We’ve compiled our favorite parts of this year’s event, including the largest-ever collection of special food, goods, and a new HamiKuma variant.
party
The room makes for a perfect spooky Halloween backdrop, unless you’re one of those people that happens to find old-fashioned dolls soothing.
Ain’t no party like a RocketNews24 Christmas party because a RocketNews24 Christmas party don’t stop…even if you pray it does.
If the name is any indication, the Kobe Disco Train promises to be a more uptempo and commercially viable version of a soul train.
Halloween just keeps getting bigger in Japan. While stores are full of all sorts of cute paraphernalia to mark the celebration and a number of Halloween activities are marked on the calendar, there’s one very special event that’s bigger and more unusual than any other in Tokyo. In fact, it’s so popular the organisers sold all 2,000 tickets in one evening and are now offering an extra three hundred tickets to those who get in quick by applying online.
It’s the Zombie Party Village, which comes alive once a year with thousands of walking dead—all of whom are free to dance to their unbeating heart’s content without being bothered by angry mobs and cross-bearing priests. If you’d like to be a part of the 2,300-strong zombie dance collective, read on to find out all the details after the break.
Burning Man hardly needs an introduction—the annual festival has become so thoroughly ingrained in mass culture that even your boring elderly relatives are complaining about Jack Ü performing. Still, we’d stop short of calling it “mainstream,” even if there were around 70,000 participants this year.
But maybe 70,000 people is too much for you, or maybe you were stuck in boring old Japan while everyone else was having a blast with Skrillex “on the Playa.” If so, we have good news: There’s still time to plan your trip to Japan’s version of Burning Man, Burning Japan!
Bells are jingling, gift lists are daunting, and snow is…not falling in Tokyo. That can mean only one thing: Christmas, Japan’s favorite romantic holiday, is almost here! While your crazy uncle might tell you that Christmas is apparently under siege in some parts of the world, the only holiday worry you’ll find in Japan is getting the right present for your girlfriend.
But don’t be fooled by all the lovers roaming the streets and tormenting lonely single folks, it’s not all romance. There’s more to the season that kissing atop Tokyo Tower–there are also parties and cosplay! Join us after the jump to check out some of the typical outfit offerings on sale in Japan this Christmas.
Get inspired for the weekend with this fun YouTube video from Down Under! It’s sure to leave a big smile on your face and an itch to get your dancing shoes on.
Though it’s not something we think about often, Japan has a number of very strange and ardent groups of ultra-right-wing conservatives. You can often catch them riding around in black vans or stinking up online forums denouncing pretty much everything. The ideology that each of the groups expresses tends to vary, though rabid nationalism and emperor-worship are typical.
Some of them also apparently love the Nazis–and one of them, one Hiroyuki Seto, has even called on people to join him for a party celebrating Adolf Hitler’s birthday. “Crazier than a barrel of monkeys” is an appropriate description…
Though it may not be a traditional holiday dish, pizza is often the perfect entrée for the holiday season. After all, between Christmas and New Years, there’s bound to be an opportunity to throw a party for your friends, and for those who’d rather not slave away in the kitchen for a day, pizza is often the best way to provide food to a group.
Well now Pizza Hut Japan has given us a new reason to party: in its latest promotion, the company is giving away actual gold necklaces worth nearly a thousand dollars each.
Kumamoto, a rural prefecture on Kyushu Island off the mainland of Japan, is one of the remaining “car societies” in a country using more and more public transportation. It is also home to one of the country’s roving party locations: the Beer Garden Train. While it’s nothing unusual to see drunk people on public transportation in Japan, this one-car trolley actually encouraged us to imbibe!
MOST POPULAR
Today
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
Starbucks Japan unveils new Frappuccino showcasing “mottainai” culture
New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
Osaka is hosting a “hentai” event, but it’s probably not what you think
What’s it like to join Tokyo’s walking-and-talking-with-strangers club for a day?
Art exhibition coming to Tokyo this month brings the cute, scary, and weird to ukiyo-e
Extra-cute Sea Animal crepes come to Japan’s cafe chain born from a sweet fashion brand
New littering fine now being enforced in some of Tokyo’s most heavily touristed areas
And now, a crazy-looking way to stay cool this summer, from Japan’s crazy gadget company
The best yakiniku restaurant menu items to order if you’re surrounded by lovey-dovey couples
Weekly
- New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
Japanese convenience store Lawson launches new “mini supermarket” chain, L Minimart
Japan’s real-world Pokémon hot spring’s first photos are here![Photos]
What’s up with the Ghibli Park photo and video ban?- Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
Japan’s adorable pudding chick becomes a transit card mascot
The Japan Burger Championship 2026 in Yokohama next month is the ultimate battle of the beef
Mr. Sato takes a walk on Tokyo’s American-style street to get some American/Japanese ice cream
Sushi Pizza surprises diners in one of the best food destinations in Japan
Pikachu cakes and other adorable Pokémon 30th anniversary food coming to Tokyo luxury hotel
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
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan- New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before- Japan’s real-world Pokémon hot spring’s first photos are here![Photos]
- Japanese convenience store Lawson launches new “mini supermarket” chain, L Minimart
Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
Tokyo’s new extra-expensive ramen restaurant is dividing opinions, so we tried a bowl
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
Art exhibition coming to Tokyo this month brings the cute, scary, and weird to ukiyo-e
Extra-cute Sea Animal crepes come to Japan’s cafe chain born from a sweet fashion brand
New littering fine now being enforced in some of Tokyo’s most heavily touristed areas
And now, a crazy-looking way to stay cool this summer, from Japan’s crazy gadget company
The best yakiniku restaurant menu items to order if you’re surrounded by lovey-dovey couples
What’s up with the Ghibli Park photo and video ban?
Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo to remain closed for the summer following stabbing incident
Krispy Kreme releases a new Doughwich… at only one store in Japan
Starbucks Japan has a problem with its sell-out breakfast that might annoy solo diners
Starbucks Japan releases a new limited-edition Frappuccino inspired by espresso affogato
Starbucks Japan has a mesh bag so cute it’s a sell-out hit
Japan’s cafe that won’t let you go home until you solve a puzzle is opening in Osaka’s canal district
Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
Japanese convenience store Lawson launches new “mini supermarket” chain, L Minimart
-
