Manufacturers from Okayama Prefecture showed off the craftsmanship and attention to detail that are in their jeans earlier this year. Rakuten, the Japanese tech firm best-known for e-commerce, has announced it will develop a new center for research and development in Paris. The Evangelion and Japanese Swords exhibition kicked off in 2012 at the Bizen Osafune Japanese Sword Museum in Okayama Prefecture before wowing anime fans and sword enthusiasts in several cities across Japan and now the “big blade-fest” will take it on the road when the exhibition opens in Paris this spring. Mussubi is a delightful lunch shop in Paris that has brought onigiri and bento to the people of France. Three Paris restaurants with Japanese chefs earn Michelin Guide stars: Jin, Okuda and Es. Japanese-style restaurant Jin opened in January 2013. “I’m glad my desire to serve authentic Japanese cuisine has been accepted in France,” owner Nina Nikkhou said.