We’ve included some events and scandals that were big in Japan, so be sure to find out what they are!
Amy Chavez
Amy Chavez lives on a Shiraishijima, a small island in Japan's Seto Inland Sea, with 563 other crazy people. She also writes for the Japan Times, blogs for HuffPo, and has authored two books: Japan, Funny Side Up and Running the Shikoku Pilgrimage: 900 Miles to Enlightenment. She loves running really long distances, skiing super steep mountains and sailing the calm waters of the Seto Inland Sea. Her motto in life is: "Surround yourself with beauty and peace."
Posted by Amy Chavez
The status of women in Japan is changing and the Japanese language is being modified along with it. Let’s see how women are viewed these days by surveying some of the modern Japanese words used to describe them.
We’ve talked before about a few of the discriminatory measures against women in Japan, but there are still a few more. Let’s take a peek!
Japan must be one of the cleanest countries in the world. What’s behind it all? Find out what makes Japan so pika-pika!
We’ve talked before about geisha as one of Japan’s distinctly female professions, so this time we’re going to share with you a few fun facts about the geisha and their floating world.
The Japanese are known for being incredibly efficient, so you’d expect them to also have the most efficient gizmos. Today, we’re looking at eight Japanese gadgets that we’ve become so dependent on, we can’t live without them!
The Setouchi Triennale Art Festival takes place every three years on the art islands of Japan’s Seto Inland Sea–and this year is a festival year! Let’s check it out!
We recently visited the new Nadeshiko Hotel and were truly impressed. Find out what this women-only capsule hotel has to offer!
“You know you’ve been in Japan too long when you start bowing on the telephone” is an old classic. But how about those things that, even if you haven’t been here long, still make you stop and think, yup, this is definitely Japan!
We spent a day taking photos from the back of a pick-up truck in the Philippines. This is what we saw…
If you’ve ever wanted to swim with whale sharks but weren’t sure if it’s an eco-friendly idea or not, then this article is for you.
Bear sacrifice, female tattooing and fish-skin boots are all hallmarks of Ainu culture. Join us as we learn about Japan’s indigenous people and watch an intriguing video about their way of life.
Believe it or not, there’s a Japanese Way of taking photos. We’ve compiled some cultural guidelines as well as language tips to help you take happy snappies on your next trip to Japan!
Today, we present five phases Western expats go through, from arriving fresh off the boat to thinking about retirement, when living in Japan.
Today we’re introducing you to the basics of Japanese Buddhism, plus highlighting some of the Buddhist images you’ll see in Japan and help you distinguish them from Shinto ones.
The culture of tea in Japan goes back one thousand years. Today, we’re going to scratch the surface with this short introduction to the wonders of the Japanese tea ceremony.
There’s a lot to look forward to in the Year of the Monkey—Here are just a few of the top Japan-related events you won’t want to miss in 2016!
We asked expats living in Japan if they thought that simply living here has made them a better person. Find out the results: the good, the bad and the ugly!
The Japanese are known for their politeness, so it’s only natural that visitors to Japan want to know what to do, or not do, to avoid appearing rude. Check out this list of little behaviors that you won’t find in your guidebook.
We asked Japanese people to tell us the things foreigners say or think about Japan that really gets their goat—and they were happy to oblige! How many of these faux pas are you guilty of?
MOST POPULAR
Today
New Square Enix Cafe reveals Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Nier, and Fullmetal Alchemist menu items
Burger King Japan offering all-you-can-eat quad-burgers, whoever eats the most gets more in December
Starbucks adds new Fruit Gummy sweets to stores in Japan
7-Eleven Japan releases a chocolate chip sandwich… that tastes like ice cream
Family Mart commits “reverse fraud” in new Giant All-Star Festival, and we couldn’t be happier
New Tokyo sweets shop offers 648 different mochi ice cream dumpling combinations
Godiva melts minds by releasing a new corn chocolate drink in Japan
Ghibli’s No Face continues to demonstrate his generous character growth by dispensing soy sauce
Pump yourself up with Yokohama’s new extravagant Cool Fuel ice cream
This shop combines traditional Japanese sweets with…mayonnaise?!?[Taste test]
Weekly
Even at twice regular Daiso price, this handy item is still great for summer travel in Japan
Japanese convenience store shows us how to dress for the rainy season
Kyoto public junior high school becomes first in Japan with a hoodie school uniform
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha- Ghibli’s No Face continues to demonstrate his generous character growth by dispensing soy sauce
Japanese rice cooker recipe gives us a tasty new way to enjoy vegetables and wieners
Tokyo’s Pokémon Cafe reopens this month with brand-new sweets and Pikachu show
Starbucks Japan unveils new Frappuccino showcasing “mottainai” culture
Tourists brave Typhoon Jangmi to queue at two famous sites in Tokyo
Osaka is hosting a “hentai” event, but it’s probably not what you think
Monthly
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan- Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
- Even at twice regular Daiso price, this handy item is still great for summer travel in Japan
New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
Japanese convenience store Lawson launches new “mini supermarket” chain, L Minimart
Japan’s real-world Pokémon hot spring’s first photos are here![Photos]- Kyoto public junior high school becomes first in Japan with a hoodie school uniform
- Japanese convenience store shows us how to dress for the rainy season
Yearly
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
RECOMMENDED STORIES
New Tokyo sweets shop offers 648 different mochi ice cream dumpling combinations
Godiva melts minds by releasing a new corn chocolate drink in Japan
Ghibli’s No Face continues to demonstrate his generous character growth by dispensing soy sauce
Pump yourself up with Yokohama’s new extravagant Cool Fuel ice cream
This shop combines traditional Japanese sweets with…mayonnaise?!?[Taste test]
Shinto shrine’s night sky firefly sweets are Japan’s newest breathtaking, mouthwatering desserts.
Gun found in Japanese convenience store restroom, traced to forgetful on-duty cop
Retro fashion magazines from Tokyo’s street market remind Mr. Sato of a special gift from his dad
Even at twice regular Daiso price, this handy item is still great for summer travel in Japan
Colour Hunting: The hot new street photography trend changing how we see Japan
Body of missing American college student found in Kyoto mountains
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
A Japanese toast sandwich remix: The toasted rice rice ball[SoraKitchen]
Lawson opens a new mini supermarket, and the lucky bags can essentially stock your kitchen
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