animal cruelty
Summer festivals all have one thing in common: there’s always a ton of people at them. That also means there are plenty of exciting booths to spend your money at. Besides food stalls, there are some popular carnival-type games that you’ll find at festivals in Japan, most of which are classic games of skill and luck which reward you with a variety of prizes. Perhaps one of the most famous festival games is a goldfish scooping game called kingyo sukui.
This year, however a slightly different “fishing” game was spotted at a summer festival held in Osaka. As you might imagine from a game requiring participants to “fish” for live hamsters, it is certainly generating a wide range of reactions.
Popular Japanese convenience store chain FamilyMart has cancelled the release of a foie gras and beef patty bento ready meal due to customer complaints. While news of the cancellation will no doubt please animal rights supporters, some Japanese netizens have opposed the decision, arguing that the consumption of foie gras is no worse than the consumption of beef.



Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Japanese-style afternoon tea in this Japanese manor house outside downtown Tokyo is something special
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Japan’s popular bead bonsai kit is as beautiful as it is gruelling to make
Haikyu fan event lets you step onto the court, see what it’s like to play with the anime athletes
Immerse yourself in TeamLab Yoro Valley’s outdoor nighttime art exhibition in Chiba’s wilderness
Amazing exhibition of Japan’s legendary “cursed katana” is going on right now【Photos】
Buddhist monks in Japan preparing to hold funeral service for thousands of stuffed animals, dolls
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Princess Mononoke 25th anniversary lineup includes cute plushies, fierce magnets, expensive bowls
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Move aside, convenience store egg sando – there’s a better version of the iconic sandwich in Japan
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Japanese bento shop sells croquettes for 13 cents, but are they any good?
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
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
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
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
Immerse yourself in TeamLab Yoro Valley’s outdoor nighttime art exhibition in Chiba’s wilderness
Amazing exhibition of Japan’s legendary “cursed katana” is going on right now【Photos】
Buddhist monks in Japan preparing to hold funeral service for thousands of stuffed animals, dolls
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Princess Mononoke 25th anniversary lineup includes cute plushies, fierce magnets, expensive bowls
The Hayao Miyazaki anime we never got – New art book reveals Ghibli legend’s unrealized concepts
How Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel continues to captivate guests from around the world
We visit the 24-hour male-only sauna just outside of Hakata Station and ponder a strange sight
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Japan’s Naruto theme park now offering real-world version of Minato’s kunai ninja weapon
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view