My birthday wish this year was simple: to escape the suffocating crowds of Shanghai and bask in the fresh air, blue skies and wide-open spaces of the Chinese countryside. Fortunately for me, my birthday wish came true. “Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with …
Asia
Hanoi is one of the most vibrant and exciting places I’ve visited. The food is fantastic, the people are friendly, and there is so much to get up to. I honestly can’t wait to visit Vietnam again, especially as there’s so much more to see, you can explore Vietnam for a month and still not …
Strange Weather in Tokyo is a cultural examination of post-war Japan packaged into a touching, life-affirming love story for the ages. The twentieth century, and the end of World War II, saw a global shift in culture, technology, and economics never before experienced. One of the places hit hardest by this was Japan, which previously had …
For so many of us, there’s nothing more soothing and warming than relaxing in a cosy cafe, nursing a coffee, and losing hours to a thrilling novel. There’s something about a cafe atmosphere that enhances the experience of reading, making a memory of the experience. And that goes double for book cafes. A book cafe …
Claiming this is the best place to stay in Tokyo is a bold one. yes, this is a city brimming with world-class accommodation but Book and Bed certainly belongs up there with the best. Books, travelling, and sleeping are my three favourite things. And Japan is my favourite country, full of wonderful arts and culture …
With the rise of tour sites like Oh my Oppa and the huge surge in the popularity of Kdramas, the idea of dating a Korean has become idealised. However, it’s handy to know that there are some key differences in dating styles between North America and Korea. As always, what may seem normal in one culture may …
Across Asia, women writers are changing the literary landscape by pointing a finger at the patriarchy, by writing clever and innovative genre fiction, by highlighting their unique histories and politics, and this creating exciting and thrilling literature. Here, we have been very excited to create a list of comics and graphic novels by, who we …
The subject of history is one that concerns politics, economics, and philosophy. Lessons from the past teach us how to proceed into the future. And yet, for so long, books on history have been simply that. Recently, however, a trend has emerged amongst historians: experts in world events of the past have taken to writing …
Kamakura is a small, historically-rich, quaint little town that sits an hour south of Tokyo, on the other side of Yokohama. It is one of the most popular day-trip destinations for residents of Tokyo (see our other favourite day trips here) and tourists hoping to see more of the old ‘samurai Japan’ that we often …
For a long time now, I’ve had a passion for unique and elegant fashion pieces. In the past that meant having a wardrobe full of vintage pieces that I’d pair with high street finds, but these days my priorities have changed somewhat. Thrift store or vintage store shopping has never been a particularly popular choice …