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Ollie Poole

‘To the ruler, the people are heaven; to the people, food is heaven.’ —Ancient Chinese Proverb Food is heaven in Chinese culture. Visit any of China’s twenty-two provinces shows and you are sure to find food spilling out of restaurants, bars and street stalls at scintillating speed. China is a country that treats us to …

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For so many reasons, modern life is full of stresses and anxiety is at an all-time high. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, whatever your age or your job, you need downtime. You need relaxation, introspection, and peace. For a lot of us, one key ingredient in a relaxation cocktail is lofi music. For music …

Read More about An Intro to Lofi (Top 6 Chill Japanese Lofi Playlists)

The Japanese izakaya is, to put it simply, Japan’s answer to a British pub. Famed for delicious Japanese drinks and jaw-dropping Japanese food, Japanese izakaya are places that buzz with life and laughter; the perfect place to while away an evening with friends. Spend time with your colleagues after work; sip on cheap local drinks …

Read More about A Complete Guide To Japanese Izakaya (居酒屋)

‘Wrapped up in our hectic lives, there’s something soothing about reading a narrative that has nowhere to be.’ Guest Post courtesy of Osusume Books The narratives found in Japanese literature have a unique power to heal the minds of its readers. A tough day of work ends. It’s time to flush the stress out of your …

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Cult icon. Literary superpower. Global phenomenon. These are just some of the words used to describe Japanese author Haruki Murakami, whose books have been translated into 50 languages and have infatuated millions of readers worldwide. Yet Murakami might never have written a word without his ‘epiphany’ at a Yakult Swallows baseball game in April 1978.  …

Read More about Early Murakami: Why You Should Read The Rat Trilogy

With captivating cultural, historical and literary stories to tell, touch down in one of these ten Tokyo bookstores and let your inquisitive spirit run free.  The birthplace of the now world-famous contemporary Japanese literature, Tokyo is filled with library-style hotels, writers’ bars, and commuter trains jam-packed with keen readers.  It’s no surprise, then, to discover …

Read More about 10 Beautiful And Obscure Tokyo Bookstores

Korean comfort food is the saviour you’ve been looking for – perfect for getting cosy on a rainy day, dining out with someone special, or trying to forget those tequilas from the night before. If one thing in life is true, it’s that we all need some comfort in our lives right now. What better …

Read More about 10 Best Korean Comfort Food Restaurants (London, UK)

Whether you like to hibernate in a corner with your favourite reads or scour shelves searching for new knowledge – libraries can transport you to another world. Despite the modern emergence of digital over print, libraries retain their aura of significance and continue to be places of happiness and comfort for many people. Dotted on …

Read More about Top 10 Most Stunning Libraries In the World