The excellent 2011 documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi, about 85-year-old sushi master and Michelin 3-star chef Jiro Ono, has many takeaway lessons. One that explicitly emerges, however, is the single-minded meticulousness of purpose that seems to drive Japanese artisanship and craftsmanship. It is a national and cultural sensibility that fetishises delicacy, refinement and the pursuit … More

Over 3,000 tonnes of fish pass through Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market every day and to say it’s a sight to behold is putting it mildly. Arguably the world’s biggest wholesale fish market, the action begins at 5:00 a.m. with the live tuna auctions. It’s a forklift, gumboot and gesticulation laden spectacle to be sure – … More

For national parks that inspire wonder, cosmopolitan urban hubs that enliven and white sand subtropical enclaves that rejuvenate, Japan south of Honshu is a bento box full of surprises. Our list of seven superb destinations proves one unassailable fact: it’s high time to get out of Greater Tokyo.

While the Pacific Ring of Fire produces some of the most ominous natural phenomena on the planet, from volcanic eruptions to tsunamis, it also gives us geothermal groundwater – or, in layperson’s terms, the hot spring. Read on as we track down ten of the best areas in Asia to take a curative dip, from … More

From the stratovolcano landscapes of Sumatra to the kinetic streets of Singapore, beach bliss of the Maldives to UNESCO World Heritage temples, discover a dream itinerary to cure New Year’s wanderlust.

Spiritual, venerable, inimitable and beautiful, this week we shine the spotlight on ten of the most colourful destinations in Asia. Follow us as we celebrate Holi on the Ganges, stare in awe at the Annapurna massif in Nepal, trace the ancient Silk Road in Uyghur China and make our way across the continent.