2014 marks 25 years as a band for the pillows. They are celebrating with a song entitled “Happy Birthday,” and also by announcing a cover and dance contest. For those with the misfortune of not knowing who the pillows are, they are a Japanese rock band whose style has changed over the last 25 years from pop to jazz experimentation to alternative rock.
Many of the band’s fans outside of Japan became acquainted with them through the six-episode animated series, FLCL, for which the pillows provided the music. The caffeinated, crunchy soundtrack is the perfect complement to the nonsensical but purely fun plot that includes a robot that emerges from a boy’s head wound, the spirit of a powerful pirate king and the sexy maniac who hunts him down riding a Vespa with an electric bass as a weapon.
Our reporter takes her 71-year-old mother to a visual kei concert for the first time
Beautiful new Final Fantasy T-shirt collection on the way from Uniqlo【Photos】
Randomly running into a great sushi lunch like this is one of the best things about eating in Tokyo
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
Hey, Japanese taxi driver! Take us to your favorite restaurant in Tsuruga City!
Osaka’s creepy cute mascot speaks for first time, adds more fuel the creepy OR cute debate【Video】
Japanese black curry “experiment” takes place at an unlikely restaurant branch in Tokyo
Mist descends upon Japan’s “Killing Stone” after ceremony to appease nine-tailed fox spirit
Nozomi Shinkansen bullet train abolishes low-priced unreserved tickets during peak travel seasons
We try out “Chan Ramen”, an underground type of ramen popular in the ramen community
New Studio Ghibli bedding sets are cool in all senses of the word
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases【Survey】
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutions
There’s a park inside Japan where you can also see Japan inside the park
Japanese convenience store packs a whole bento into an onigiri rice ball
Hanton rice — a delicious regional food even most Japanese people don’t know about, but more should
Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and Dragon Quest pet product line announced by Square Enix
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
Japan’s bone-breaking and record-breaking roller coaster is permanently shutting down
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Foreign passenger shoves conductor on one of the last full runs for Japan’s Thunderbird train
Kyoto bans tourists from geisha alleys in Gion, with fines for those who don’t follow rules
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour Totoro
Domino’s Japan now sells…pizza ears?
Toyota built a life-sized Miraidon Pokémon and are letting people test drive it this weekend
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Studio Ghibli’s new desktop Howl’s Moving Castle will take your stationery on an adventure
Hey, Japanese taxi driver! Take us to your favorite restaurant in Tsuruga City!
Osaka’s creepy cute mascot speaks for first time, adds more fuel the creepy OR cute debate【Video】
Japanese black curry “experiment” takes place at an unlikely restaurant branch in Tokyo
Mist descends upon Japan’s “Killing Stone” after ceremony to appease nine-tailed fox spirit
Nozomi Shinkansen bullet train abolishes low-priced unreserved tickets during peak travel seasons
Is Japan’s massive Shizuoka steak sandwich really as delicious as it looks in promo photos?
One Punch Man manga artist’s amazing “practice” drawing is so good we think he might not be human
Sailor Moon manhole covers to be installed in Tokyo at sites linked to the anime/manga series
We visit Japan’s southernmost revolving sushi restaurant and sample some delicious island seafood
Our Japanese-language writers taste and compare sushi from around the world
Hamburg and Hamburg Shibuya: A Japanese restaurant you need to put on your Tokyo itinerary
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases【Survey】
We go looking for the free kaoyu hot spring facebath of onsen town Kusatsu【Photos】