An Interview With Master of Horror Manga Junji Ito (Abridged Version)
Acclaimed manga artist Junji Ito has carved out a place for himself in the hearts of horror fans both at home and abroad, based not…
Culture
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A Japanese Summer Icon: Katorisenko Mosquito Coils Reach Production Peak [Video]
Katori senkō Along with traditional wind chimes, yukata summer kimonos, iced barley tea, shaved ice and traditional uchiwa fans, the spiral incense of the mosquito…
Jimbocho — A Booklovers’ Haven in the Heart of Tokyo
Jason Morgan, Reitaku University, for JAPAN Forward Japan is famous, among many other things, for its exceptionally high literacy rate. Although Japan has not conducted…
Interview With Yuki Hashimoto, Former Underground Idol And Shibuya Ward Councillor
Before making headlines when she was elected as councillor in the Shibuya Ward Assembly, Yuki Hashimoto 橋本ゆき (originally 橋本侑樹), was affiliated with Japanese idol agency…
Goldfish Swimming in Traditional Japanese ‘Raindrop’ Jelly Sweets are Too Beautiful to Eat
Wagashi is the word used to describe Japanese traditional sweets and desserts. They match perfectly with a cup of green tea for a sublime Japanese…
Japan’s Top Five Virtual Humans
With continuous advances in computer graphics, photo-realism in games and film have reached an astonishing level of sophistication. This technology has also been put to…
Epic Godzilla Sukajan Jacket With Protruding Spikes Offered By Suntory’s Boss Coffee
The long-awaited sequel to the 2014 film “Godzilla,” “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” will finally be unleashed in US and Japanese theaters on May 31st….
Seibu Railway’s Ukiyo-e Posters on Train Manners Are A Hit Abroad
In 2016, Seibu Railway released a series of posters, which it displayed inside its trains and on platforms. An instant hit, they have become so…
Japanese Cafe Customer Vows To Not Return After Staff Says: “First Time? Come Again!”, Gets Empathy Online
It’s a situation many of us can relate to. Going to a clothes store and feeling as if the sales clerk won’t leave you alone….
Karaoke Comes To Virtual Avatar Livestreaming in World’s First Smartphone-Based System
As Vtubers like Kizuna AI, Kaguya Luna, YuNi and others continue to bask in the spotlight, the Vtuber revolution has come to the masses through…
Yanagiya Tozaburo Introduces ‘Rakugo’ to the World
Written by Toru Matsugaki for JAPAN Forward Tozaburo Yanagiya, 42, is a storyteller with a drive to spread the word on rakugo, a traditional form…
Petition Launched To Stop Forcible Hair Dyeing From Natural Color to Black in Japanese Schools
Japanese Schools Forcing Teens To Dye Hair Black As we reported before, in October 2017, news of an Osakan teen who was forced by her…
When Train Cultures Collide: Tatami Kanzaki’s One-Frame Manga Depicts A Traveler’s Woes
Osaka vs. Tokyo: Differences in Culture and Etiquette The cultural differences between Kanto (the region centered around Tokyo), and Kansai (the region where you’ll find…
Is Japan’s Instagenic Honeymoon Over? Plain “Jimi-Ben” Lunches May Indicate A Shift
Japan’s Insta-Bae Obsession Following global trends, Instagram has become hugely popular in Japan, with shops bending over backwards to serve up the most photogenic sweets…
New Exhibit Displays Original Evangelion Artwork And Rebuild Of Evangelion Inspired Japanese Swords
Neon Genesis Evangelion fans may be getting a treat they never knew they wanted in the form of a newly revived exhibit in Tokyo. For…