One of Japan’s most beautiful blades is now on display, and owes its existence to some dude who just wanted to eat some potatoes and pickles.
Casey Baseel
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Casey Baseel spent his formative years staring in frustration at un-subtitled Japanese TV programming shown on Southern California’s international channel. Taking matters into his own hands, he moved to Tokyo to study the language, then found work in Yokohama a decade ago teaching, translating, and marketing hotels he can’t afford to stay in. When not participating in the eternal cycle of exercising to burn the calories form his love of Japanese food, Casey scours used comic and game shops for forgotten classics, drags his wife around the country in a quest to visit all its castles, sings karaoke not nearly as well as he thinks he does, and counts the days until the summertime bars open on Enoshima Beach.
Posted by Casey Baseel (Page 213)
Pompompurin isn’t quite as cute when he’s hungering for your brains, but you can save him in this mission-based Sanrio Puroland horror event.
A small investment pays quick dividends as elementary schoolers’ grades jump to the top of the class.
We visit the bakery featured in Kyoto Animation’s love letter to brass bands, and taste its heartache-healing signature bread.
Snow falls in Hokkaido before Tokyo even needs to get out its fall fashions.
Mr. Sato gets decadent by sustaining himself with caviar while camping in Ginza to try to be the first person in Japan with an iPhone 11.
Accessorized nails make even your X-rays a fashionable photo shoot.
All designs saluting the landmark anime/manga series are thankfully priced far under 9,000 yen.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Seaside scenery, history, and so many desserts on Yokohama’s Akai Kutsu【Japan Loop Buses】
Japanese city loses residents’ personal data, which was on paper being transported on a windy day
Should you add tartar sauce to Japanese curry rice? CoCo Ichi makes diners an unusual offer
Ghibli Park now selling “Grilled Frogs” from food cart in Valley of Witches
Historical figures get manga makeovers from artists of Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and more
The results are in! One Piece World Top 100 characters chosen in global poll
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Our visit to the coolest Book Off used Japanese book store that we’ve ever seen
Mt. Koya planning to instate visitor’s tax to cope with huge tourist numbers
Weekly
- Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes- French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo to Kyoto
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】- Japanese city loses residents’ personal data, which was on paper being transported on a windy day
Monthly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
- Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things- Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutions
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
Yearly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Historical figures get manga makeovers from artists of Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and more
The results are in! One Piece World Top 100 characters chosen in global poll
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Our visit to the coolest Book Off used Japanese book store that we’ve ever seen
Mt. Koya planning to instate visitor’s tax to cope with huge tourist numbers
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Tokyo’s new burger chain isn’t new, is disappointing, tasty, and hopeful all at once【Taste test】
Studio Ghibli releases bonsai fountains for your home
Suntory x Super Mario collaboration creates a clever way to transform into Mario【Videos】
How to tell Japanese’s two most confusing, nearly identical characters apart from each other
The top 5 places to see the sun set in Japan
Toyota built a life-sized Miraidon Pokémon and are letting people test drive it this weekend
This is the first cafe in Japan to serve Mont Blanc, and it’s closing down after 90 years【Taste test】
69-year-old Tokyo man arrested for driving without a license for over 50 years
-
