Ibaraki
Does the maxixe live up to its promise of being a whole new flavor for our Japanese reporter?
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Krista Rogers
Nov 13, 2025 - Tweet
Enjoy glamping among blossoms, soaking in herbal hot springs, and shooting virtual dinosaurs hiding among the trees on your next weekend away.
- Japan
- (accommodation • AR • barbecue • botanical garden • COK • glamping • hot spring • Ibaraki • nature • onsen • resort • Rinne • sauna • The Botanical Resort Rinne • tourism • travel • zipline)
60th Anniversary Sanrio Exhibition opens this month to celebrate the Japanese culture of cute
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Krista Rogers
Jul 8, 2025
“The Beginning of Kawaii” exhibition explores the backstories of famous Sanrio characters and more.
- Japan
- (anniversary • COK • cute • exhibition • exhibitions • Hello Kitty • Ibaraki • mascot • mascot characters • Sanrio)
Nattoku! Factory offers free factory tours of a famous natto brand production process
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Krista Rogers
Jun 24, 2025
Diehard lovers of Japan’s infamous fermented soy beans can now get a glimpse of the sticky production process.
- Japan
- (COK • cool • factories • fermented soybeans • food • Futon Natsuno • Ibaraki • museum • natto • Nattoku! Factory • Okame • SNJO • Takano Foods • weird)
Japan’s plum blossom season is here, and after-dark garden is one of the best spots to see them
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Casey Baseel
Feb 25, 2025
One of Japan’s three most beautiful gardens gets even more beautiful with special ume illumination event.
Where’s the happiest place for foreigners to live in Japan? Study investigates
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Casey Baseel
Dec 12, 2024
Ibaraki’s first Foreign Resident Happiness Index finds some surprising variety in its three subcategories.
- Japan
- (cafes • cakes • food • Ibaraki • review • sandwiches • SNJO • sweets • taste test • Tsukuba Expo Center • Tsukuba Space Center)
- Japan
- (COK • cool • crazy • food • Ibaraki • Japanese food • Japanese street food • octopus • review • SNJO • street food • takoyaki • taste test • weird)
Akutai Matsuri: Japan’s Verbal Abuse Festival, where insults and bad behaviour are encouraged
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Oona McGee
Dec 28, 2023
- Japan
- (Akutai Matsuri • festivals • Ibaraki • Japanese festivals • society • tourism • tradition • travel • videos • weird festivals • winter festivals)
Bungee jumping in Japan at the longest pedestrian suspension bridge on the mainland
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Oona McGee
Dec 20, 2023
- Japan
- (activities • adventure • bungee jumping • COK • dragons • Ibaraki • SNJO • things to do • things to do in Japan • tourist site • travel)
This regional pizza buffet offers so many flavors you won’t be able to try them all
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Dale Roll
Nov 10, 2023
- Japan
- (all-you-can-eat • buffet • Gunma • Ibaraki • Italian food • local chain • Masanuki Sunakoma • Nagano • Napoli no Shokutaku • pizza • Saitama)
- Japan
- (Bando Taro • COK • cool • family restaurant • family restaurants • food • Ibaraki • Japanese food • Kanto • Masanuki Sunakoma • miso nikomi udon • Noodles • restaurants • review • SNJO • soba • udon)
Japanese popcorn comes with collectible cards of women who own traditional ryokan inns【Photos】
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Casey Baseel
Oct 7, 2023
- Japan
- (collectible cards • food • Frito-Lay • Ibaraki • inns • Mike popcorn • Okami • popcorn • ryokan • snacks • trading cards • travel)
Eiko Digital Creative High School opens in two cities where students can study e-sports and more
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Krista Rogers
May 2, 2023
A new flexible learning-based high school program allows students to pursue their passions in preparation for careers in the gaming industry.
- Japan
- (COK • e-sports • education • Eiko Digital Creative High School • esports • Ibaraki • pro gaming • Saitama • schools • video games)
Japanese prefecture replaces Ibaraki as Least Attractive Prefecture in annual ranking
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Shannon
Oct 28, 2022
- Japan
- (47 prefectures • attractiveness • Hokkaido • Ibaraki • Kyoto • national survey • Okinawa • ranking • saga)
Survey picks Japan’s most attractive prefectures – Familiar spots at top and bottom of rankings
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Casey Baseel
Oct 13, 2021
Japanese police reminding drivers not to perform the illegal “Ibaraki Dash” maneuver
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Master Blaster
Sep 24, 2021
- Japan
- (cars • driving • Ibaraki • Ibaraki Dash • Iyo's Early Turn • law • Matsumoto Run • police • right turns • society • traffic)
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Recent Posts
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Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
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Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
Pokémon Lego kits are finally on their way!【Photos】
Mister Donut and Godiva continue their sweet sweets relationship with new treats on sale now in Japan
Pro gamer has perfect comeback to Sega exec’s “He looks like he eats cheese beef bowls” insult
Draw like a Studio Ghibli anime artist with exclusive watercolour set approved by Hayao Miyazaki
New adults go wild at Seijinshiki Coming-of-Age ceremony in Kitakyushu, Japan 【Photos】
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowds in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood?
Weekly
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
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?
Monthly
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
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】
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
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
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
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
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
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Mister Donut and Godiva continue their sweet sweets relationship with new treats on sale now in Japan
Pro gamer has perfect comeback to Sega exec’s “He looks like he eats cheese beef bowls” insult
Draw like a Studio Ghibli anime artist with exclusive watercolour set approved by Hayao Miyazaki
New adults go wild at Seijinshiki Coming-of-Age ceremony in Kitakyushu, Japan 【Photos】
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The etiquette rules for visiting Shinto shrines in Japan
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Bamboo trees vandalized near Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari shrine, foreign graffiti prevalent
Sanrio pancakes celebrate My Melody’s birthday, and Cinnamoroll too, at Japanese cafes
What makes a good boss in Japan? Workers sound off in survey
How to speak Japanese like a gyaru【2024 edition】
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