Eating Around Okinawa

by Sonali Dutta

The most southern part of Japan, Okinawa is famous for being a “blue zone” and having some of the longest-lived people across the globe. The island group has a unique culture, quite distinct from the rest of Japan, due to their geographical separation and history (some elements of the cuisine can be traced from Ryūkū royalty), that is reflected in the food. For example, the purple sweet potato features heavily in many dishes and rice is relatively recent compared to the rest of Japan. Similarly, due to the American presence, traditionally non-Japanese ingredients such as Spam and fusion dishes like taco rice are common.      

Having been lucky enough to travel to Okinawa’s main island in December 2023 (and also the fortunate discovery of a fantastic Okinawa restaurant in Tokushima!), I was able to sample some of the delicious food first-hand.  

A typical Okinawan lunch set – featuring Goya Champuru (centre) and Umibudo (top centre)

A Day and a bit in Fukuoka City

by Sonali Dutta

Passing between Okayama and Nagasaki last year, I decided to make a trip of my stopover in Fukuoka city. The capital of the prefecture (state) of the same name, this is the largest city on the island of Kyushu (and the sixth most populated in Japan). Fukuoka also some of Japan’s first international exposure through trade with other countries, being one of the closest cities to the Asian mainland. Modern Fukuoka is a merge of castle town Fukuoka and port city Hakata, although the latter remains a distinct part of the area.  

Although I’d only spend a day and a half there, I made the most of the city’s highlights in my brief time and stayed mostly in the Hakata district. What did I get up to in my whirlwind tour of Fukuoka?   

Fukuoka City Museum

Saying hello to the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen

by Sonali Dutta

Iconic of Denmark, this surprisingly small statue is a must-visit on your first visit to the city. Sculptor Edvard Eriksen’s statue has the mermaid staring out to see while sitting on a rock during her transformation into human form. It seems to be compulsory for tourists to make a pilgrimage to see her, so on a sunny April day I made my way to visit.

The Little Mermaid by Edvard Eriksen

Han Christian Andersen’s original tale is a lot darker than the Disneyfied version of the tale – the mermaid (spoiler alert) dies at the end instead of living happily ever after. The prince in the original story marries someone else and, unable to kill him in order to return to her mermaid form, our heroine perishes.

Going for a walk in Berlin

by Sonali Dutta

Berlin’s streets are lined with history, and with a plethora of points of interests and a rich culture, I enjoyed spending a day wandering around this flat city from the old East part to West. I had a few things on my list I definitely wanted to see – Checkpoint Charlie, the Reichstag and Brandenburger Tor – but anything else I was happy to encounter as I went. It would be a challenge to cover everything I experienced during my Berlin flaneur experience, so here are a few standouts.

Deutsches Spionagemuseum – Germany Spy Museum in Berlin

by Sonali Dutta

Think of spies in Germany and you might automatically consider the historic events of the twentieth century. However, this bilingual German-English museum details the history of espionage from as early as Ancient Egypt and spanning across the globe. One of the most fun museums I have ever been to, the Germany Spy Museum (Deutsches Spionagemuseum) is interactive and informative. I would highly recommend spending a morning or afternoon here, and it’s just as entertaining alone or with friends (or should that be fellow secret agents?).

Yayoi Kusama X Louis Vuitton at Harrods

by Sonali Dutta

Kusama fever seems to have swept the globe, spilling over from immersive art installations (the famous yellow pumpkin on Naoshima island in Japan is iconic), over to print and even fashion. Colourful dots, flowers and pumpkins are instantly recognisable as the artist’s signature. The distinctive polka dots have patterned tea towels, wallpaper and this year marks the 93 year-old artist’s second collaboration with fashion brand Louis Vuitton. Not one to do things by halves, this collaboration has taken over the expanse of Harrods in London.

Computerspielemuseum – Berlin’s Computer Games Museum

by Sonali Dutta

Whether it’s a handheld console, an app on our smartphones or a tabletop game, we all played games from childhood onwards. I spent a morning in this fascinating bilingual museum that details the evolution of computer games across the years, from their very earliest incarnations before even before electricity to assorted, ever-updated consoles.

Exploring Tokushima: Sunflowers on Zennyujitou Island

by Sonali Dutta

Japan is made up of thousands of islands. As it is located Shikoku itself, Zennyujitou can also be described as an island-within-an-island. Tokushima`s Zennyujitou Island is the biggest uninhabited island in a river in the country. Aside from that unique claim to fame, this Island is noted for its abundance of sunflowers in the summer. They are at their best around the end of June to mid-July, although tend to last until mid-August. I went there by car with friends in July 2021.

Autumnal Japanese Vocabulary

by Sonali Dutta.

As the Summer heat begins to cool off and schools around the country restart after the  break, Autumn in Japan is a season to savour and enjoy. Popular activities including include taking  photographs of the changing leaves and enjoying seasonal food. Autumn in Japan is a great  time for sightseeing. As we begin to settle into the season, here are some common Japanese words and phrases you may hear or see to help you make the most of these months.  

Weekending in Kōchi City, Shikoku

by Sonali Dutta

Vibrant Kōchi is the biggest prefecture (state) on the island of Shikoku. With a cosmopolitan and buzzing atmosphere as well as the sea, mountains, markets and even a castle, the capital city of the prefecture makes a great long weekend trip. The city is a straightforward bus ride from Tokushima (directly from the city and about two and a half hours). My visit was at the tail end of November, perfectly timed to see the changing leaves.