Words are an insufficient tool for transporting someone to Japan. Do you want to hear about the food? The freshest fish in the world is served at the Tsukiji fish market before the sun rises. In Hiroshima, you can sit around a small heated table and fry your own okonomiyake, a savoury pancake filled with a variety of fillings, whose name derives from the Japanese for “how you like” and “grill”. Sweet red bean paste originated in the volcanic mountains of Hakone and the gooey rice cakes, mochi, are a speciality of Kyoto. The railway stations connecting Japan’s major cities hide labyrinths of underground bars … Continue reading Exploring the Islands at the Edge of the World