This beloved Nikko tourist attraction plans to let off 1,000 fireworks “in the hope the pandemic will end soon.”
amusement park
One of our own reporters has a go at making a personal Halloween-themed mask for USJ’s newest event.
One of Japan’s top three illumination parks in the Kanto region is going to get even better this year!
Shut-down goes into effect almost immediately, follows previous request for people with cold-like symptoms to refrain from visiting the parks.
With spectacular views both day and night, you’ll definitely want to add this destination to your itinerary for your next trip to Japan.
In a bittersweet turn, we have finally arrived at the future full of anime and Harry Potter rides, which means there is no longer space for this much-loved classic attraction.
We’ve seen pictures of creepy abandoned places in Japan before, but what about creepy abandoned places that are still open for business?
Wonderland is an amusement park in Fukui Prefecture that by all accounts should not exist. There’re no cars in the overgrown parking lot, locks on all the condemned buildings, and all the signs are rusted and discolored. And yet, they’re still open, pretending as if nothing is wrong.
Oh and did we mention they’re hiring?
Disney lovers have Disneyland, Harry Potter fans got The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and even those who like Hello Kitty and her friends have the Sanrio Puroland.
And now Mario fans have reason to celebrate, as Nintendo has announced its partnership with Universal to bring you the first Nintend0-themed park attractions!
Remember that jet-black hot dog Tokyo Disney Sea announced for Halloween this year? Well, we’ve unearthed some pictures of the actual product, and boy, are they nasty.
What’s more, the Black Sausage has been joined by another, even more distressing item – the Black Gyoza Dog, a hot snack so hellish-looking we can’t believe it made it past the product testing phase. It looked pretty weird in Disney’s promotional shots (above), but it looks even more disturbing in real life!
Join us after the jump for a closer look at the reality of this year’s Halloween Disney food. It’s even more shudder-inducing than we expected!
Although Japan is a place of widespread religious ambiguity, there is an underlying belief in a place between the land of the living and the world of the dead. It’s an entirely different world in itself, a temporal zone where you can’t be sure what exists and what doesn’t.
This place is Wonderland amusement park in Fukui Prefecture. The park boasts four remaining attractions that haven’t been closed down due to safety reasons and a distinct lack of guests. Nevertheless, Wonderland assures you they are open… especially if you want to buy the place.
Between the exciting rides, fun mascots and surprisingly progressive policies, millions of Japanese and foreign tourists have their “dreams come true” at Tokyo Disneyland every year. But for every dream fulfilled, there are always a few little hearts broken when a child realizes they are too short to experience the thrilling ride that has everyone else screaming for joy.
Some 16 years ago, one such girl was turned away at one of the rides and given a “Future Passenger Certificate,” a seemingly primitive version of Disney’s Fastpass, which entitled her to skip to the front of the line when she came back as an older and taller Tokyo Disneyland guest.




















Hayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the Horse
Manga artist raises question online about false perspective in Ghibli film My Neighbor Totoro
Uniqlo Ukiyo-e Blue T-shirts: A cool-hued reinterpretation of some of Japan’s greatest paintings
Pokémon Cafe releases limited-time Pokémon Starter menu ahead of Sword and Shield release
Stamina-destroying “Paralysis Noodles” are Tokyo’s newest over-the-top ramen innovation
Japanese schoolgirls’ hemlines are still up, but socklines are way down
7-Eleven Japan’s ramen-cooking robot whipped us up a bowl of noodles【Taste test】
Osaka teen arrested for hacking into Internet cafe’s app to steal data, was helped by Chat-GPT
Family Mart releases a fukubukuro lucky bag packed with cool Convenience Wear
How to make an epic pizza at a Japanese family restaurant
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
Cyberpunk anime meets traditional culture in Ghost in the Shell gold leaf Japanese changing screens
7 great places to see Mt. Fuji from without having to climb it
Hello Kitty Choco Egg figures are an adorable trip through three periods of Japanese pop culture【Pics】
We found possibly the quietest Japanese-style hotel in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district
Japan’s otoshidama tradition of giving kids money at New Year’s gets a social welfare upgrade
Sumo Sanrio! Hello Kitty and pals team up with Japan Sumo Association for new merch【Pics】
More Than a Capsule Stay: Why Solo Travelers Choose “global cabin Yokohama Chinatown”
Japan’s oldest largetooth sawfish in captivity back on display in Mie Prefecture
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Sanrio theme park in Japan announces plans to expand into a Sanrio resort
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
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】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Japanese schoolgirls’ hemlines are still up, but socklines are way down
7-Eleven Japan’s ramen-cooking robot whipped us up a bowl of noodles【Taste test】
Osaka teen arrested for hacking into Internet cafe’s app to steal data, was helped by Chat-GPT
Family Mart releases a fukubukuro lucky bag packed with cool Convenience Wear
How to make an epic pizza at a Japanese family restaurant
Tokyo adding new anti-littering fines in Shibuya and Harajuku, will require more trash cans too
Kyoto experiencing problems with foreign tourists not paying for bus fares, but not on purpose
Haunted, abandoned hotel complex on Okinawa is a lesson against messing with Japan’s spirits
Five different ways to say “children” in Japanese
We try “Japan’s best-selling miso soup” and it melts the cold in our bones
Mr. Sato accosts award-winning actor Hideaki Ito【Interview】
Illustrator creates beautiful “Bicycle Boy” watercolour series inspired by Studio Ghibli
We revisited Sweets Paradise after a decade to see if Japan’s dessert buffet still delivers
Beautiful Studio Ghibli photo frames let you put yourself in the worlds of Totoro and Kiki【Pics】