With the change in the legal age of adulthood in Japan, even Japanese people are confused about when and how to celebrate this milestone.
tips
Japan is now at a cultural tipping point, where foreign influences threaten to destroy local customs.
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!




















Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
Live-action Spirited Away stage play announces world tour with first-ever U.S. and Canadian dates
Speed trap camera stolen from Saitama Police while in use
Studio Ghibli combines anime and craftsmanship in new Totoro and Jiji Gobelin tapestry bags
Tokyo has only two barley tea makers, and we visited one to see how mugicha is made
Sleep at Hoshinoya Nara Prison, one of the most unique hotels in Japan
We try out the joys of Japan’s kakuuchi wine vending machine
Pikachu brings electric style to brand-new Pokémon G-Shock watch featuring every stater trio
Blind Tokyo commuter explains the easiest place for him to stand while riding the train
Taco Spaghetti appears in Japan, and our taco fan rushes to try it[Taste test]
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Family Mart Japan installs red-eyed “Monster Wolf” to keep bears away from convenience store
Starbucks Japan creates special drink bottle bags, adorable stickers for all 47 prefectures[Pics]
Starbucks Japan reopens Shinkansen platform store after redesigning it for speed
Japanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for it
Japanese man’s gross conveyor belt sushi social media prank video gets him a 500,000-yen fine
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
New Japanese overnight train coming to connect Tokyo with Tohoku in sleep-travel style
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
Even at twice regular Daiso price, this handy item is still great for summer travel in Japan
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in Japan
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]
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Sleep at Hoshinoya Nara Prison, one of the most unique hotels in Japan
We try out the joys of Japan’s kakuuchi wine vending machine
Pikachu brings electric style to brand-new Pokémon G-Shock watch featuring every stater trio
Blind Tokyo commuter explains the easiest place for him to stand while riding the train
Taco Spaghetti appears in Japan, and our taco fan rushes to try it[Taste test]
Mt Fuji installs new emergency shelters ahead of the 2026 climbing season
Japanese man’s gross conveyor belt sushi social media prank video gets him a 500,000-yen fine
Live-action Persona adaptation to be produced by Netflix, probably not set in Japan
The adorable, delicious joy of the Totoro cream puff gift box[Taste test]
Krispy Kreme Japan releases new fruit doughnuts…that taste better cold
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
New live-action Pokémon adaptation announced for Pokémon Unite
Here’s what Shibuya’s famous scramble intersection looked like after the Japan vs. Sweden match
Japan’s Mos Burger goes super-premium for summer with eel burgers that require pre-orders