Tech & Life

Browse through articles on the latest Japanese technology, services in Japan, social infrastructure, and lifestyle.

Japanese Kitchen Knives: An Essential Part of Japanese Cuisine

Making the most of the natural flavors of ingredients is integral to Japanese cooking, so for chefs, cutting ingredients requires the utmost precision. The way something is cut can affect not just the look but also the taste and texture of the food — which is where razor-sharp Japanese kitchen knives come in. A well-sharpened Japanese knife can cut through ingredients without crushing their fibers, keeping all of the natural flavors and umami taste intact. Let's take a look at what makes Japanese knives special, how they're used, and how they've been honed to suit Japanese cookery.

Traditional Washi Paper: From Japan to the World

Washi is the traditional Japanese paper that has been used in the daily lives of Japanese people since ancient times, in things like shoji sliding doors and lanterns. Washi can be used to give spaces a subtle ambience because of the way it softens the quality of the light and sound that passes through it and moderates the room temperature. Not only that, washi is also very durable — we still have some documents that were written on washi 1000 years ago!

Special Feature on the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami—Part 2: Restoration

The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami struck on March 11, 2011. A 9.0-magnitude (Mw) earthquake occurred off the Sanriku coast in Japan, marking the largest earthquake in Japan’s recorded history. This earthquake resulted in a tsunami that brought damage to many locations, including the coastal areas in the Tohoku region beside the Pacific Ocean. The year 2021 when this article was prepared marks a decade since this unprecedented disaster occurred, taking many casualties with it.
This article is the first in a two-part special feature covering the Sanriku coast, an area that suffered significant damage from the tsunami. Part two looks at the current state of areas that were affected by the disaster.

Special Feature on the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami—Part 1: Disaster Prevention

The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami struck on March 11, 2011. A 9.0-magnitude (Mw) earthquake occurred off the Sanriku coast in Japan, marking the largest earthquake in Japan’s recorded history. This earthquake resulted in a tsunami that brought immense damage to many locations, including the coastal areas in the Tohoku region beside the Pacific Ocean. You may remember the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant that occurred as a result of this earthquake and tsunami.
The year 2021 marks a decade since this unprecedented disaster occurred, taking many casualties with it. This article is the first in a two-part special feature covering the Sanriku coast, an area that suffered significant damage from the tsunami. Part one looks at the lessons that can be learned from the tsunami and earthquake, along with initiatives for improving awareness regarding disaster prevention.

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