It’s unreasonably cold outside, so why not stay put under your kotatsu and get stuck into this month’s issue?

As ever, you’ll find our events calendar, monthly releases and news to keep you right in the know. But wait there’s more! Flu season’s upon us, so we’re bringing you our best tips for prevention and treatment, not to mention an awesome curry recipe to warm up those chilly evenings.

While you tuck in, flip through the Culture section for our interview with one of Japan’s last remaining traditional indigo dyers, and Community to read all about one contributor’s perspective on navigating Japan with minimal Japanese.

From all of us at Connect, we hope your 2018 is getting off to a fantastic start! And hey, if you’re counting down the days till summer? USJ has you covered for the lull with Cool Japan Wonderland 2018!