What do you do when you want to draw a picture on your computer, but Paint just won’t cut it and you don’t have the money to invest in any software? You use Excel, of course!
cool (Page 179)
Are you hosting a large event with lots of guests? Maybe it’s time to call in AI Samurai to help with crowd control!
This lamp folds in so many different ways that it’s like owning a thousand different lamps.
Have you ever wanted to make sushi that looks just like a swimming fish? This video shows how to make the stunning dish in your very own kitchen!
Earlier this month, we looked at a collection of photos taken by the late Kusakabe Kimbei that showed the cityscapes of Japan as they looked in the late 1800s, right before the country’s rapid modernization. But Kimbei didn’t just photograph Japan, he also photographed the Japanese, so today we’re taking another trip back in time, but with a more personal touch, with dozens of photographs that show what daily life was like for the people of Japan generations ago.
I’m slightly claustrophobic. So you might wonder why I would volunteer to have myself locked into a small room with a bunch of strangers. The truth is that I can’t resist a puzzle.
This is an escape room, an immersive puzzle-solving experience that will test your lateral thinking skills and problem-solving, and for the first time in Japan, it’s being offered in English and Chinese.
2-D heroines get a boost from 3-D perspective and an extremely talented fan.
If you thought ninjas had died out during the fall of the Shogunate, then do we have a surprise for you. Introducing Japan’s modern-day ninjas who look strikingly like firefighters.
Earlier this year, we shared news about a restaurant in Tokyo where you can dine between the train tracks of the busy Chuo Line. One of our Japanese-language reporters finally got the chance to visit the location for himself, and we’d like to share his thoughts about getting up close and personal with some trains!
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!
Hard day at the office? Money or family troubles got you down? Don’t you just want to slip away to a quiet corner of your home and toss on a golden bejeweled crown to make you feel like the king or queen you ought to be?
But high-quality crowns are expensive and hard to come by…or at least they were until a couple of cosplaying Twitter users shared how they made their own realistic looking crown in just a few steps.
Who knew the seemingly specialized kitchen gadget was so multitalented?
It’s been five years since Nissan launched its compact Juke SUV/crossover, and the company is celebrating with a very special fifth anniversary edition: a full-size origami model.
Female fighters in Japan and all across the globe and are inspiring a whole new generation of young women to take up martial arts in what has traditionally been considered a male-dominated domain, like this adorable pint-sized warrior who’s starring in a new music video.
But another young female athlete found herself suddenly in the spotlight for her proficiency in multiple martial arts, catching the attention of viewers all across the world by channeling her inner ninja with an amazing video of her performing her best sword fighting techniques.
Every year, tech giants like Apple, Samsung and HTC give us more features and better, often bigger, displays to look forward to in our smartphones. But so far they still haven’t managed to come up with a way to tackle perhaps the most common problem users have, which is dropping your phone and cracking the screen.
However one research team at Tokyo University is hoping to change that by creating glass that is nearly indestructible. If the team achieves its goal, the glass could be used in everything from buildings to consumer electronics as soon as 2020.
November 7 means two things to Evangelion fans in Japan: the awesome Eva-themed bullet train makes its highly-anticipated inaugural run from Osaka to Fukuoka on the Sanyō Shinkansen line; and the eagerly awaited 500 Type Eva Café opens its doors to customers at JR Hakata Station for the very first time.
To add to all the excitement, Japan Rail West has just released the very first images of the café’s exclusive original menu. From specially marked toast to Eva sweets and an Angel curry, this themed collection of edible goods is the perfect way to celebrate the official launch of the Shinkansen Evangelion Project!
Ever since we heard about the opening of a bookstore-themed hotel with sleeping quarters built into its wooden bookshelves, we’ve been keeping a close eye out for updates, and were actually lucky enough to snap up a reservation to stay at the hotel on opening night!
After emerging from the beautiful space this morning, we can happily say it’s one of the most atmospheric places to stay in Tokyo. Actually, we wouldn’t mind shacking up here permanently! Come with us as we take you through all the gorgeous features and unusual details after the break.
Kyoto, which was the capital of Japan for more than 1,000 years, is one of those cities that looks beautiful no matter what time of the year it is. But out of all the seasons, autumn is by far the most popular time to visit, and now that the leaves are beginning to change people are also starting to plan trips to catch a glimpse of Kyoto’s gorgeous fall scenery.
If you happen to be one of those tourists, we have just the book for you, a unique insight into city by foreigners who now call Kyoto their home, called Amazing Kyoto.
Growing up with video games, there are a number of make-believe items we’d love to pull out from a bag to make our everyday lives better. Even just an ordinary potion could mean going from a sloth-like laziness to the get-up-and-go of a hummingbird. Sure, there have been plenty of elixirs concocted by drink makers that turn out to be delicious and colorful, but there’s another potion hitting the markets that we are looking to add to our stash to raise the hit points of our mood, since it’s an LED potion lamp!
MOST POPULAR
Now
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
The next time you’re feeling stressed out, you could relax on a Pokémon Psyduck chair from Japan
Japanese man drives truck that’s on fire directly to fire station, drops flaming potatoes[Videos]
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
7-Eleven Japan’s giant fried chicken skewer would be too big to eat, so it’s really for cuddling
Japan’s budget chain restaurant Saizeriya might just be the perfect first date location
We asked our Japanese team of writers how they deal with seasonal allergies in Japan
Starbucks Japan opens new Kyoto store in Place of Scenic Beauty
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
Is this Japan’s most extreme cherry blossom viewing? Leap, cycle and climb through 2,500 sakura
Weekly
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)- Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood- Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
Komachi Shokudo: Japanese mum’s-style cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Tokyo
Pizza Hut Japan teams up with creator of one of the country’s best kinds of ramen for ramen pizza- Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
The top 10 graduation songs in Japan as chosen by current Japanese high school students
Is Japan’s Crab-shaped Cup Ramen Timer worth the hype?
Monthly
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026- Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals- Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]- Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Now is the time to visit one of Tokyo’s best off-the-beaten-path plum blossom gardens
Yearly
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
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]- Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
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
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Japan’s budget chain restaurant Saizeriya might just be the perfect first date location
We asked our Japanese team of writers how they deal with seasonal allergies in Japan
Starbucks Japan opens new Kyoto store in Place of Scenic Beauty
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
Is this Japan’s most extreme cherry blossom viewing? Leap, cycle and climb through 2,500 sakura
Starbucks Japan releases a Sunset Frappuccino as a sayonara to summer
Amazing photography from the 1860s shows us some of Japan’s very last samurai
Traditional Japanese rice cake gets a western twist — with cream cheese and blueberry filling!
You can be the pirate king! Put yourself in a One Piece New Year’s card online for free
Cowboy Bebop creator’s Samurai Champloo anime to become live-action series from Hollywood studio
Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood
The top nine stand-and-eat soba noodle restaurants in Tokyo
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowd sizes in Nara?
-
