football
Japan beating Germany 2-1 was pretty incredible, and we explain just how so using Dragon Ball, women’s wrestling and… monetary measures?
We play soccer with our pants up to our necks and battle some childhood demons along the way.
Football is a team sport, so what better way to celebrate a score than with an anime technique to combine two heroes?
New collaboration between part-time job hunting app an and Soccer King means you can fulfill your childhood dream of being a wall when you grow up.
Containing real throat lozenge powder, this new release is one of the most unusual Kit Kats seen in Japan to date.
Considering soccer is one sport Japanese athletes both male and female excel at compared to others, it’s easy to see why there’s so many fans of the Japan National and Women’s National Football Teams.
That’s why it may not be so surprising that after the men’s soccer team’s humiliating 0-4 defeat against Brazil last year, fans were feeling a little sour. But just how long do sports grudges last? Apparently quite awhile if you go by this picture of a certain popular Brazilian player that someone stuck in one of the urinals at the most-recent Tokyo Game Show.
It’s safe to say that the current main sports in Japan are baseball and soccer. The older of the two, Japanese baseball, can be defined by its players’ almost militaristic commitment to the game developed through the harsh training they undergo as youths.
However, with soccer, it’s not uncommon to see players with shaggy long hair or even dye jobs, and along with that a new attitude to playing professional sports in Japan. As a result, the nation may be witnessing its first true sports celebrity in Keisuke Honda: AC Milan and Japanese National Team forward and now an award-winning perfumer.
With Japan’s early defeat in the last FIFA World Cup finals, fans were eagerly awaiting a rebuilt and re-energized team under the guidance of new coach Javier Aguirre. This new national team is set to kick off for the first time on 5 September against Uruguay followed by a match against Venezuela on 9 September.
However, much of the excitement and anticipation held by fans of Aguirre Japan was quickly doused by a wet blanket in the form of a YouTube video posted on 2 September. In it we see what appears to be a practice session that looks…unencouraging to say the least.



















10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Bamboo trees vandalized near Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari shrine, foreign graffiti prevalent
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Black Lagoon anime-themed cafes open now in Japan
What happens when a middle-aged man does pole dancing regularly for five years in a row?
We make a Russian Kentucky Fried Chicken sushi ginger sandwich
Pizza Hut Japan’s hot lucky bags are perfect for a New Year’s pizza party
The Purple Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard is an extra-large waste of money
Tokyo Station staff share their top 10 favorite ekiben
Rakuten randomly offers 58 New Year’s osechi feasts in Japan, but did we get a star or a dud?
Japanese beef bowl chain Sukiya’s 2026 Smile Box lucky bag basically pays for itself
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Top Japanese cosplayer Enako returns to Comiket after 6 years, creates mayhem with admirers
Cup Noodle tries an authentic Jiro-style ramen, but something’s not quite right
Hayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the Horse
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
Umamusume anime girl plushie recalled for having parts she absolutely should not have【Pics】
We ate sushi made from Japan’s most expensive tuna ever【Taste test】
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
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
Starbucks Japan releases new zodiac chilled cup drink for 2026
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
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】
We make a Russian Kentucky Fried Chicken sushi ginger sandwich
Pizza Hut Japan’s hot lucky bags are perfect for a New Year’s pizza party
The Purple Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard is an extra-large waste of money
Tokyo Station staff share their top 10 favorite ekiben
Rakuten randomly offers 58 New Year’s osechi feasts in Japan, but did we get a star or a dud?
Tokyo fish market breaks New Year auction record as single fish sells for over 500 million yen【Vid】
Harajuku’s new permanent Tamagotchi shop is filled with cuteness and a surprising lack of poop
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Iconic instant cup noodle restaurant on Shibuya Station platform closes
Sanrio’s adorable Embroidered Badge Biscuits solve the too-cute-to-eat snack dilemma【Photo】
More Than a Capsule Stay: Why Solo Travelers Choose “global cabin Yokohama Chinatown”
The best Starbucks Japan Frappuccinos we want to drink again in 2026