New Zealand
Japanese fans visit the rugby player’s cafe in team jerseys for “the best breakfast in Tokyo“.
Join our Japanese-language correspondent P.K. Sanjun on his whirlwind time-warping tour of Auckland, which still got him back in time for work on Monday.
Twitter wants you to help find the people taken in these beautiful black-and-white photos from Japan’s past.
A Taiwanese-born New Zealander has had his passport photo rejected by his own government due to “closed eyes”.
The pitifully weak Pokémon has been showing up in some embarrassing places, including one that shows a preference for a rival company’s video games.
There’s a reason I don’t write for the Washington Post. Actually, there are about a thousand reasons, almost all of which pertain to my own ineptness. Another one these reasons is that I occasionally write some embarrassing joke that gets completely misunderstood and blows up in my face.
So, I can relate on some level to the Washington Post’s writer and Tokyo bureau chief Anna Fifield. Her tweet, which jokingly translated a customer request sign as “Don’t bring your dirty Korean beer in here,” has led to some considerably harsh feedback from Japanese Twitter users.
Not so long ago, being a Japanese idol singer was purely a domestic gig, with even the biggest stars of the genre remaining more or less unknown outside their home country. But thanks to the spread of Japanese pop culture around the world over the last decade and a half, that’s not really the case anymore. These days, it’s not uncommon for J-pop idols, especially those with an anime connection to boost their foreign exposure, to make appearances overseas.
Now, in a case of animated art imitating life, the high school idols of Love Love!, Japan’s biggest current idol anime hit, will be heading abroad as the upcoming Love Live! theatrical feature has been announced for international release.
The current prime minister of New Zealand, John Philip Key, has been big in the news lately owing to his 20-year-old daughter, Stephie Key. Stephie is currently studying in France at the highly acclaimed art school, Paris College of Art, and is causing quite a stir with her newest string of risqué self portraits. Controversial as the work might be, it’s also quite cutting-edge, as one of her pieces was chosen to promote Paris Design Week on the second week of September.
But, it’s neither the nudity nor the artistry that caught the attention of Japanese news outlets. You see, many of the pictures contain words and themes that are obviously intended to be Japanese, but leave actual Japanese people scratching their heads.
Caution: some pictures contained in this article are not safe for work.
Close your eyes and find yourself in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by the cries of tropical birds and laughter of monkeys in the treetops. But wait! Suddenly you’ve jumped to the barnyard, the clucking of chickens and neighing of horses filling the air. Now open your eyes because you’ll miss the great facial expressions it takes for these two master mimicers, one from India and one from New Zealand (kinda), to produce these animal sounds. Read More
Great Scott! This fridge looks like something straight out of Back to the Future.
“Impress” has turned a few heads thanks to it’s unique honeycomb design and doorless front which makes it more of a refrigeration wall than anything else. When inserting an item into the fridge, the white hexagonal panels recede into the machine and conform to the shape of the inserted item. Food and drinks are easily seen as they protrude out of the doorless refrigeration wall and only areas which contain an item are cooled, saving energy.
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Weekly
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines- Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
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Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
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Starbucks Japan releases new Discovery Series collection celebrating local regions and traditions- Which country’s foreign tourists spend the most money per-person in Japan? Hint: Not the U..S. or China
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Monthly
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir- Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
- Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
- Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country- New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
- Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
Yearly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo- Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】- Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
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Starbucks Japan releases a miniature display rack so you can create your very own store at home
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Japanese Coo-Che becomes a viral sensation, and everyone wants a taste
Which country’s foreign tourists spend the most money per-person in Japan? Hint: Not the U..S. or China
Eight great words for talking about summer in Japan in Japanese
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“We want to be Japan’s best cheap restaurant” says new (but also not new) Akihabara noodle joint
Dance with demons in Kyoto at this Edo-period Japanese Halloween festival
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality
Face lettuce appears in Japan, with the face of Death Note’s Light Yagami, but why?
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
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Cup Noodle releases cold-water instant ramen in Japan, but can it really be made with just cold water?
Cup Noodle and Columbia team up for a weird and wonderful T-shirt that’s very Japanese
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