Teams of researchers in Japan believe that they’ve pinpointed the most effective moment while breathing for memorizing new information.
research
A non-profit study sought to determine the best Japanese prefecture to live in, but found interesting discrepancies.
No matter how accomplished students are in science, it seems Japan doesn’t have the resources to tap into their full potential.
Researchers say this is the first time this type of behaviour between the two species has been recorded.
If you ever wanted to see a literal pile of baby pandas, this is the research facility you need to visit.
Have your breath taken away by this spectacular footage of a woman swimming with a whale shark in the Philippines.
As long as it’s with regards to Newton’s laws of motion and electromagnets, research shows curiosity does not kill the cat after all.
While Japan is famous for its animation, food, pop-culture, it’s also infamous for its extremely high suicide rates. Many Japanese students and salarymen succumb to the pressures of school and work by taking their own lives. There is little knowledge about what factors increase the risk of suicide, but recent research has found that people, namely adolescents, born between January 1 and April 1, are 30 percent more likely to commit suicide.
At some point in our childhoods, most of us probably owned a few coloring books to keep us entertained on rainy days or while traveling.
Although coloring is still a great way to boost a child’s imagination and improve motor skills, as digital technology continues to develop, fewer children are turning to coloring books to pass the time.
So in order to make coloring “cool” again, Disney decided to do a little research into what they could do to breathe some life back into this old pastime favorite.
Dr. Timothy Mousseau, professor of Biological Sciences at the University of South Carolina and researcher for the Chernobyl and Fukushima Research Initiative, presented new findings to the International Ornithological Congress in Tokyo last week that suggest radiation contamination around Fukushima Daiichi, even at low levels, is negatively impacting biodiversity and wildlife populations.
Your fist kiss is sure to be a memorable event. It might even be the most memorable event in your life for decades if all goes well…or if it turns into a proper disaster. At least, that’s what we learned from teenage comedies–and Hollywood never lies, right? But even though it’s such a big event in any young person’s life, everyone’s first kiss seems to come at different ages.
We’ve discussed kissing in Japan before, but a new survey reveals the average first-kiss age of Japanese folks broken down by prefecture, showing which prefecture’s women were the fastest and kissiest in the country! Who do you think came in first place? And who’s bringing up the rear as the “slowest to their first kiss?” Find out below!
Thanks to the patient translation efforts of AltJapan Co., Ltd. co-founder Matt Alt, readers can now read, in English,most of the 90-page study on robot anime made available by the Japanese government. Titled “Nihon Animation Guide: Robot Anime-hen,” the original document was written by anime critic Ryusuke Hikawa, Sunrise head of cultural promotion Koichi Inoue, and writer Daisuke Sawaki, and compiled by Mori Building Co., which has previously also compiled reports on Japanese live-action special effects shows, movies, and other pop culture topics. In addition to these reports, the company also promotes media arts information, hosts symposiums, conducts surveys, and works on archive projects.
Ladies and gentlemen of the gaming world, those entire summer breaks spent parked in front of that hulking box of a rear-projection TV (but it was 60-inches!) with your N64 controller in hand were actually productive despite what your mother said. Thanks to the hard work of researchers in Berlin, we now know that playing Super Mario 64 is scientifically proven to increase your brain size. Which goes to show that a lot of things your mother told you as a kid were probably false. So go ahead, stop listening to your mom, your brain is probably bigger than hers now anyway.
Kimchi is a fermented cabbage dish from Korea that is often referred to as “Korea’s national dish.” It’s so pungent that those who enjoy eating copious amounts of kimchi have been known to purchase a separate fridge dedicated to storing it. For decades, Korean mothers have sworn by the health benefits of adding kimchi to one’s diet, but now it seems scientists agree as well. New research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food suggests that eating even a small amount of kimchi every day may help lower cholesterol, LDL (“bad cholesterol”), and fasting blood glucose levels.



















Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
Wagyu ramen for foreign tourists appears in Kabukicho, with a very high price tag
Japanese figure skating star Yuzuru Hanyu and Winne-the-Pooh announce crossover merch line [Pics]
Tokyo sweets store has a “350% Pudding Soft Serve”, and people are going wild for it
This awesome Japanese arcade chain has crane game coaches to help you win prizes
Shinto shrine in downtown Tokyo announces cosplay ban
McDonald’s Japan’s new Chiikawa Happy Meal figures are here![Photos]
Studio Ghibli releases new Kiki’s Delivery Service Jiji music box for anime fans
Stray cats almost became classified as an invasive species in Japan but the change was overturned
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Anime fan in Japan arrested for ordering and cancelling over 4.3 billion yen in anime merch
Starbucks Japan teams up with Traveler’s Company for new stationery and goods collection
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Beautiful Totoro bonsai figure needs no watering, makes soothing rain showers whenever you want
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
End of a manga era as Weekly Shonen Jump’s circulation drops under one million
Kochia calling: Right now is a great off-season season to visit this beautiful Japanese park
This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Cup Noodle unveils first-ever cold-water instant ramen in Japan
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
This awesome Japanese arcade chain has crane game coaches to help you win prizes
Shinto shrine in downtown Tokyo announces cosplay ban
McDonald’s Japan’s new Chiikawa Happy Meal figures are here![Photos]
Studio Ghibli releases new Kiki’s Delivery Service Jiji music box for anime fans
Stray cats almost became classified as an invasive species in Japan but the change was overturned
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
Did you know? Only one Beard Papa’s in all of eastern Japan sells soft serve in a cream puff
Over 1,400 cities in Japan see foreign population rise, total populations drop in new statistics
Are Japan’s room-temperature curry packets the boxed lunch heroes we’ve been looking for? [Taste test]
7-Eleven Japan adds new doughnut-like tonkotsu ramen fried chicken to its hot food section
This Japanese chopping board sanitising bag might be the handy kitchen gadget we never knew we needed
Studio Ghibli theme park announces new expansion saluting a previously off-limits anime
Japanese convenience store food gets turned into hyper-realistic stationery you can peel open
This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos]