pop
SMAP, one of Japan’s most famous pop boy band groups, have announced they will disband at the end of this year.
Not since New Coke has a soft drink lowered the bar of expectations quite like Lemongina and its great taste of topsoil.
From “Shake it off” to “Smooth Criminal”, these Japanese cover songs will definitely have you tapping your toes!
May is almost over and summer is about to kick into high-gear. Business people are slipping into their “cool-biz” outfits, and the air conditioners on the trains are coming on full blast now. Pretty soon you’ll be able to find us all at the beach fanning ourselves while slurping down the finest kakigori money can buy. And what better way is there to go into summer than with some sick new tunes?
That’s right, we’re back with more J-Tunes for you! And today we have one of Japan’s best electronic music producers, Kiyoshi Sugo. If you like dancing, lush melodies, fat basslines, or sick drops, you need to check this out.
It’s been a good few months for weird music videos, hasn’t it? With BABYMETAL, Avril Lavigne, and Die Antwoord all confusing us in good and/or bad ways (seriously, Avril?), it might seem like there’s no room for crazy music left in your head. But you’d be wrong, because today we have for you the most recent offering of the electro-pop-rock band Urbangarde. And the video isn’t just visually striking–the music is guaranteed to get stuck in your head for the next couple of days! It’s a problem we haven’t figured out to solve yet.
Though, we have to admit that we’re not trying very hard.
It wasn’t so long ago that everywhere you looked in Japan there were ads for Korean pop groups, cosmetics and health drinks. More people than ever were snapping up Korean language textbooks and, despite territorial squabbles and a few extreme-right noise makers, Japan was positively leaping on anything prefixed by the letter ‘K’.
Recent reports, however, suggest that all is not well in the K-Pop (Korean Pop music) camp in Japan, with major Korean record label and talent agency S.M. Entertainment reporting losses of more than 70 percent compared to the same period last year. Has the K-Pop bubble finally burst in Japan?







Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Fewer ramen restaurants declare bankruptcy in Japan for first time in several years
We followed Tokyo’s mystery walking map and ended up creating our own bar-hopping adventure
Hokkaido has an Ice Festival that’s less famous than the Snow one, but beautiful in its own way
Pokémon Lego kits are finally on their way!【Photos】
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Researchers in Japan give mouse glowing sperm
Sapporo man attempts to rob store with lighter, goes as you’d expect
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
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
Umamusume anime girl plushie recalled for having parts she absolutely should not have【Pics】
Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
Top Japanese cosplayer Enako returns to Comiket after 6 years, creates mayhem with admirers
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
We ate sushi made from Japan’s most expensive tuna ever【Taste test】
Japanese beef bowl chain Sukiya’s 2026 Smile Box lucky bag basically pays for itself
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
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】
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
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
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
Human washing machine pods coming to Japanese hotels【Photos】
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Researchers in Japan give mouse glowing sperm
Sapporo man attempts to rob store with lighter, goes as you’d expect
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Our anime dreams come true as we operate a robot suit from Appleseed
Survey asks Japanese women if they could marry a man who’s rich but ugly
Man who stole two packs of ground beef tracked by police for about 1,000 kilometers across Japan
New adults go wild at Seijinshiki Coming-of-Age ceremony in Kitakyushu, Japan 【Photos】
Aichi man arrested for shoplifing, throwing own feces at security to escape
Japan’s oldest largetooth sawfish in captivity back on display in Mie Prefecture
Man arrested for violating Japan’s anti-dueling law in downtown Tokyo
Man arrested for robbing Tokyo convenience store with nose hair trimmer
I can’t believe it’s not fish eggs? Taste-testing Japan’s imitation “almost ikura”【Photos】