trains
New walk-through gates are designed to speed up the flow of passengers, but there’s something tripping them up.
J-pop superstar brings new meaning to A Room of One’s Own on Japan’s busiest bullet train.
End of the line for JR East’s adorable mascot for its revolutionary train fare payment system.
For about 2,000 yen more than a regular reserved seat, you can spend the night on board the bullet train instead of paying for a hotel.
High-speed serenity has been low-key available on the Shinkansen for a long time with hardly anyone noticing it.
Overlooked luggage-forwarding service will become easier to use this autumn, especially for tourists staying in private rentals like Airbnbs.
Wondering if this extra luxury on your Japan trip is worth the extra ticket cost? Here’s a free way to find out.
New stores add a fresh taste and aroma to high-speed travel on Japan’s busiest bullet train route.
Suspension of unreserved seat tickets on some bullet train classes means planning ahead is especially important.
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Weekly
Japan announces new permanent residency guidelines, foreigners must earn more than average Japanese person- Tokyo train station will play Godzilla theme song as new departure melody
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Osaka man arrested for running little pet shop of horrors with dangerous crocodile
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Foreign tourist numbers drop in Osaka, despite record-setting highs from U.S. and Korea
One of Japan’s best convenience store egg sandwiches is one you won’t find at the big three chains
Monthly
- Japan announces new permanent residency guidelines, foreigners must earn more than average Japanese person
Starbucks Japan unveils new Pokémon collaboration with Pikachu Latte and exclusive goods- Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Studio Ghibli’s Calcifer is ready to light up your home as a magical-looking candle lamp [Photos]
Lady Gaga and Family Mart team up for a Japanese convenience store work video [Video]
New Gundam Base superstores coming soon in the U.S., with one opening this month
Studio Ghibli releases new plush mascot character collection with a focus on friendship
Studio Ghibli releases new onigiri rice ball-shaped lunch bag for Kiki’s Delivery Service fans
Do Japan’s new single-minded convenience store bento show depressing poverty or satisfying focus?
How to watch Studio Ghibli’s new anime in Japan, with a special after-dark outdoor screening for Halloween
Yearly
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]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
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
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
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Burger King serves up Pickleball Burgers in Japan, with a tasty nod to the number 11
Experimenting with making hot sandwiches in the microwave with a device from Japan’s 3COINS
Japan has convenience store fried chicken-flavor instant ramen, but does it taste like it says it does?
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Matcha ice cream discontinued by one of Japan’s favorite ice cream brands
New Sonic the Hedgehog figure costs 1 million yen, is made of Arita ware Japanese porcelain [Vid]
Video released of Pikachu’s real-world trip to space! [Video]
Starbucks Japan unveils new Halloween goods with secret glow-in-the-dark details
Japan announces new permanent residency guidelines, foreigners must earn more than average Japanese person
If anyone needs us, we’ll be in the cardboard Japanese snack house we just built [Photos]
Wendy’s Japan goes big with new limited-edition Mega Wendy’s, but is it worth the calories?
Pokémon Center apologizes for writing model Nicole Fujita’s name as Nicole Fujita
Studio Ghibli’s Calcifer is ready to light up your home as a magical-looking candle lamp [Photos]
Starbucks Japan releases new Halloween Frappuccino for 2026, inspired by a cat in a mystery forest
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