While not unique to Japan, the art of paper cutting, known as kirie 切り絵 (literally “cut images”) in Japanese, has been practiced as early as…

Janken is the Japanese equivalent of rock, paper, scissors, and as such it’s used to solve daily disputes over what to eat and the like….

Koinobori Carp Streamers In the days leading up to Children’s Day, which falls every year on May 5th, colorful windsocks known as koinobori 鯉のぼり can…

The Idolmaster franchise is no stranger to strange (or at least, unexpected) collaborations, having already tag-teamed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, for example, and partnered with…

Ever since Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was published in 1865, characters and scenes from the book have inspired people around the world. Today…

Japanese Kit Kats are known around the world and sought out after as unique souvenirs because of their wide variety of flavors. Recent renditions of…

The acclaimed mangaka Junji Ito has carved out a place for himself in the hearts of horror fans both at home and abroad, based not…

Ameya Yokocho アメヤ横丁, or Ameyoko, as it is more commonly called, is a famous open-air street market in Tokyo’s Ueno district which is very popular…

Combining the themes of “a sense of wonder” and the natural world, last year’s Bokura no Mori ボクらのもり (literally “Our Forest”) brought together talented Japanese…

The Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri) is a sub-zero spectacle of larger than life, beautifully sculptured snow art. The yearly extravaganza takes place in…

Love Live! Sunshine!! and Numazu For fans of the wildly popular anime Love Live! Sunshine!!, Numazu in Shizuoka Prefecture, which serves as the backdrop for…

By now, most people have seen images of people posing in front of angel wing murals. Either through Colette Miller’s Global Angel Wings Project launched…

Square Enix’s long running fantasy video game series Dragon Quest changes heroes every installation, but one constant has become the face of the series. Despite…

Tokyo is the world’s third most expensive city for taxi fares While taxis may be plentiful in Tokyo, they’re an expensive way to get around…

While Japan is home to so many delicious cuisine, perhaps its seafood is the main attraction for so many who visit to enjoy a food-themed…