A recent viral video of a young Korean girl initially pouting then breaking into giggles at the sound of her squeaky shoes is just the thing you need to kick your week off right!
Japan is famous for fast trains, but one new line crawls along at 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) per hour! Can the ultra-slow Snow Turtle save an endangered company?
You’re not looking at a screenshot from the newest Borderlands game. Handsome Jack is here to stake his claim on Earth!
In the past few months the Japanese word mottainai, which conveys a sense of regret over waste, has begun to spread into the Western world, and the concept of mottainai can be seen most clearly in every bowl of rice.
Transplanting yourself into another country can help you learn the language, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll absorb every bit of the culture. This image is a perfect example of that: Your understanding will depend entirely on how familiar you are with Japanese culture and history. So, we’ve broken this package down into five degrees of cultural awareness! And don’t feel bad if you don’t “get it,” because quite a few Japanese people were lost as well.
Get ready to double your cuteness level! Japanese company Clearstone has partnered up with Sanrio for two new cute-as-a-button sailor-style school uniforms in their “Neo Graphic Sailor Uniform x Little Twin Stars” dreamy collaboration!
For their 10th anniversary, Wazigen Shizukuya is providing gorgeous modern hakama and yukata styles for all the men.
With the advent of cellphones, wristwatches have become less and less common, meaning makers have had to get more and more creative capture the attention of customers. One perfect example is this Japanese watch company that has started selling watches that use transforming metal kanji characters to tell the time!
We’ve got some fantastic news for children of the ’90s who once made it (and still make it) their quest to catch ’em all: The original first-generation Pokémon games are coming to the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console early next year!
With just over a month until Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters, Star Wars fever has taken the world by storm, and Korea is no exception! K-pop group EXO has recorded a tie-in single, named “Lightsaber”, for the Korean release of the film, and a music video for the song was released on YouTube earlier this week. As you may expect, it quickly went viral, reaching almost two million views in the last few days.
The most recent episode of Nintendo Direct included some exciting news for fans of the soon-to-be 30-year-old Legend of Zelda video game series. In the broadcast, Nintendo executives announced that a high-definition version of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess would be released for the Wii U on March 4, 2016 internationally, and on March 10 in Japan.
It’s estimated that people lose an average of 50 to 100 strands of hair a day. Most of those will probably go unnoticed, but if throwing those fallen hairs away in the garbage seems too boring a task, you could find some other use for them.
What we don’t recommend doing, though, is lighting your fallen hair on fire like this Japanese university student, for some reason, decided to do…
If you’ve ever wanted to turn back time and step into the clothes of a well-dressed geisha, a pipe-smoking courtesan or a sword-wielding samurai warrior, we’ve found the perfect place for you!
Some people dream about being a superhero and other people just dream about being a video game character. But why dream it, when you can be it, like this stuntman who demonstrates his skills which exactly mimic a certain Tekken character’s repertoire?
With retail outlets pushing seasonal holiday merchandise earlier and earlier every year, it’s perhaps not too surprising that there are already signs of next year’s goodies.
Japanese airlines All Nippon Airways (ANA) has teamed up with Disney to create an in-air experience that’s perfect for the ultimate “Star Wars” fan.
Covered in an R2-D2-like designs and a “Star Wars” logo on the outside, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft also has some fun galactic details inside, such as customized headrests, cups, and lighting. While in the air, passengers can even stream all six of the currently released “Star Wars” films.
With enough hard work, anyone can learn to speak and read Japanese. But you know you’ve truly made it as a Nihongo master only when you can effortlessly break out a few yojijukugo, or four-kanji idioms. Join us after the jump for 10 of our favourites!
The Tokyo International Film Festival (from hereon, TIFF) started on Oct. 22 and is being held for 10 days. This year’s anime feature is none other than Gundam. The show’s creator, Yoshiyuki Tomino, appeared at the talk show hosted as part of this special project and also found time in his busy schedule to give a combined interview to overseas media.
As further proof that cats rule the Internet and humanity at large, the relaxed, mostly goal-less mobile app time waster, Neko Atsume—which tasks players with simply collecting a bunch of cartoon cats and kind of just watching them do stuff—proved a massive success in Japan despite a distinctive lack of explosions, destruction and, er, constantly running from left to right that are the typical hallmark of successful mobile games.
In fact, the game is so popular among cat lovers (read: everyone) that the Japanese version of the game began trending abroad, even though the large majority of fans surely had to resort to Internet guides to make any sense of the Japanese kanji plastered all over the in-game menus and inventory.
Said fans were in for a great surprise, though, when last week, developer Hit-Point updated the game with full English support thanks to renowned localization agency 8-4. We had a chance to sit down with the 8-4 team and chat about the behind-the-scenes work that went into localizing the app for an English speaking audience.
Choosing a name for your newborn son or daughter can be tough. Not only are you responsible for bestowing a name upon another human being—a collection of vowels and consonants that that will stick with them for life and likely have a profound effect on how people initially perceive their owner—but if you live in a country like Japan, then you not only have to choose the baby’s name, but how it will be written in kanji characters as well. Talk about pressure.
But that’s the reason we have baby name lists! For the past two years we’ve been keeping track of the most popular names for baby boys and girls in Japan, and this year we’re keeping up the tradition. Take a peek at what trends are spreading through Japan by seeing which names are in this year and which are out.
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Today
Solo travel in Japan: Hidden beer garden in Tokyo is a haven for single visitors
Studio Ghibli unveils new anime calendars and diary planners for 2027
Family Mart releases new Human Made Cup Noodle in Japan, with freebies for Nigo fans
Family Mart joins forces with legendary sumo wrestler Chiyonofuji for new Convenience Wear collection
One Piece Day 2026 brings new art, music, and new cast announcements
Janken Kebab: Win at rock-paper-scissors and get extra fillings at this fun Japanese kebab shop
Hobonichi unveils new 2027 planners, diaries and stationery with One Piece, Suica Penguin, Hello Kitty and a must-buy Mini Techo
Beautiful 785-step Japanese shrine sando stairway walk is one very good reason to visit Kagawa
Is Tokyo’s Odaiba, once one of its trendiest neighborhoods, becoming a ghost town? [Photos]
7-Eleven Japan goes viral for chilled soba that’s “too salty to eat”
Weekly
Japan’s final Penguin Suica train cards have already shipped, and when they’re gone, they’re gone- Studio Ghibli unveils new anime calendars and diary planners for 2027
Japan approves foreign resident visa renewal fee increases of up to 967 percent, starts soon
Japan tripled its departure tax to fund tourism but is using the money on cherry blossoms and bears
Farewell Final Ceremony announced for Tokyo’s life-size Gundam statue, will stream live
Nike x One Piece collection brings Devil Fruits to sneakers and streetwear in Japan- Hobonichi unveils new 2027 planners, diaries and stationery with One Piece, Suica Penguin, Hello Kitty and a must-buy Mini Techo
- Solo travel in Japan: Hidden beer garden in Tokyo is a haven for single visitors
- Family Mart releases new Human Made Cup Noodle in Japan, with freebies for Nigo fans
Police in Japan looking for who’s responsible for dumping 80 loaves of bread on side of road [Video]
Monthly
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat- Japan’s final Penguin Suica train cards have already shipped, and when they’re gone, they’re gone
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars- Studio Ghibli unveils new anime calendars and diary planners for 2027
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]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
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Janken Kebab: Win at rock-paper-scissors and get extra fillings at this fun Japanese kebab shop
Hobonichi unveils new 2027 planners, diaries and stationery with One Piece, Suica Penguin, Hello Kitty and a must-buy Mini Techo
Beautiful 785-step Japanese shrine sando stairway walk is one very good reason to visit Kagawa
Is Tokyo’s Odaiba, once one of its trendiest neighborhoods, becoming a ghost town? [Photos]
7-Eleven Japan goes viral for chilled soba that’s “too salty to eat”
Mister Donut releases new doughnuts that look and taste like Japanese sweet potatoes
Japan’s final Penguin Suica train cards have already shipped, and when they’re gone, they’re gone
This Japanese 7-Eleven has the most expensive drinks, and item, we’ve even seen at the chain
Farewell Final Ceremony announced for Tokyo’s life-size Gundam statue, will stream live
Hikaru Utada sings new song in Shinkansen commercial for Japan’s Supreme Class cabins
Foreign travelers arrested in Japan following smash-and-grab robbery in Tokyo shopping mall
Anime and Hollywood movies cross over in new Universal Studios Japan merch collection
Amid foreign sex tourist rise, Japanese government considering outlawing paying for prostitution
Japan approves foreign resident visa renewal fee increases of up to 967 percent, starts soon
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