The conclusion of our slow-life adventure to Japan’s northernmost prefecture with trains, hot springs, and so muh delicious seafood.
Tohoku
Skip the Shinkansen and savor the journey with Japan’s ultra-affordable unlimited-use one-day rail passes.
The tear-jerking video encourages viewers to “Search for 3.11” on the anniversary to help support reconstruction in the region.
Ethereally romantic images remind us why a wintertime visit to a snow-covered onsen resort is extra special.
Adorably awesome Pokémon train is part of disaster relief project for tsunami-damaged region.
People in Japan responded to the remark with a heartwarming hashtag that immediately went viral, showing support for the Tohoku region.
Planning to spend much, but not all, of your Japan trip in Tokyo? Then this could be an unbeatable deal.
The eerie ruins of this once-thriving amusement park look set to become Japan’s next unusual place to visit.
We traveled to the disaster-stricken Tohoku region to see the effects of Pocket Monster Lapras’ real-world healing powers.
The Okada Theater was swept away in 2011, but Pokémon GO players are still visiting its location, and learning a little about this tsunami-ravaged city in the process.
The venture is being promoted by a local branch of Loft chainstores to help revitalise the Tohoku area.
I recently visited several areas of the Miyagi coastline decimated by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. This is what I saw.
After the March 11 earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan, Tokyo-based photographers Brian Scott Peterson and Yuko Yoshikawa were frustrated by the limited impact of volunteer options close to home, so they decided to head up to Tohoku with the vague idea that people in temporary housing might be interested in having family portraits taken.
Clearly, that tapped into an unmet need, because four years later that one-off trip has become Photohoku, a ballooning volunteer organization that takes monthly trips to Tohoku, has gifted over 10,000 instant family portraits, and has even inspired similar groups overseas.
Today, as we remember those who lost their lives in the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami four years ago, we take a brief look at how this truly inspired project continues to bring a little bit of extra sunshine into the lives of those who survived one of Japan’s greatest natural disasters.
Four years on, the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis that befell Japan’s Tohoku region on March 11, 2011 have very little effect on the day-to-day lives of most people in the country. The rolling blackouts have stopped. Batteries and bottled water are once again readily available. Trains are running, and whole cities aren’t spending hours walking home from work or school.
But while a return to normalcy is a desirable, and ultimately necessary, part of recovery, it’s also important to remember what happened. To stem the forgetfulness that often accompanies the later stages of coping with tragedy, on March 11 Yahoo! Japan will be making a donation to the Tohoku recovery efforts for every person that searches for “3.11” through the company’s search engine.
Hop on a train to off-the-beaten-path Yamagata Prefecture any weekend from September through November, and you’re bound to see crowds of people congregating and cooking pots of something delicious by the local river. Yup, imoni-kai season is in full swing!
Imoni (芋煮) is the name given to a taro root stew native to the Tohoku region of northern Japan. Apart from its delicious taste, imoni is also famous for the social aspects of its creation. Families traditionally congregate on a riverbank (the practice of which is known as imoni-kai, literally, “imoni gathering”) and cook the stew from scratch over a fire pit. In that sense, you can think of it a bit like an autumn version of o-hanami, the popular Japanese tradition of viewing cherry blossoms in the spring.
Join us after the jump for a glimpse at a unique cultural tradition of northern Japan which many Japanese people in other parts of the country have never even heard of!
Often life-altering events can inspire incredible artistic endeavors, and while the Great East Japan Earthquake is a tragic day for many people, that tragedy can inspire amazing creativity. One particular 89-year-old is using his skills to turn melancholy scenes into hopeful invigorating masterpieces.
Already well-known for delighting children with his character Keroyon, the frog who drives a red convertible, Seiji Fujishiro is probably most famous for his shadow art. These brilliant pieces of work show amazing scenes populated by his signature silhouetted elvish characters. Recently, he has turned his attention to the affected areas of the Tohoku region and has created astounding art from some iconic images created by the disaster.
MOST POPULAR
Now
We caved in to curiosity and bought a mystery box from a strange vending machine in Akihabara
Final Fantasy’s Yoshitaka Amano illustrates exclusive Japan-only Magic: The Gathering card
How to get an amazing Sukiyabashi Jiro sushi lunch for less than 15 bucks
Japanese boy tries to wipe away the tears of assaulted idol singer he sees crying on TV
The time someone pooped next to us on the train during Tokyo rush hour, and we tried to be nice
Tenga adapts its masturbatory aid design into a full-size clear sleeping bag【Photos】
Brand-new line of Pokémon accessories is amazingly stylish and awesomely affordable【Photos】
Suntory’s cat-shaped bottle caps: the beverage accessories we want, and you can get one for free!
Looking for a unique afternoon tea in Tokyo? Have a picnic indoors at Fruit Picnic in Harajuku
More Weirdness Spotted Over Japan, Pretty Blue Strip Stretches Across the Sky
Weekly
“We wasted so much time in English class” — Japanese Twitter user points out major teaching flaw
Distressed about heading to the vet, this kitty breaks into fluent Japanese
Japan’s amazing wisteria flowers are here to make us all forget about the cherry blossoms【Photos】
Handsome Japanese YouTuber surprises fans with photos of his “dorky” high school self
Lone Wolf and Cub’s Kazuo Koike passes away, final tweet is a salute to his manga rival
Japanese convenience stores want you to be honest and request to pay higher sales tax rate- Looking for a unique afternoon tea in Tokyo? Have a picnic indoors at Fruit Picnic in Harajuku
- Tenga adapts its masturbatory aid design into a full-size clear sleeping bag【Photos】
You could be renting this 300-year-old samurai era house in Japan right now
Baby penguin seeing sakura for the first time is all of us during hanami season 【Video】
Monthly
The train station that stayed open for a single school girl finally closes down
Chinese couple’s wedding crashed by groom’s ex-girlfriend, dressed in her own wedding dress【Vid】- “We wasted so much time in English class” — Japanese Twitter user points out major teaching flaw
Immigration raid at anime convention ends with five Japanese cosplayers being arrested overseas
This nonconformist Japanese schoolgirl is ready for any bullies who tease her about her backpack
All-new World of Thighs Photography exhibition opens in Tokyo’s Harajuku neighborhood this month
Disney is making an anime-style dating simulator where you meet handsome villain boys
Japanese net users speculate on a subtle design feature of the Toyota Prius…related to booze
Shiba Inu boss lazes around in flowers while winning Japanese workers’ hearts
Zelda fan’s Sheikah Slate turns charging his phone into a scene from Breath of the Wild【Video】
Yearly
New Pokémon dress shirt line lets you dress like an adult in the company of all 151 Kanto species
Prominent boob-centric manga artist shocks fans by revealing she’s a beautiful buxom woman
Ariana Grande “fixes” her 7 Rings Japanese kanji tattoo, but it still says tiny charcoal grill- The train station that stayed open for a single school girl finally closes down
You have One Piece creator’s official permission to have sexy fantasies about his characters- Chinese couple’s wedding crashed by groom’s ex-girlfriend, dressed in her own wedding dress【Vid】
Japanese Penis Festival 2019: Everything you need to know for this year’s Kanamara Matsuri
Japanese Twitter community shocked to learn that train timetables are made with Microsoft Excel
Sonic the Hedgehog creator gets one last blow to his pride on final visit to Sega office in Tokyo
Decorate your whole house like Sailor Moon’s Moon Castle with the new Isetan collaboration
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Tenga adapts its masturbatory aid design into a full-size clear sleeping bag【Photos】
Brand-new line of Pokémon accessories is amazingly stylish and awesomely affordable【Photos】
Suntory’s cat-shaped bottle caps: the beverage accessories we want, and you can get one for free!
Looking for a unique afternoon tea in Tokyo? Have a picnic indoors at Fruit Picnic in Harajuku
More Weirdness Spotted Over Japan, Pretty Blue Strip Stretches Across the Sky
New gacha toy makes a weirdly cute addition to our desks and keeps our bottle caps safe
TeamLab Borderless: A visitor’s guide to Tokyo’s new jaw-dropping interactive light museum
Track the stylistic evolution of Eiichiro Oda’s most famous One Piece characters
Japanese bikini model bursts fan’s nude hot spring video fantasy bubble
Handsome Japanese YouTuber surprises fans with photos of his “dorky” high school self
“We wasted so much time in English class” — Japanese Twitter user points out major teaching flaw
Kindai University’s legendary opening ceremony blows away new students with confetti and idols
-
