A sumo wrestler has drawn ire after using the adorably named nekodamashi, or “deceiving cat,” technique to win a match.
Japan (Page 1073)
What would be the ultimate luxury in personal service for a highborn aristocrat? Someone to draw your bath? Peel your grapes? Fan you with palm fronds? How about a servant whose job it is to take the blame for your farts.
Every time I visit my home country and talk about my life in Japan, one thing becomes clear to me: Japan remains incredibly misunderstood overseas. With this in mind, today we’ll be discussing three stereotypes of Japan: the country’s apparent disdain for those who stand out from the crowd, the notion that Japan is a strict society, and that the idea of ‘losing face’ is a quintessentially Asian concept.
Remember the awesome, super-expensive R2-D2™ Moving Refrigerator we reported on last month? Well, we recently went to see an actual model on display!
Can you tell what this eye-catching white bottle decorated with bright red patterns is supped to be? While the look isn’t exactly conventional, this is actually a sake product called NISHIKIGOI, and the bottle is artfully designed to look like a beautiful colored carp.
If you love Legos, these photos from the University of Tokyo’s Lego Club will make you want to go back to school and play with blocks!
Bomb disposal unit finds remnants of suspected incendiary device at shrine for Japanese war dead in Chiyoda Ward.
If you’re looking for a new way to make karaage, or Japanese-style fried chicken, how about taking some inspiration from the underground student council vice president of hit manga/anime/TV drama Prison School? We liked how character Meiko Shiraki’s karaage, coated with kaki-no-tane rice crackers, looked in the manga and anime, so we decided to give it a shot!
Looking for romance in Japan? Learn from our experience! Here a few things we’ve learned from foreigners who’ve dated in Japan.
Show off your prettiest historical self at this Nara photo studio where you can dress like the Edo Period’s high-class courtesans!
We sent Mr. Sato to Forever 21 with 10,000 yen (about US$82) and asked them to help him put together an outfit. The results may surprise you!
Now you can protect your smartphone with a new line of gorgeous Sailor Moon earphone jack accessories, featuring miniature magical items and weapons from the anime series.
Danso—women dressing and performing as men—has been an element of Tokyo girls’ underground culture for years, but with a recent boom in otaku visibility has become more and more popular. Especially big among young women who see danso as the ideal too-perfect-to-be-true guy, danso is even becoming popular among men who think they can learn a thing or two from their cool style. There are now many ways to experience danso culture in Tokyo, but you can enjoy it from abroad, too!
WIN Gallup International recently announced the results of their international survey on people’s willingness to fight for their country. Despite recent changes to the constitution, it turns out Japanese Johnnies are least likely to get their guns among all nations surveyed.
Nestlé Japan is famous for producing unusual Kit Kats but this December they’re set to release their most unique version yet: a Kit Kat encased in real gold.
Show your off your love for cats and awesome fashion this winter with an adorable “cat scarf” from Felissimo!
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Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Sandwiches fit for a sumo served up in Osaka【Taste Test】
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
Pokémon Sleep camping suite and guestrooms coming to Tokyo Hyatt along with giant Snorlax burgers
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Historical figures get manga makeovers from artists of Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and more
Mt. Koya planning to instate visitor’s tax to cope with huge tourist numbers
Starbucks Japan adds a Motto Frappuccino to the menu for a limited time
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Weekly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
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- 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
New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo to Kyoto
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】
Monthly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
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
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour Totoro
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty- 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
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
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
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Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Historical figures get manga makeovers from artists of Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and more
Mt. Koya planning to instate visitor’s tax to cope with huge tourist numbers
Starbucks Japan adds a Motto Frappuccino to the menu for a limited time
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Secret Kitchen bento serves Japanese flowers, birds, wind and moon in a box, but is it worth it?
Hello Kitty isn’t a cat!? We called Sanrio to find out!
Randomly running into a great sushi lunch like this is one of the best things about eating in Tokyo
Cup Noodle’s Nissin develops space ramen, space curry rice for astronauts to eat among the stars
Anime girl English teacher Ellen-sensei becomes VTuber/VVTUber and NFT
Tokyo Banana Curry adds capital’s souvenir sweet’s sweetness to roux, but not in Tokyo
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
Sanyo Shinkansen ending in-car food cart sales (unless you’ve got the cash for first-class)
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