TW Digest

October 29, 2026

Monkeys in Japan are famous for relaxing, blissfully, in mountain hot springs — a peaceful and adorable image. It’s at odds with a lot of primate behavior that’s been in the news lately: reports of wild monkeys attacking a kitten, forming gangs and even vandalizing graves. What’s going on with them? We investigate.

Also in this week’s newsletter: the complex, fascinating history of traditional Japanese tattoos; how the One Piece flag became an international protest symbol; a rural culinary retreat that was recently named one of the best places in the world by Time magazine.

— Callie Beusman, Editorial Director

The story we can’t stop talking about this week:

Earlier this month, a wild monkey in Yamaguchi Prefecture allegedly threw a kitten into a pond and attacked the man who tried to rescue it.

The encounter is only the latest in a string of increasingly bizarre monkey incidents reported across Japan in recent weeks. The animals have been biting residents, occupying suburban streets and even vandalizing graves.

The stories, trends, events, etc. on our minds

☆ What does a tattoo mean? A new book traces the complex, multifaceted meaning behind Japanese tattoos, from the elaborately inked firefighters of the Edo period, to the yakuza, to the rise of tattoos as fashion — alongside stunning photos.

☆ How the One Piece flag became a symbol of defiance at protests throughout the world: “The anime perfectly depicts the reality that we are living right now: the poverty, the gap between the rich and the poor.” It’s a fitting symbol, but not everyone in Japan agrees.

☆ A look inside Mirukashi Salon, a magical culinary retreat in the countryside of Saga Prefecture that was recently named one of Time magazine’s World’s Greatest Places.

☆ The legendary manga artist Tetsuya Chiba, best known for his boxing masterpiece Ashita no Joe, has died at 87.

☆ November is almost upon us, which means it’s time to read your November horoscope. (Mercury retrograde will finally come to an end….)

What the TW team is checking out this week

Halloween is fast approaching; if you want to avoid the hells of Shibuya, maybe try Nichome or see a live show in Shimokitazawa. Or if you are more in a club-esque mood, Tokyovitamin is having an event in Omotesando, and HVEN in Nakameguro is throwing a party with free-flowing Fireball, which is appropriately spooky.

Saturday the 31st also happens to be the opening of Roppongi Art Night. As part of the festival, Mori Art Museum is extending its hours through the night, remaining open until 6 a.m. on November 1. I feel like it would be very iconic to go to the Mariko Mori exhibition, which looks incredible, at like three in the morning post-Halloween.

In non-Halloween related news, I asked Matthew, our resident bar and restaurant expert, what he’s been enjoying lately. He has three recommendations: Punch Room at the Tokyo Edition Ginza, which just unveiled a new drink menu; Kei Collection Paris, which combines fine French dining with spectacular city views; and Saki, an intimate Japanese dining experience at the JW Marriott.

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