Don’t worry if you can’t make it to your local temple! Now you can collect up all the online roasts you’ve received and cast them into this cyberfire.
Niigata (Page 3)
History buffs, nature fans, and Japanese culture enthusiasts will want to check out this island in the Sea of Japan.
The stunning natural phenomenon looks more like an otherworldly dragon as it’s filmed slowly retreating up to the sky.
With an “Outside-in” room and a bath lit by fibre optics, this is one of Japan’s most unique places to stay.
Let the voice from Pregnancy Academy and Crime Breast Bounce guide you to the bullet train.
Oopsie-poopsie! This science museum reminds us all of the importance of doing proper research.
These stunning images show how craftsmen keep their UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage alive during the coldest months of the year.
JR East has finally announced the dates of operation and ticket prices for its contemporary art Shinkansen set to begin running in late April.
Just because it’s called “peach” and looks peach, doesn’t mean it’s peach-flavored. And just because it’s “strawberry-flavored,” doesn’t mean it’s strawberry-flavored either…
If you are in Niigata this March, you can live out your Tangled fantasy with a breathtaking view of floating lanterns that rival the beauty of the Disney movie and the festival in Thailand that inspired the film’s iconic scene.
One of the many things we love about Japan is its impressive variety of vending machines. We’ve seen everything from orange juice that looks like soy sauce to cans of hot, clam-packed miso soup make its way to the hands of customers through the wonders of mechanised distribution.
Recently, we stumbled on a machine we’d never seen before, and one that’s unique even by Japanese standards. Meet the persimmon vending box that delights customers on Sado Island with a rare variety of fruit that’s only grown locally, away from mainland Japan.
For anyone who lives in Niigata or is planning on heading there in the next couple of days, please be sure to obey all the laws and regulations of the prefecture. It’s not that they have odd rules that are going to catch you off guard, it’s the fact that there is a gigantic, police labor robot, or Patlabor, that has arrived in the prefecture. Its appearance has caused a bit of a commotion and the robot is, potentially, fully prepared to take out any criminals while it’s stationed there.
Oh, and if you think you might be able to commit some sort of crime out of sight of a robotic police presence, the human officers have a very speedy patrol car in the area as well.
From an engineering standpoint, Japan’s famed Shinkansen is already a work of art. Recently, though, the country’s bullet trains have been putting a renewed effort into their appearance, taking inspiration from centuries-old tradition and science-fiction anime.
The latest Shinkansen to be unveiled, though, incorporates design cues more modern than tatami reed floors yet not as futuristic as giant robots. Instead, it’s envisioned as a travelling gallery of contemporary art, allowing for what operator East Japan Railways calls “the world’s fastest art appreciation.”
If you are a farmer in Japan, there’s a good chance you’re a rice farmer, so after harvesting all your crop, you end up with a lot of straw. Most farmers will stack the straw together and either dry it out or roll it up to dispose of it. Sometimes you will see them burning it as well because that straw is good for nothing.
Nothing that is, unless you’ve got an art student handy. Enter Amy Goda, an aspiring artist currently studying art in Niigata Prefecture. She has taken the leftover straw after the harvest and has fashioned some pretty awesome straw sculptures that might make you think the land is alive.
A group of local residents around the Nation of Japan had established a plan to issue “I Conquered Nation of Japan” certificates to people for 500 yen (US$5) a copy. The plan was a small way to help promote tourism to the area. However, when the news broke, people from all over the country wrote in, protesting the scheme and calling it “inappropriate.”
Summer in Japan is all about matsuri, or festivals. Young people dressed in yukata walking through streets lined with food stalls and game booths, the rowdy, drunken group of local men carrying a giant mikoshi shrine through the crowd while yelling “Washoi! Washoi!” and, of course, the fireworks.
The Japanese take fireworks very seriously, which is why Japan is home to some of the most spectacular fireworks displays in the world. To see what we mean, the fireworks show at this year’s Nagaoka Matsuri in Niigata prefecture has been generating buzz on the net thanks to some amazing video footage posted to YouTube. Check it out below!
MOST POPULAR
Today
Japan’s instant ramen snack theme park features an athletic course even adults can enjoy
Pizza Hut Japan’s drinkable curry pizza is here – Is it all we dreamed it would be?[Taste test]
Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Tokyo’s new extra-expensive ramen restaurant is dividing opinions, so we tried a bowl
Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
Bizarre Japanese vending machine sells “Peace and Equality” and “Angels and Demons”
Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
Starbucks Japan hoping fans will go bananas for its new mottainai banana affogato Frappuccino
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Man in Japan calls in bomb threat because he doesn’t want to go to his own work farewell party
Weekly
- Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
This Tokyo Station sweets sensation sells out daily, but we finally got our hands on it- Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
Hundreds of rose bushes in bloom at Tokyo’s off-the-beaten-path, next-to-the-tracks flower street
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Studio Ghibli’s president is leaving the company. Will it change how they make anime?- Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
Let’s hike a Japanese mountain (that isn’t Mt. Fuji) – Mt. Tsukuba[Photos]
Monthly
- Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home- Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet- Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Studio Ghibli launches huge new anime movie T-shirt collection with special design details
Yearly
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
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
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa- Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Bizarre Japanese vending machine sells “Peace and Equality” and “Angels and Demons”
Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
Starbucks Japan hoping fans will go bananas for its new mottainai banana affogato Frappuccino
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Man in Japan calls in bomb threat because he doesn’t want to go to his own work farewell party
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
The story of our reporter P.K. Sanjun’s heart attack
Memorial bell inside Hiroshima’s Peace Park has been silenced, but for a sweet reason
Japanese vending machine find introduces us to a new drink you can’t get anywhere else
McDonald’s Japan adds curry French fry flavor, regional-taste burgers to its menu with Gotochi Mac
10 tips to remember for your first trip to izakaya, Japan’s awesome traditional pubs【Video】
7-Eleven Japan releases their second lineup of upsized foods from a muffin to bukkake soba
Suspected yakuza member arrested for having frequent flyer mile account
-
