Alex Miller– Author –
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The Art of the Fake Feast: How Japan’s Plastic Food Became a National Obsession
Walk down almost any commercial street in Japan, from a bustling Tokyo shotengai to a quiet lane in a provincial town, and you’ll see them. Gleaming in glass display cases, arranged with geometric precision, are perfect plates of food. A... -
Waking Up the Body: Japan’s Ritual of Foraging for Spring’s Bitterness
When you think of spring in Japan, your mind probably leaps to cherry blossoms. You picture seas of pale pink petals, picnics under blooming trees, and maybe a sakura-flavoured latte. It’s a beautiful, gentle, almost sweet image of the s... -
The Heartbeat of the Neighborhood: Why Japan’s Shotengai Are More Than Just Streets
Walk out of any major train station in Japan, and you’ll likely be greeted by a familiar landscape of gleaming department stores, minimalist Apple outlets, and global fashion brands. The streets are wide, the buildings are tall, and the ... -
The Silent Salesman: What Japan’s Vending Machines Reveal About Its Soul
You see your first one moments after stepping out of the airport. It stands under the fluorescent lights of a train platform, humming quietly, a perfect grid of illuminated choices. It’s just a drink machine, you think. Nothing special. ... -
Guardians of the Glow: How Vending Machines Define Japan’s Urban Landscape
You asked me what single object encapsulates Japan for me, and I know you were probably expecting something like a temple gate, a perfectly sculpted bonsai, or maybe a bowl of ramen. Those are all valid, of course. But for me, the most h... -
Velvet Seats and Neon Dreams: Inside the Time-Capsule World of Japan’s Showa Kissaten
Step through a modest doorway, away from the relentless polish of modern Tokyo or Osaka. The air changes instantly. It grows quieter, thicker, scented with stale cigarette smoke, dark-roast coffee, and something vaguely sweet. Your eyes ... -
The Garden Without Walls: Japan’s Ingenious Philosophy of Borrowed Scenery
You’re standing in a Japanese garden, a space so perfectly composed it feels like a dream. Every rock is placed with intention, the moss is a carpet of deep green velvet, and a stone lantern stands silent guard over a trickling stream. I... -
The Engawa: Japan’s Vanishing Space Where Inside Meets Out
Someone once asked me to describe the most quintessentially Japanese space I could think of. My mind didn't jump to a neon-drenched Tokyo crossing or a serene Kyoto temple. It went somewhere much quieter, somewhere humbler. I thought of ... -
The Silent Symphony: How Japan’s Fake Food Became a True Art Form
Walk down almost any commercial street in Japan, and you'll see them. They sit in glass boxes outside restaurants, a silent, vibrant testament to the meals served within. A perfect bowl of ramen, steam seemingly rising from its glossy br... -
From Fan to Creator: Inside the Passionate World of Japanese Dojinshi
Walk into the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition centre during Comic Market, and the first thing that hits you isn't a sight, but a sound. It's a low, persistent roar, the sound of half a million people murmuring, shuffling, and page-turning in ... -
Pixelated Bonds: How Purikura Captured the Soul of 90s Japan
Walk through any Tokyo game center today, past the hypnotic rhythm games and the claw machines filled with plush toys, and you’ll likely find a brightly lit corner dedicated to a very specific kind of magic. Here, modern photo booths, wi... -
Demystifying ‘Yohaku no bi’: Why ‘less is more’ is a fundamental Japanese aesthetic, from ancient art to modern web design
Ever found yourself scrolling through a Japanese website and feeling an immediate, almost subconscious sense of calm? Or perhaps you’ve walked into a Muji store and felt your shoulders relax, surrounded by objects that don't scream for y...
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