buddhism was born, inspiring the serene and eternal dry or rock gardens called karesansui. Unlike a garden designed for strolling, which directs visitors along a defined path to take in scenic views and teahouses, a dry garden is viewed while seated on a veranda above, offering the heightened experience of traveling through it in the imagination, revealing its essence in meditation.

Persons: Sophie Walker Locations: British

Search resuls for: "KYOTO"

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