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?
MOST POPULAR
Today
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
Japanese criminals are now using crabs to hunt for burglary targets
Does one of Japan’s favorite chocolate brands work with the Pringles chocolate hack?
A letter from our reporter’s deceased mother arrives at just the right time
Final Fantasy VII’s Tifa’s bar pops up in real-world Tokyo, and we stop by for drinks[Photos]
Nintendo’s Super Mario throws out first pitch at professional baseball game in Japan[Video]
Is Mister Donut’s all-you-can-eat Donut Buffet still worth it?
Woman in Japan breaks into home of complete stranger just to slap him in the face
Looney Tunes is now an adorable anime series with Looney Tunes Gokko[Videos]
Squeezy Tanuki Testicle toys once again appear in Japanese gacha machines
Weekly
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
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Studio Ghibli releases crystal glass paperweights featuring Totoro and the Catbus
Japanese hair salons going bankrupt in record numbers
Samurai Coffee: Try Edo period coffee once enjoyed by Japanese warriors
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
Sega opening 65th anniversary store in downtotn Tokyo with deep-cut game merch
Retro-style Evangelion T-shirts coming to Uniqlo sister brand GU[Photos]
Viral tweet suggests Japanese convenience store ripping off customers with donuts, so we investigate
Monthly
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden- Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo- The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open- Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Yearly
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
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
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Nintendo’s Super Mario throws out first pitch at professional baseball game in Japan[Video]
Is Mister Donut’s all-you-can-eat Donut Buffet still worth it?
Woman in Japan breaks into home of complete stranger just to slap him in the face
Looney Tunes is now an adorable anime series with Looney Tunes Gokko[Videos]
Squeezy Tanuki Testicle toys once again appear in Japanese gacha machines
This historical Kyoto zen garden is hosting a guitar and beatbox concert
Japan’s rice warehouse stockpile rate hits record high as consumers, restaurants reject high prices
Retro-style Evangelion T-shirts coming to Uniqlo sister brand GU[Photos]
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Japanese Pokémon card shop grabs scissors as part of its plan to keep scalpers away
Holy Fungus Mud Volleyball is Japan’s most filthily beautifying bacteria event of the summer!
We turn to a shady Amazon Japan gadget to try to stop Tokyo crows from stealing our hangers
Japanese hair salons going bankrupt in record numbers
Samurai Coffee: Try Edo period coffee once enjoyed by Japanese warriors
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