Yamagata
We went looking for an anime connection, and found a whole bunch of new reasons to love this Yamagata onsen town.
Yamagata dialect can be very different from the Japanese you learned in school, but this illustrated guide will have people telling you “Jondagodo!” in no time.
Mayor of second-place city expresses regret at not capturing the title of Japan’s biggest ramen-spenders.
If this steel-swinging senior was in an anime, we know what his ultimate move would look like.
This “Festival of Tohoku Bonds” continues to pay homage to six of northern Japan’s most important annual festivals all at one time and one place.
Ethereally romantic images remind us why a wintertime visit to a snow-covered onsen resort is extra special.
We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again: cats rule the world. Maybe that even includes the spiritual world?
Snow White and the Wicked Queen cosplay is now complete with this specially grown black “poison apple”.
Japan likes to think of the food it produces as being the highest-quality in the world, and that goes double for rice. As such, many bags of domestically grown rice are decorated with iconic Japanese imagery, such as a crane, the rising sun, or Mt. Fuji.
But in today’s modern age, there’s no surer visual shorthand for Japan than cute anime girls, which is exactly what you’ll find on these bags of rice from Yamagata Prefecture.




















Japan’s final Penguin Suica train cards have already shipped, and when they’re gone, they’re gone
Hobonichi unveils new 2027 planners, diaries and stationery with One Piece, Suica Penguin, Hello Kitty and a must-buy Mini Techo
Farewell Final Ceremony announced for Tokyo’s life-size Gundam statue, will stream live
Hikaru Utada sings new song in Shinkansen commercial for Japan’s Supreme Class cabins
Tokyo’s Haneda Airport opens new Terminal 1 North Satellite next month
Foreign travelers arrested in Japan following smash-and-grab robbery in Tokyo shopping mall
Pizza Hut Japan creates moon-viewing sukiyaki chrysanthemum pizza for tsukimi season
Starting this fall, you’ll be able to take a Pokémon Jet flight to Japan
Anime and Hollywood movies cross over in new Universal Studios Japan merch collection
Nonstop flights from U.S. to Okinawa return after 54 years, making travel faster than before
Japan tripled its departure tax to fund tourism but is using the money on cherry blossoms and bears
Japan approves foreign resident visa renewal fee increases of up to 967 percent, starts soon
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Nike x One Piece collection brings Devil Fruits to sneakers and streetwear in Japan
We recommend not buying one pack of Japan’s new convenience store corn soup-flavor fried chicken
Police in Japan looking for who’s responsible for dumping 80 loaves of bread on side of road [Video]
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
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
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Foreign travelers arrested in Japan following smash-and-grab robbery in Tokyo shopping mall
Pizza Hut Japan creates moon-viewing sukiyaki chrysanthemum pizza for tsukimi season
Starting this fall, you’ll be able to take a Pokémon Jet flight to Japan
Anime and Hollywood movies cross over in new Universal Studios Japan merch collection
Nonstop flights from U.S. to Okinawa return after 54 years, making travel faster than before
Japan approves foreign resident visa renewal fee increases of up to 967 percent, starts soon
Starbucks Japan adds a gooey sweet potato Frappuccino to its menu this autumn
Family Mart reveals new T-shirt uniforms, relaxes hair colour rules for staff… but is it all too casual?
Godiva Japan hops into tsukimi season with bunny and moon-themed chocolate assortments
Studio Ghibli unveils new anime calendars and diary planners for 2027
McDonald’s Japan reveals exclusive new Tsukimi moon viewing collection for 2026
Amid foreign sex tourist rise, Japanese government considering outlawing paying for prostitution
Nike x One Piece collection brings Devil Fruits to sneakers and streetwear in Japan
Tokaido Lumière Express: Stay overnight inside the Shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo