TW Digest
Your weekly guide to Japanese culture, lifestyle and travel
November 12, 2026
If you were to hear the phrase “internationally celebrated Japanese garden,” Kyoto would likely come to mind. In a long-running official garden ranking, though, Kyoto’s celebrated Katsura Imperial Villa ranks only second. The top spot, year after year, has gone to an under-the-radar museum in Shimane Prefecture.
This week’s newsletter includes:
Shirtless hunks in strange situations (won’t be explaining this further here)
The Japanese buzzwords of 2026, from “data center” (depressing) to “Punch-kun” (also depressing)
A sleek, minimalist omakase experience with sweeping views of Tokyo Bay
— Callie Beusman, Editorial Director
The story we can’t stop talking about this week:
This Shimane Museum Has Been Ranked Japan’s Best Garden for 23 Years Straight
When you think of the quintessential Japanese garden, your mind probably drifts toward Kyoto’s moss-covered pathways and elegant pines framing historic tearooms. Yet year after year, international horticulture experts reach a conclusion that might catch you by surprise: the top-rated garden in Japan is not in Kyoto or Tokyo, but in Shimane.
What’s happening in Japan
The stories, trends, events, etc. on our minds
☆ Japan has an incredibly bizarre stock photo site devoted to pictures of buff men in strange situations. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Read on to discover how these bodybuilders found themselves digging for sweet potatoes in the countryside.
☆ The annual list of Japanese buzzwords is out for 2026. It’s a good way to revisit a very eventful year.
☆ Shibuya’s newest viral craze is … a cement wall that will tell your fortune via cryptic cards. If you want to visit it for yourself, we have instructions on how to find it and what to do once you’re there.
☆ A review of Kappo Omakase Saki, a 29th-floor omakase experience combining the talents of two Michelin-starred chefs.
Inside OBJ East, the gallery-like glasses shop where eyewear is considered a lifelong companion
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What’s on in Tokyo
What the TW team is checking out this week
Cafe lovers rejoice: On November 19, the iconic fluffy pancake destination Cafe Tamon is opening its first Tokyo location — on the hallowed grounds of Kantsuji Temple in Shinjuku. While we’re on the subject of cafes opening in places of cultural significance, Sarutahiko Coffee just became the first cafe in the Imperial Palace East Gardens, meaning you can enjoy a coffee while admiring the foliage and castle tower ruins.
For art events, we have a whole list of this month’s best, personally selected by Eugenie. The Mariko Mori exhibition at Mori Art Museum is supposed to be incredible, and everyone I know has been furiously Instagramming Yoshirotten at Tokyo Node.
If you’re looking for a night out, let me direct your attention to Wakaba’s highly subjective guide to Tokyo’s best night clubs. (On the TW Instagram, she is in a lot of trouble with our commenters for being over it at age 23.)
Finally, part two of the Tori no Ichi festival is coming up on the 19th, so plan ahead if you want to attend and rake in prosperity and luck. You can read more about it here.
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