Japanese summers are muggy and brutal, and 2020 was no exception. Natsubate 夏バテ, summertime fatigue, is a real problem as the subtropical island nation’s humidity…

Do you remember the movie Cable Guy? It’s an old one, but something of a cult classic. Starring Matthew Broderick and Jim Carrey, it tells…

Japan can be a rough place for people with disabilities. Spend some time trekking through off-the-beaten-path train stations, and you’ll likely notice an abundance of…

Tatsuya Tanaka is a Japanese artist that’s an expert at looking at small things and creating a whole world out of them. The miniature artist…

Completed in 1958, the Tokyo Tower represented the state of mind that Japan was holding on to at the time. The country was going through…

For someone as young as me, 29 years old to be exact, retirement feels like a long way off. It’s hard for me to even…

When the The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures finally opens in April, visitors will be treated to an inaugural exhibit that honors the legendary six-decade…

Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water Japanese social media has been abuzz today with news of an anime exhibition. Anime exhibitions don’t always generate such…

Japanese illustrator Shida (@shida_7) has a talent for dark and thought-provoking artwork that has just enough detail combined with an air of mystery that invites…

In an interview with JAPAN Forward, modern kimono designer Jotaro Saito has said: “I wanted to make a kimono which wasn’t old, but was cool,…

When it comes to crossings in Japan, there is no doubt the Shibuya Crossing, or Shibuya Scramble Crossing, is the most iconic. Located in front…

Tsumami zaiku: cloth pinching craft Tsumami zaiku つまみ細工 is a traditional Japanese craft that dates back to the Edo Period used to create beautiful ornaments,…

By now, Japan has established itself as a prominent player in the whisky world, sometimes with record-shattering priced bottles. Recently, the labels of many bottles…

If you’re a cat lover, and are fond of Japan’s beckoning lucky Maneki-Neko cat figurines, you should visit Gotokuji Temple, home of a thousand Maneki-Neko…

With super realistic wearable replicas of your favorite feline and artistic takes on them as well, you might say there’s a niche but dedicated market…