Travel

Niigata, Japan’s snowy coastal prefecture, is famed for its premium sake and centuries-old brewing traditions. Here, travellers can pour their own samples at the station, ride a retro sake train and meet pioneers shaping the drink’s future. The concourse of Echigo Yuzawa Station is a dizzying crisscross of shops and commuters but a glowing display…

(Credit: Alamy)

Once a hallmark of hotel luxury, the breakfast buffet is under scrutiny for its waste, overconsumption and environmental impact. Stacks of pancakes, pyramids of pastries and vats of scrambled eggs; endless rows of fruit, cold cuts and cheese. Breakfast buffets across the world promise abundance – and often deliver excess. But behind the allure lies…