With people spending more time at home in the ongoing pandemic, many of us are finding more opportunities to explore hobbies and activities focused on…

Ever since I saw the trailer for Mamoru Hosoda’s Belle (In Japanese, 竜とそばかすの姫 ryū to sobakasu no hime, meaning “the dragon and freckled princess”), I got…

With her novel Higanbana ga Saku Shima 彼岸花が咲く島 (“Island Where the Autumn Equinox Flowers Bloom”), Li Kotomi is the first person since 2008 whose first…

It’s no secret that Japan is flush with cute characters. If you’ve spent any time in the country, you know that nearly every business comes…

Premium Bandai’s latest figure lets fans of very big monsters keep a smaller version of the Ultimate Destroyer. This 190mm (7.4 inches) tall figure is…

Omotesando is one of the most fashionable and exciting neighborhoods of Tokyo. There are many luxury brand stores, popular cosmetics shops, very fancy wedding venues….

2021 saw the airing of Cells at Work!’s second anime season. The hit series shows anthropomorphized versions of human cells, and provides an accurate yet…

Sustainable shaved ice at haishop café Innovation Design Inc., a Japanese company focused on solving social issues through its business ventures, will introduce a new…

The inconvenience of hidden faces For those who have jobs involving frequent meetings and exchanging business cards, one of the many inconveniences brought about by…

By Nozomi Matsukawa 松川希実, withnews As people’s lifestyles change, nostalgic dagashi* “penny snacks” are disappearing one by one. What is the meaning of dagashi in…

Pokémon characters in clay Japanese clay artist Kyogen (@SereN0w07) creates whimsical and adorable creations out of polymer clay, but also sometimes using shrink plastic. As…

Umaibō: Japan’s beloved “tasty stick” Since 1979, Umaibō うまい棒 has been a household name in Japan. Literally meaning “tasty stick,” the snack brand made by…

Far from worthless The first time I stepped into a dagashi (“penny snack”) shop, I was driven by curiosity. I was on my way to…

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) has released “Tokyo Sustainability Action,” an English translation of a summary document outlining its efforts to realize the Sustainable Development…

Kawaii Company is a new collaboration project between Felissimo, a direct marketing company known for fashion and miscellaneous products, and Sebastian Masuda, who has been…