camille dufour 
Tokyo's winter air turns surprisingly dry, and many residents notice tight, flaking skin within days of the first cold snap. The cause is not only low temperature. A sharp drop in outdoor humidity, combined with indoor heating, pulls moisture from skin faster than most newcomers expect. This catches people off guard, especially those arriving from … Read more
Sanma disappears from Tokyo menus for most of the year, then takes over supermarket counters, festival grills and sushi bars within a matter of weeks. The fish spends spring and summer far offshore before turning south in autumn, and that migration is when the biggest hauls land in Japan. Prices and volumes now swing hard … Read more
Tokyo parks walking is at its finest in the weeks before the famous red and gold of koyo arrive, when the air turns dry and clear and the city holds a perfect, unhurried stillness that feels like a gift shared equally by Paris in September and Kyoto in October. How early autumn changes the outdoor … Read more
Community composting in Tokyo is not yet a city-wide system, but in the quiet way that the best Japanese rituals begin, it starts at the neighborhood level, one designated point, one household at a time. Why community composting matters in Tokyo Tokyo does not have a city-wide compost system yet. That fact may surprise residents … Read more
Mt Fuji climbing is one of Japan’s most deliberate rituals, and the 2026 season closes September 10, leaving Tokyo-based hikers with a final, narrow window to ascend Japan’s most beloved peak with intention and care. What the season closing means for Tokyo hikers Mt Fuji attracts over 300,000 hikers each year to Japan’s highest peak, … Read more
Gluten-free izakaya culture in Tokyo holds the same beauty as a carefully arranged bento: every element has its place, and the ritual of choosing well is itself a pleasure. Understanding the izakaya kitchen The izakaya is Japan’s version of the French brasserie: a warm, informal space built around shared plates, good drinks, and slow conversation. … Read more
A capsule wardrobe rooted in Japanese craft begins not with a shopping list, but with a question: what does it mean to wear something well? Why Japanese textiles suit a seasonless approach Tokyo’s 4 seasons demand versatility. Yet Japanese textile traditions have always understood this. Artisans across Japan have spent centuries developing fabrics that breathe … Read more
Tokyo wellness has always valued the quiet discipline of water, warmth and daily renewal, and today its most exclusive clubs have transformed that philosophy into a private art form. Hills Spa: Roppongi and Ark Hills Hills Spa is a members-only sanctuary located within Roppongi Hills and Ark Hills, offering state-of-the-art fitness facilities, luxurious spa treatments … Read more
Furoshiki wrapping is one of those quiet Japanese arts that arrives in your life and gently changes everything, the way a perfectly folded cloth changes the feeling of a gift. The origins of a living tradition The origins of furoshiki wrapping reach back to the Nara period (710 to 794), when cloths called tsutsumi, meaning … Read more
Scalp treatment is one of Japan’s most careful beauty rituals, and in Tokyo, a growing number of salons now offer this experience entirely in English, so foreign residents can book, communicate, and relax with complete confidence. What a Japanese scalp treatment actually involves A Japanese head spa, often written as ヘッドスパ, is a Japan-born practice … Read more
