Japan has some of the best customer service in the world. We recently ran a story about a convenience store worker who packed our writer’s purchase so that the cold and hot drinks wouldn’t touch. This is just one of the many examples of the attention to detail that is given by workers in Japan. Sure, sometimes you land up having to wait five minutes at the department store while the clerk wraps every individual item (and the line of people behind you slowly creeps past the front doors), but this level of service is nothing short of amazing.
On my most recent visit to Baskin Robbins (it’s simply known as “31 Ice Cream” in Japan), I was shocked by the level of service I received after ordering a single cup of ice cream to-go. Most astonishing was the small block of dry ice that was placed on top of the ice cream to prevent it from melting on the way home.

We recommend not buying one pack of Japan’s new convenience store corn soup-flavor fried chicken
Japan’s double-decker portable rice cooker/bento maker is better than ever with new version
Ohaw? Ruibe? Pocche? While traveling in Japan’s north, we try Ainu cuisine for the first time
Nagoya’s famous Shinkansen platform noodle shop has other, better branches nearby
Narita Airport Transit & Stay Program returns after six years with free tours and festival experiences
Osaka Starbucks has one of the city’s coolest photo vantage points, but it’s going away soon
Winnie the Pooh cosplays as Yuzuru Hanyu for new plushie collaboration
Wait, some Shinkansen trains already have private booths that only cost 1,500 yen for an hour?
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
Japanese vending machine sells freshly squeezed lemon juice with a futuristic light show
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Osaka Starbucks has one of the city’s coolest photo vantage points, but it’s going away soon
Winnie the Pooh cosplays as Yuzuru Hanyu for new plushie collaboration
Wait, some Shinkansen trains already have private booths that only cost 1,500 yen for an hour?
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
German woman rescued from Mt. Fuji after suffering altitude sickness symptoms, hiking to peak anyway
The Japanese government is ending its Cool Japan Fund program
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Masturbatory aid maker Tenga releases officially licensed anime versions in Japan and U.S.
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
KFC Japan unveils new Tsukimi collection that takes moon-viewing to extreme levels
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Nike x One Piece collection brings Devil Fruits to sneakers and streetwear in Japan