Our northern Kanto reporters team up and head to Gunma for a look at this part of Japan that gets overlooked by tourists.
Calpis
Tour, tasting, and super rare souvenirs make this a must-visit spot for fans of the iconic drink.
Is the popular milky soft drink too sweet for cooking, or the perfect addition? We find out!
Keep refreshed and get a glimpse of Japanese high school life with these charming bottle designs.
Yogurt-like beverages combine McDonald’s shake know-how with one of Japan’s favorite summertime flavors.
It’s the name that turns many English-speakers off, but even people in Japan sometimes take issue the way Calpis can linger in your mouth.
One of Japan’s most distinctive flavours is blended into a McDonald’s milkshake for a limited time.
With its startling name, it’s taking time for the yogurt-like beverage Calpis to catch on with non-Japanese consumers, who sometimes know it better by its alternate name, Calpico. For people in Japan, though, Calpis is old hat, so much so that its makers occasionally feel the need to mix up the product line with new versions and special flavors.
This year, that means strawberry Calpis. We just got our hands on a bottle, and if you can get past any hang-ups about the name, here are four ways to enjoy this delicious limited time treat.
What’s white and sweet and makes you feel happy all over? Well, Mister Donut Japan’s new line of doughnuts that has just been released this week certainly fits that description! While Krispy Kreme Japan may have added a little zing to their doughnuts by combining them with ice cream, Mister Donut has come out with a new series of white doughnuts created in collaboration with Calpis — known as Calpico in some countries, perhaps due to its unfortunate pronunciation — the popular yogurty-tasting white drink loved by people of all ages in Japan.
So, let’s see what delectable milky-white treats Mister Donut has in store for us this summer!
On 7 July, Tanabata kicks off in many parts of Japan. It’s an annual festival season which celebrates the stars Orihime and Hikoboshi, two lovers who are separated by the Milky Way except for this brief moment on the seventh day of the seventh month.
A popular custom during this time for young and old is to write down a wish on a strip of paper and hang it from a bamboo plant. However, as the years go by it seems that fewer and fewer people are going out to make wishes. This is why Calpis Co. Ltd. has decided to spark up interest in bamboo wishes by launching a study of their effectiveness.















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Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
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Sleep like a Pokémon with awesomely adorable new Pokémon Sleep pajama sets from Japan【Photos】
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Japanese beef bowl chain Sukiya’s 2026 Smile Box lucky bag basically pays for itself
Top Japanese cosplayer Enako returns to Comiket after 6 years, creates mayhem with admirers
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Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
We ate sushi made from Japan’s most expensive tuna ever【Taste test】
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
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
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Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Lacquerware supplier to emperor of Japan and Pokémon team up for new tableware
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
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
Human washing machine pods coming to Japanese hotels【Photos】
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
A Gintama fan’s emotional 19-year journey to buy a proper Lake Toya bokuto wooden katana【Pics】
Sleep like a Pokémon with awesomely adorable new Pokémon Sleep pajama sets from Japan【Photos】
Are you faster than a 90-year-old? Japan’s Turbo Granny still smashing records
Starbucks Japan releases the new Soupuccino, but is it everything it’s cracked up to be?
Saitama women arrested for dueling
Naruto’s favorite noodle shop Ichiraku Ramen is real, and we just visited it!
Does everyone dress crazy at Japan’s craziest Coming of Age Day ceremony?【Photos】
Japan’s premier love doll maker is closing, says goodbye to fans with heartfelt message
Bamboo trees vandalized near Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari shrine, foreign graffiti prevalent
Studio Ghibli’s kodama ready to leave the Princess Mononoke forest as a squeezable keychain【Pics】