Meiji
Meiji unveils its newest crowdsourced flavor inspired by a delicacy of northeastern Japan.
Ice cream in fried tofu? Taste-testing ice cream inari, a substitute for ice cream cones【Taste test】
Many believe these films are the best live-action adaptations of a beloved manga/anime series to exist.
Slip-on designs make it easy to swish around the house like a traditional schoolgirl or a cool, modern-day samurai.
There was a time when sumo wrestlers and kimono-clad ladies made shipping companies look beautiful.
A cautionary tale as old as time unfolded into an epic saga of crime and redemption in the Japanese Twitterverse recently, when a young boy’s inability to control himself around his sister’s chocolate stash ended in the kid embarking on a heist-like caper to replace the chocolate bar he couldn’t help but munch on before his sister noticed.
When the boy’s less-than-masterful plan failed, though, he resorted to writing this adorable apology letter.
In the 22nd year of the Meiji era (aka 1889), the very first Japanese kyūshoku (school lunch) was served up at an elementary school in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture. Although the first menu was very simply prepared, it provided the growing children with an important source of nourishment that not all of them could receive at home.
Fast-forward to 2015–Japanese schoolchildren (and their teachers!) continue to eat school lunches every day, as opposed to children in many other countries who bring their lunches from home. If you’re working in a Japanese school, you should already be familiar with the daily feeling of either excitement or disappointment when you see the lunch menu for the day. But just consider this–would you rather eat the types of lunches served today, or those that were served 100 years ago? Read on to learn about the evolution of Japanese school lunches and decide for yourself!
If you’re anything like us, you love old stuff from Japan. The temples, shrines, centuries-old festivals, and museums are some of our favorite things to check out when we have free time. There’s just something absolutely captivating about all the relics of the past that live on in Japan–but they’re just not quite as good as time travel! Come on, scientists, we want to hang out with Nobunaga! Well, while we’re waiting for Doc Brown to get back with the DeLorean, we can still at least look at old photos of Japan.
Though you might think there aren’t many–after all, it wasn’t like the samurai were running around with smartphones, snapping selfies–it turns out that there may be quite a few more than we realized! After a few hours clicking around the Internet, we’ve come up with our six favorite sites for finding old photos of Japan. Be sure to check them out and see what life was like over a hundred years ago!
Have you ever looked at the current crop of Johnny’s and female idol groups streaming out of Japan and thought that their high energy hair styles and in-your-face costumes were a little genki for your tastes? Have you ever wondered, “what would they look like as samurai or geisha?” Look no further than this video showcasing the style and class of the 19th century!
Take a look at the video after the jump and see what the rest of the world thinks of Japan’s stoic idols.




















Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Downtown Tokyo’s meaty monster Kaibutsu ramen will challenge your stomach, thrill your taste buds
Pokémon store character meet-and-greet events to resume in May
Krispy Kreme Japan giving free donuts with morning drink purchases at all branches, maybe forever
Studio Ghibli celebrates the magic of movie theaters with short video, Hayao Miyazaki illustration
Brand-new Pokémon park opens in Japan with larger-than-life-size Lapras【Photos】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
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
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
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
Downtown Tokyo’s meaty monster Kaibutsu ramen will challenge your stomach, thrill your taste buds
Pokémon store character meet-and-greet events to resume in May
Krispy Kreme Japan giving free donuts with morning drink purchases at all branches, maybe forever
Studio Ghibli celebrates the magic of movie theaters with short video, Hayao Miyazaki illustration
Brand-new Pokémon park opens in Japan with larger-than-life-size Lapras【Photos】
Say hello to Japan’s new generation of adults, fresh from Kitakyushu’s 2023 seijinshiki ceremony
New Travelling Bento pouches turn your luggage into a Japanese lunch box
Seven Things Our Male Reporter Realized After Wearing a Miniskirt
How to make Japanese melon pan out of any type of bread
Drink vending machines disappearing in Japan as number drops to lowest in 30 years
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
Japanese politician arrested on charges of accepting bribes to reduce number of monkeys in park
The new Simose Art Museum in Hiroshima houses a floating, futuristic surprise next to the sea
Straw Hat Brides – Official One Piece wedding dresses going on sale in Japan