We head to Osaka’s world-famous canal district and see who’s thriving and who’s struggling with the drop in travelers from China.
Dotonbori
Landmark Dotonbori ramen restaurant’s famous dragon is going to be cut down to legally allowable size.
Scenes from the weekend show not everyone was interested in staying away from hotspots like Shibuya and Osaka during Halloween.
After losing its giant fugu blowfish, people are now worried about the health of the city’s big crustacean.
Anime eatery’s first branch in central Japan offers exclusive food and merch for mecha fans.
Remeber Gudetama, the lazy egg character from Hello Kitty owner Sanrio? Well, it turns out that the unmotivated egg with an extremely unmascot-like personality has gained quite a following in Japan. Apparently, his soft appearance and to an even greater extent, his lazy disposition, which prompts him to mutter phrases like “I have no strength” and “I can’t feel motivated enough to do anything” have earned him considerable popularity. In fact, he’s popular enough to have had his very own character cafe for a limited time in the past, and recently, he’s been collaborating with Dotonbori, a chain of restaurants that serves okonomiyaki, which are Japanese pancakes containing various ingredients such as cabbage, meat and seafood.
That’s right, at Dotonbori, you can use actual eggs to add realistic Gudetama faces to your food. Now, that sounded like too much fun to pass up, so our reporters from our Japanese sister site went to one of the Dotobori shops and actually tried it! Read More













Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
Japan Travel: Exploring Manabeshima cat island
Start saving room now – Japanese grocery store’s biggest sushi roll yet is coming for Setsubun
It’s an epidemic! Worldwide freezer diving!
Uniqlo teams up with shojo manga/anime masters Clamp for new World of Clamp T-shirt line【Pics】
Pizza Hut Japan’s hot lucky bags are perfect for a New Year’s pizza party
Draw like a Studio Ghibli anime artist with exclusive watercolour set approved by Hayao Miyazaki
Poké Ball cakes here for limited but long time to celebrate Pokémon franchise’s 30th anniversary
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Totoro cream puffs and Catbus cookies are finally available in downtown Tokyo
Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
What’s inside Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2026?
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
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
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
It’s an epidemic! Worldwide freezer diving!
Uniqlo teams up with shojo manga/anime masters Clamp for new World of Clamp T-shirt line【Pics】
Pizza Hut Japan’s hot lucky bags are perfect for a New Year’s pizza party
Draw like a Studio Ghibli anime artist with exclusive watercolour set approved by Hayao Miyazaki
Poké Ball cakes here for limited but long time to celebrate Pokémon franchise’s 30th anniversary
We try an unusual buffet of dishes made from wild game at a roadside stop in Chiba
Is the all-you-can-eat KFC buffet in Tokyo really as good as they say it is?
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
You can now visit a recreation of Evangelion’s Tokyo-3 and live there in miniature form in【Pics】
Otaku quiz: How many guest artists from Tokyo’s awesome Dragon Ball manga cover mural can you name?
How to speak Japanese like a gyaru【2024 edition】
We visited a “terrible” Japanese hot spring hotel near Narita Airport