The Japan Edition

Ristorante Ozio is The Kahala Yokohama’s flagship Italian restaurant, combining skyline views, polished service and an impressive wine programme. While the seasonal cooking is thoughtfully executed, does it offer enough personality and value to justify its premium price tag?

Although Hidatei Hanaougi and Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama sit just across the road from one another in Takayama, they offer surprisingly different experiences. After staying at both properties, we found that Hanaougi is the easier introduction to ryokan luxury, while Bettei Iiyama delivers the more intimate and memorable stay. Here’s how the two compare.

Hidatei Hanaougi offers a gentler introduction to the traditional ryokan experience in Takayama. With spacious rooms, private onsen baths, seasonal kaiseki dining and thoughtful service, it balances Japanese hospitality with the comforts that many international travellers will appreciate.

Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama is a traditional ryokan in Hida Takayama that prioritises personal service over scale. With only 15 guest rooms, dedicated attendants, private onsen baths and seasonal kaiseki dining, it offers one of the most intimate introductions to Japanese hospitality in the region.

Tokyo has no shortage of coffee joints that serve up amazing drips, yet Glitch Coffee Roasters in Ginza still commands lines that snake down the narrow street almost daily. We waited close to an hour on a cool autumn morning - an unusually long time for coffee even by Tokyo's cafe standards. But by the end, the time spent felt justified. Glitch coffee offers our caffeine sustenance, but also a tasting ritual of flavours.

We booked Bellustar directly via GHA, where we are titanium members. Despite our status, there was no room upgrade offered. Value for this = 0 SGD. This must be a first in a GHA property in asia where we were not offered a better room. At check in, we felt extremely rushed. The team seemed extremely keen to just send us up to our room and we didn't feel as though we were given a proper brief of the hotel and its facilities or what to expect. We were just whisked away to our r

Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu in Kyoto's Pontoncho is the original shop of Japan's largest gyukatsu (beef cutlet) chain and the place that turned sizzling, pink centered beef katsu into a craze. Katsugyu opened in 2014 in this little shop in Pontocho, the narrow alley along the Kamo River known for traditional tea houses and strict tenancy rules. The brand's idea was to take the familiar tonkatsu format and swap pork for carefully sourced beef, cooked medium rare as Japanese Gyukat

Nominokoji Yamagishi in Kyoto is a casual yet refined dining experience that reflects the essence of its parent restaurant, the renowned Michelin-starred Tominokoji Yamagishi. This newer establishment opened in July 2022 to meet the demand of those who find it difficult to secure reservations at Tominokoji Yamagishi or for those who prefer a more relaxed a-la carte style setting. For us, Nominokoji Yamagishi is a completely different dining concept, and one for those who woul

Weekenders Coffee in Kyoto is renowned globally as one of the top specialty coffee roasters, consistently appearing on the lists of the best roasters worldwide. So since we were in the area, we needed to visit. The roastery is housed in a beautifully restored traditional machiya and has an absolutely gorgeous old Japanese shopfront, lending the space a quiet and beautiful peace and elegance.

The Hilton Kyoto is located in the Kawaramachi Sanjo district, which makes it a highly accessible area to key tourist locations as well as shopping. It is conveniently placed along Kawara-Machi street and walkable to the downtown Shijo area, Kamagawa River, Gion and Ponto Cho. We found it to be a fantastic base for exploring Kyoto. The building itself is gorgeous, once you walk in, you see these high panels of wood that reminds you of a calm modern meditation ground.

Ramen Tatsunoya in Shinjuku is one of those places where the line outside tells you almost everything you need to know. This is going to be a serious bowl of tonkotsu and tsukemen. Tatsunoya actually started in Kurume, Fukuoka, the birthplace of tonkotsu ramen before expanding to Tokyo. Here, the space is compact, counter style, with just 2 tables of 4 and completely no frills. Like alot of ramen shops in Japan, it is built around speed and focus on the bowl in front of you r

Rokumei Coffee Tokyo Station branch is a relatively new addition to Tokyo Station. Opening in Jul 2024, it is located in GRANSTA Marunouchi. The cafe is open from 7 am all the way till 10 pm, which makes it great for those who are travelling via Tokyo Station.