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 On my recent visit to Japan the founder of h-concept very kindly gave me a sake set designed by Daisaku Cho, a well known architect and designer, from the +D range of products. A guest known as "mammal P" also joined me for a drink. 

This is a great product, it is easy to grip, comes with a silicone lid that seals tightly. Use in the microwave to heat milk. Its made from heat resistant glass. 

Collapsible silicone bottles by VIV are colourful, easy to wash and light. They can be put in the freezer and cope with heat up to 130C. The come in four bright colours, green,orange, blue and pink and feature a pop up nozzle. They are useful as when they are not in use they will fold up and not take up precious space in your bag.

Tucked away in the back streets of Namba not far from Ebusubashi and Hozenji is Bokusui, a Japanese style restaurant that serves a broad selection of quality Japanese food at a reasonable price. Bokusui captures a bit of the old world in that its interior is made of dark timbers and decorated with interesting folk art. It has been one of my favourite places to eat for the better part of 30 years. Amongst the dishes I suggest for first timers is "goshiki" salad, "gyusuji doteyaki" made from the sinew of beef, boiled for hours and flavoured with miso, it...

The Horyuji Buddhist temple complex dates from the start of the 7th century. It is a sprawling complex located in Nara prefecture dotted with historic buildings. Imagine what it looked like in the 7th century, the pagoda would have been the equivilent of a 20th century skyscraper, towering over the local villages and farms. It is worth the trouble to visit as it is truely spectcular.