Otodo-chan has been racking up likes and re-tweets for her impassioned PR pleas, seal-ing her fate as one of Japan’s top mascots!
Read More
Mascots
Organizing committee seems to have a problem with a huge clumsy bear running around with an open flame.
This cat likes to pull peace poses, stand on two feet and make a living selling hot potatoes.
Funasshi has had more than six years of celebrity fame, so maybe it’s time for the pear creature to have a little R&R.
Chiitan’s management claim a city rep in charge of happiness told them “permission wasn’t needed.”
Oh, and 29-year-old Famichiki Senpai is also an anthropomorphic piece of fried chicken with beefy human arms.
That adorable otter just took one too many blows to the head for the liking of city residents and officials.
All six candidates were cute enough to do the country proud, but these two are the winners.
Read More
Enlightening clips show just how hard it is to do the simplest things when you’re a mascot.
Organizers find a way to let vision-impaired kids express their opinion of which of the adorable characters best represents Japan.
These six mascots take their inspiration from sakura cherry blossoms, shrines, and Japanese fairy tales.
The city’s subway operator can’t decide whether their mascot should look like a muppet or a sexy service manager.
MOST POPULAR
Now
That time we got imprisoned in a Tokyo hostess bar
Japanese makeup tutorial shows how a middle-aged man can turn into a beautiful young woman
We visit the new all-you-can-eat KFC buffet restaurant in Tokyo
Japan’s cheapest hotel charges just 130 yen (US$1.20) for a room, with a huge, no-privacy catch
Is it OK to bite through your ramen noodles while slurping them in Japan? Internet debates
First-grader’s math test accidentally turns into treatise on confusing Japanese linguistics
Could you marry an otaku? Japanese people rank the geek hobbies they’d let slide for love
Weightlifting is Japanese salarymen’s newest hobby, report says, since “Muscles won’t betray you”
Everything you wanted to know about girls’ school uniforms in Japan 
Starbucks Japan releases more limited-edition mugs, cards and travel bottles for Christmas 2019
Weekly
- Japan’s cheapest hotel charges just 130 yen (US$1.20) for a room, with a huge, no-privacy catch
Japan’s pre-sliced cat-shaped bread: The greatest thing since non-kitty sliced bread- We visit the new all-you-can-eat KFC buffet restaurant in Tokyo
Crazy-cheap Japanese apartment for less than 140 bucks a month comes with headaches every day- Japanese makeup tutorial shows how a middle-aged man can turn into a beautiful young woman
One last visit to Japan’s craziest, scariest video game arcade: Warehouse Kawasaki【Photos】
Tokyo’s amazing 2D Cafe looks like an illustration, but it’s an actual restaurant you can eat in!- That time we got imprisoned in a Tokyo hostess bar
Is 150,000 yen (US$1,389) a month enough to live on in Tokyo? Depends what kind of life you want
There’s a permanent all-you-can-eat, all-you-can-drink KFC restaurant opening in Tokyo
Monthly
Microsoft Japan’s experiment with 3-day weekend boosts worker productivity by 40 percent- Japan’s cheapest hotel charges just 130 yen (US$1.20) for a room, with a huge, no-privacy catch
Five reasons not to live in Japan (as chosen by Switzerland’s perviest otaku)
Why do Japanese toilets have double hooks on their doors?
Post-meal waste at Japanese sushi restaurant sparks controversy online
Uniqlo’s shockingly sexy new clothing item inspires selfies and anime-style fan art
Shinkansen announcer shares moment her mother hears her voice on bullet train for the first time
Kyoto’s popular tourist spot Gion to forbid photos on private roads, 10,000 yen fine to violators
“Otaku” YouTuber confronts Tokyo tough-guy litterers, who’ve got no idea who they’re dealing with
Eating Tokyo’s most expensive pancakes required us to go through a security check
Yearly
- Microsoft Japan’s experiment with 3-day weekend boosts worker productivity by 40 percent
- Japan’s cheapest hotel charges just 130 yen (US$1.20) for a room, with a huge, no-privacy catch
- Five reasons not to live in Japan (as chosen by Switzerland’s perviest otaku)
PewDiePie buys house in Japan, calls it “a dream come true”
Naruto’s author Kishimoto reveals what characters’ names would’ve been if editor didn’t intervene
We asked a Niantic insider 30 questions about Pokémon Go, learned a lot of useful information
Why do Japanese recycle bins have two openings but dump everything into the same compartment?
Japanese Mame Shiba Inu banknote design pays homage to nation’s beloved dog- Why do Japanese toilets have double hooks on their doors?
Japanese Phantom Cheesecake: A sweet so popular 2,000 sold in ten minutes
RECOMMENDED STORIES
First-grader’s math test accidentally turns into treatise on confusing Japanese linguistics
Could you marry an otaku? Japanese people rank the geek hobbies they’d let slide for love
Weightlifting is Japanese salarymen’s newest hobby, report says, since “Muscles won’t betray you”
Everything you wanted to know about girls’ school uniforms in Japan 
Starbucks Japan releases more limited-edition mugs, cards and travel bottles for Christmas 2019
Japan’s pre-sliced cat-shaped bread: The greatest thing since non-kitty sliced bread
Sonic the Hedgehog’s creator still doesn’t like one part of his much-improved movie redesign
Crazy-cheap Japanese apartment for less than 140 bucks a month comes with headaches every day
Are Japanese B-Stylers racist? Jim Jeffries investigates cultural appropriation in Japan 【Video】
Otaku dances like a Japanese idol in front of J-Pop idol at live event in Tokyo【Video】
One last visit to Japan’s craziest, scariest video game arcade: Warehouse Kawasaki【Photos】
We try it out: Does Uniqlo’s HeatTech Ultra Warm work on a motorbike ride in the dead of winter?
Real-world Pokémon arena battle park found in Japan【Photos】
-
