More than a guide book: Tokyo Story is also a love story

Tokyo is one of the most fascinating cities on the planet.

Huge, sprawling, intriguing and decidedly different.

Tokyo Story is both a guide book and a homage; full of local wisdom and insider tips.

I wish I had read a copy before a recent visit - here you'll find suggestions on the best hangouts, shops, bars and eateries.

If you want to know about hidden laneways with historic secrets, or tranquil temples to visit, you'll find all the details here. 

Similarly if you want to lowdown on anime and manga collectibles, or want to know the different noodle dishes on offer and where to find the best.  

But you'll also find useful facts on public holidays - there are 16 of them annually - and discover that Christmas Day is a working day like any other in the Japanese capital.

So lots more than the usual hotel recommendations and food markets.

Melbourne-based authors Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh say they have been obsessed with Japan since their first visit in the late 1990s.They have written 10 books on the country.

If you want to know about Tokyo's distinctive neighbourhoods - each with their own feel - you've come to the right place. 

Each chapter has nuggets of fascinating info across Tokyo’s rich history, culture and nightlife. 

Think fashion tips, ultra-cool listening bars, crazy moments of pop culture or where you might be able to buy a robot. 

There are also handy tips on navigating both Tokyo and Japanese etiquette. 

A delightful book for paging through if you have Japan on your travel radar. 

TOKYO STORY: A GUIDE. By Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh. Published by HARDIE GRANT EXPLORE. RRP $39.99/NZ$45.

Fancy feast for a good cause

How about a fancy feast to raise funds for a good cause?

Some of the biggest names in the restaurant industry are volunteering to help food charity Alex Makes Meals (www.alexmakesmeals.com) run its third annual fundraising event.

Feast to Feed on June 20 will feature some of Australia's top chefs and food personalities at the Great Hall of the NGV in Melbourne with each of the guests curating a dish, matched to premium wines.

The event is driven by the charity's mission to tackle societal food security, one healthy and nutritious meal at a time.

This culinary curators include TV personalities Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan, Nat Thaipun, MasterChef winner in 2024, food consultant and Thai cuisine star; MasterChef alumni, cookbook author and pastry whiz Emilia Jackson, and Andrea Vignali, co-owner of Al Dente restaurant.

The event will be MCd by Sofia Levin, food journalist turned MasterChef judge.

Each of the guests will designing a signature dish to be matched with wines from Yarra Yering, Rob Dolan Wines and TarraWarra, among others.

The food stars will be roaming the room during the evening. 

All proceeds from the event go to supporting the charity’s kitchen operations, distributing fresh, healthy and nutritious meals via their 50+ partner charities.

Producing over 4,100 meals per week, Alex Makes Meals has grown from its humble beginnings during Covid to become a vital player in the city’s food relief ecosystem.

Founder Alex Dekker said: “Alex Makes Meals empowers organisations to provide fresh and nutritious meals to people experiencing food insecurity. Unfortunately, the need continues to grow.

“This is our third Feast to Feed gala, and the biggest one yet, in a new, larger location at the NGV. We’re so grateful to the chefs who donate their time, expertise and profile to the event, creating a genuinely unique food and wine experience for guests.

“Sponorship from the One Light Many Hearts Foundation means every ticket sale allows us to distribute about 250 meals. We see Feast to Feed as an opportunity to support vulnerable people throughout Greater Melbourne, and to have a lot of fun doing it.”

Tickets to the event are $275 per head and there will also be both live and silent auctions.

Tickets at events.humanitix.com/feast-to-feed-2026/tickets

Image: The 2025 Feast to Feed. Supplied.

Doing the south of France in elevated leisurely style

Barge holidays are great way to explore France at a leisurely pace and French Waterways has just upped the ante with a luxury spin on the concept. 

French Waterways has announced a voyage along the historic Canal du Midi that combines luxury barge cruising with excursions through and above the Mediterranean countryside by vintage Citroën 2CV and helicopter. 

From May-October, cruisers can visit medieval villages and a 17th-century château, enjoy private wine tastings at Minervois vineyards, shop local markets, and, aboard the hotel barge Savannah, enjoy gourmet meals prepared by a private chef. 

All-inclusive six-night charters are available from May through October, starting at $US32,000 for four guests or $US39,000 for six.

“A Canal du Midi voyage on the Savannah truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Rosie Mansfield, CEO of French Waterways. 

“From serene cruising amid stunning nature and engineering marvels to private wine tastings and thrilling excursions like a fun-filled drive in a vintage car and a breath-taking helicopter flight, it’s the ultimate immersive escape. And the itinerary can be tailored to suit your family or group of friends, making it one of the most flexible in France.”

After a welcoming Champagne reception aboard the Savannah, guests will spend a week cruising the UNESCO-listed Canal du Midi’s locks, aqueducts and stone bridges from La Redorte to Bram, taking in villages, vineyards, wheat fields and sunflowers.

Guests can take to the roads of the Languedoc-Roussillon region at the wheel of a vintage Citroën 2CV, as well as flying over the spectacular Château de Quéribus and Château de Peyrepertuse ruins, the Carcassonne citadel, the Étang de Leucate, and Salses fortress by helicopter.



The itinerary also includes privately guided excursions by chauffeured Mercedes Viano to Minerve, named one of the prettiest villages in France, and a local vineyard for a private tasting with the winemaker. 

Wines have been made since Roman times in the Minervois. 

Visits to Narbonne, a founded in 118 BC, Mirepoix, and Carcassonne, are also among the highlights.

The Savannah has three double cabins and a single cabin with en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning, and a sun deck with shaded dining area, loungers and a spa pool.

Departures are available from either La Redorte or Bram, with transfers from Narbonne or Carcassonne included.

For more info visit https://www.french-waterways.com/ 

Mixed messages for would-be flyers

All flight restrictions in UAE airspace have now been lifted, with operations returning to normal, the General Civil Aviation Authority of UAE announced over the weekend.

“Our decision came following a comprehensive assessment of operational and security conditions, in coordination with the relevant authorities”, the aviation authority said in a post on X.

 

So are you ready to book a flight via the UAE with Emirates, Etihad, Qatar or other Middle Eastern airlines?

Not so fast if you are an Australian.

The Australian Government's https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/ website is, as of today, still advising "Do Not Travel" to the volatile region.

Which means your travel insurance will almost certainly be invalid.

Here's what the official advice is:

"The situation in the Middle East remains volatile. There remains a risk of attacks and escalation. If you're in the UAE and want to leave, can secure a flight and it’s safe to travel to the airport, we continue to advise you to leave while commercial flights are available. UAE airspace may open or close at short notice, impacting flights at Abu Dhabi and Dubai international airports.

"Prioritise your safety, monitor developments closely and follow local authorities’ advice. Stay aware of your environment and avoid government, military or energy infrastructure, including oil production facilities. Avoid Israeli and US diplomatic missions and other locations associated with Israeli, Jewish and US interests. Follow local warning systems and, if warned of an imminent attack, move to an enclosed hardened shelter, ideally underground or close to ground level if available. If these are not available, seek an inner room without windows.

"Civilian infrastructure including hotels, roads, bridges, universities, energy infrastructure, including oil production facilities, water infrastructure and airports may continue to be targeted. There are widespread movement restrictions and other travel disruptions in the region. The UAE airspace may open or close at short notice, impacting flights at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports.

"We raised our level of advice for the UAE to do not travel on 28 February due to the volatile security situation in the region and military strikes. ‘Do not travel’ advice applies to transit and layovers in the UAE. Even if you don’t plan to leave the airport. If you travel to or transit through the UAE, you may be unable to leave. Your safety will be at risk. Your travel insurance may become invalid.

"Due to heightened security concerns, the Australian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Australian Consulate-General in Dubai are closed. Online passport applications are open for Australians in the UAE."

A chance to explore some of NSW's top drops

Calling all Sydney wine lovers. 

The Winter Cellar Door will be returning to Carriageworks in Eveleigh this winter. 

After the success of last year's NSW Wine X Carriageworks festivities, the event will return to the Blacksmiths Workshop at Carriageworks on July 5. 

Organisers promise a relaxed afternoon of wine and food under one roof and the chance "to meet the passionate people behind the labels". 

There will be over 20 wine producers from across New South Wales pouring a range of wines from "familiar favourites to exciting new releases and some undiscovered gems".

The full line-up of wineries will be announced later this month, but tickets are on sale now.

Potential imbibers can also pre-purchase tasting cups to enjoy fast-track entry on the day as well as going into a draw to wine a mixed dozen case of wine. 

The first 300 tickets purchased will also receive a free NSW Wine tote bag. 

The Sunday event will run from 11am-5pm. 

You can book here: https://events.humanitix.com/winter-cellar-door?c=nswwine

Tauranga gets its first international hotel brand

Tauranga, the fifth-biggest city in New Zealand and heartbeat of the Bay of Plenty, has never had an international hotel. Until this week. 

New Zealand's largest hotel operator, Accor, has just opened Mercure Tauranga, marking the global giant's arrival in the region. 

Formerly Hotel Armitage and Conference Centre - located in the heart of Tauranga's CBD - the 80-room hotel has been refurbed and rebranded as a Mercure after a multi-million-dollar project. 

Accor's New Zealand portfolio now comprises 49 hotels. 

Adrian Williams, Accor's Chief Operating Officer in the Pacific region,  said the opening reflects strong confidence in Tauranga and its evolution as a key regional hub.

“Tauranga has been a focus for us for some time," he said. "Tourism earnings rose by 5% last summer, underscoring the Bay of Plenty's strong fundamentals and increasingly important role in New Zealand's tourism and business landscape..

“As the first internationally branded hotel in the city, Mercure Tauranga represents a significant milestone for the local industry. It allows us to bring global standards, distribution and loyalty to the market, while supporting the continued evolution of Tauranga as a compelling destination for both domestic and international travellers.”

The latest Accor addition comes as the Bay of Plenty rebuilds momentum following recent weather events, including Cyclone Vainu. 

The refurb has including upgrades to guest rooms, public areas, and food and beverage spaces," accor says in its media release.  Further enhancements, including conference facilities and recreational amenities, are planned for later. 

Accor's New Zealand portfolio spans key gateway cities and leisure destinations including Auckland, Queenstown, Christchurch, Wellington, Rotorua and Lake Tekapo, with 17 brands currently in operation across the country. 

See https://all.accor.com/hotel/C636/index.en.shtml