‘Free As a Bird’: Why Beatlemania Endures in Japan
Will Fee, for JAPAN Forward The owners of the Tin Toy Museum in Yamate, Yokohama, keep a big friendly Ukrainian Shepherd Dog. He likes to…
Life
Pets’ Disobedience Leads to Surprising Revelation
Known for works like さばげぶっ (Survival Game Club!) and 猫色保健室 (Cat Colored Infirmary), Japanese manga artist Hidekichi Matsumoto has been posting her most recent series…
These three shiba inu are simply inseparable
Twitter user Mayone (@GMJpaCSCbuIDYDw) lives with his three pet Shiba Inus. His tweets mostly consist of his adorable pups and have gained him quite the…
Handwritten note to restaurant moves Twitter users to tears
A series of heartwarming updates posted by a Twitter user have earned over 100,000 ‘likes.’ The coronavirus lockdown means that Twitter user Sumo (@smm0228) isn’t…
Shiba inu has an unusual walking buddy he won’t leave home without
Every pet owner knows that our furry friends can have unique personalities and quirks that we tolerate because of how cute they are. When it…
Kid Dressed Like This on First Day Back to School During Pandemic
On April 7, 2020, Japan’s government declared a State of Emergency for 7 prefectures to curb the spread of COVID-19. A little more than a…
Japanese man opened online bar as a woman but then this meddling app got in the way
Dear Diary, Day 47 of lockdown. Cabin fever! Yes, I think I have cabin fever. With the hazardous conditions outside, I’ve been cooped up here…
Japan to give all residents the equivalent of around 930 USD for free
Japan has pledged to give 100,000 yen to every resident in Japan to lessen the economic impact of COVID-19. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe scrapped an…
Matchmaking site lets cat lovers meet for online drinking party during coronavirus lockdown
With social distancing being the new normal in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, more and more activities are now being done online. In Japan,…
#coronadivorce trends online as locked-down couples realize they don’t actually get along
Families across Japan are experiencing some difficult times. Schools are out of session recently, forcing children to stay at home. Likewise, working adults find themselves…
Cherry blossom viewings canceled, Japanese residents turn homes into sakura sanctuaries
COVID-19 and the associated lockdowns have people down. Restaurants and bars are empty as nightlife has mostly ground to a halt. Residents have few options…
Sawako Naito is now the youngest woman ever elected mayor in Japan
The Japanese government is a multi-partied affair dominated by the conservative LDP party. As we’ve reported before, politics in Japan is mostly a man’s game….
This kawaii Instagram couple is pushing the bounds of genderless, unisex fashion
Japan has a reputation for being fashionable. Just take a walk down Takeshita Street, “kawaii central,” near Harajuku station. This insanely crowded pedestrian shopping area…
Corpse hotels and DIY funeral kits: advancements in Japan’s undertaking industry
Every year hundreds of professionals convene at the annual ENDEX show. Known as the life-ending industry exhibition, the conference gathers leading companies showcasing their funeral…
Beloved Voice Actor Fujiwara Keiji Passes Away at Age 55
With heavy hearts, we have received word that veteran voice actor Fujiwara Keiji (藤原啓治) has passed away at age 55 just two days after the…