Japan is now at a cultural tipping point, where foreign influences threaten to destroy local customs.
tips
From planning what to do to supporting their language development, we share some advice for making your student’s stay go as smoothly as possible.
Being a super fan isn’t as easy as it might seem, but you can avoid burnout with these tips!
Our reporter shares her pro tips for applying wound makeup for her masked, zombie version of fan-favorite Harley Quinn this year.
Eating ice cream every day for a month may seem like a breeze, but here’s some great practical advice to consider before indulging.
If you’re planning to attend Winter Comiket this year, be sure to drop by their booth for some valuable cosmetic tips.
A little rain isn’t going to hurt you. Unless you’re a mogwai, of course…
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Even if you’re not an artist, it’s important to understand the way pecs work — for science.
Here are five of the best, high quality cosmetics that line the shelves at Japanese convenience stores, according to one of our Japanese reporters.
Believe it or not, there’s a Japanese Way of taking photos. We’ve compiled some cultural guidelines as well as language tips to help you take happy snappies on your next trip to Japan!
Beyond silly mistakes like wearing toilet slippers on tatami or forgetting to add “san” to someone’s name, what other things do foreigners unknowingly do to reduce their chances of living happily in Japan?
The Japanese are known for their politeness, so it’s only natural that visitors to Japan want to know what to do, or not do, to avoid appearing rude. Check out this list of little behaviors that you won’t find in your guidebook.
Love Japan? Want to learn Japanese? Check out RocketNews24’s six fundamental top tips for learning Japanese!
If we had to pick one thing that represented how Japanese food maybe isn’t quite as healthy as generally perceived, it would probably have to be the bento lunchbox. Bento are readily available practically everywhere in Japan—when not being handmade for you by a parent or spouse, usually in the shape of Pokémon characters and the like—and are widely consumed by office workers and other day laborers as a cheap, convenient lunch.
Despite healthy origins back in the old days, bento—perhaps by design—have become increasingly unhealthy, with your standard box available from a retailer or food truck usually weighing in at a thousand calories (or frequently even more) and containing a bunch of fried food in addition to huge portions of rice.
But heck, when a filling, albeit cholesterol and calorie-packed bento sets you back only a measly 200 yen (US$1.50) over at discount supermarket Lamu, well, we’ll happily do the extra time on the treadmill.
Every country has its own culture and unique customs that come with it. Understanding the social etiquette of the country before visiting can help to make the experience less overwhelming.
In China, you might be surprised to find that burping is considered a way of complimenting the chef or that a gift will be refused several times before it is accepted.
Here are 13 customs to know before traveling to China.
In an effort to help alleviate the massive amount of horrible levels that have made it into the Super Mario Maker universe, Nintendo tasked its pigeon friend/Mario Maker extraordinaire Yamamura-san to show us how to correctly create a level. In the first comic, Yamamura-san literally poo-pooed all over novice-creator Mashiko’s level, and then gave her some homework to help her become a better builder.
But the first comic did little to alleviate the amount of terrible levels online, so Nintendo Japan has put out a sequel comic to try and clean up the mess. This time around, Yamamura-san checks on Mashiko’s homework and continues to offer sage level-building advice.
Does he give her level a star? Or is it an insta-skip? Read on to find out!
Are Japan’s strict trash collection days getting you down this summer? Are you plugging your nose and counting down the days until the next burnables collection because your garbage is rotting away in the summer heat?
If you’re like me, you hate Japanese summers for a slew of reasons, one of which being all the putrid smells that come with the increased heat and humidity of the sticky summer months. You may also often rush out the door on the morning of burnables collection day and forget to take out your bag of raw and rotting garbage, leaving you to deal with the stench until the next trash collection day rolls around.
But there is a really simple solution to this problem, as well as quick tricks for dealing with other stinky situations like funky-shoe smells and unpleasant, grimy sinks. Find out how after the jump!




















Nintendo’s Kirby now delivering orders at Kura Sushi restaurants, but not in Japan
Foreign driver’s license conversion test passes plummet from over 90% to 33% in Japan
Nintendo releases Metroid-shaped ice cube/cooking tray and Samus arm cannon pillow【Pics】
KFC Japan opens a Christmas restaurant in Tokyo…but why???
Starbucks Japan now offers close-to-closing discounted items through its mobile order app
This Osaka laundromat wants to clean more than your clothes; it also wants to clean you
How to convert a cheap car into a Japanese taxi…with tape and a wild imagination
Muji’s Sofa Made From Air review: Is Japan’s most sought-after portable couch worth the hype?
Kamishibai — the precursor to manga and anime?
Japan considering raising international traveler departure tax even more than previously reported
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japanese train company is letting fans buy its actual ticket gates for their homes
Yoshinoya adds first-ever chain-wide ramen with new beef and pork-broth noodle hot pot meals
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowds in Shibuya’s Don Quijote?
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowd sizes in Nara?
Studio Ghibli stamps lift your spirits with motivational phrases from Totoro
New fish discovered and named “Vanderhorstia supersaiyan” for obvious reasons
Japanese town suing resident for being a jerk
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas goods and a rhinestone tumbler that costs 19,500 yen
Real-world Nausicaa Ghibli anime glider completes its final flight in Japan【Video】
Brand-new Pokémon park opens in Japan with larger-than-life-size Lapras【Photos】
Unique inclined elevator in Japan leads to a town that inspired Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowds in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood?
The 10 best day trips from downtown Tokyo【Survey】
Naturally brown-haired Osaka student sues government for forcing her to dye her hair black
Tokyo hotel lets you make your stay a Sanrio one with special My Melody and Kuromi rooms【Pics】
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
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】
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
J-pop mega star Ado reveals she’s been living in the U.S., may not understand language acquisition
This Osaka laundromat wants to clean more than your clothes; it also wants to clean you
How to convert a cheap car into a Japanese taxi…with tape and a wild imagination
Muji’s Sofa Made From Air review: Is Japan’s most sought-after portable couch worth the hype?
Kamishibai — the precursor to manga and anime?
Japan considering raising international traveler departure tax even more than previously reported
What is Teru Teru Bozu? The tragic history behind the Japanese fine weather doll
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Popular Japanese ramen restaurant Ichiran’s lucky bags are great value for money
Japanese company will tell your boss you’re quitting for you, sees high demand for its services