Kids gathering around a cigarette machine? On closer inspection, it wasn’t what it seemed to be
As anyone who has visited Japan will probably know, the country allows cigarettes to be purchased in vending machines, but only to adults (20 and…
Made in Japan
Cafe staffed by robots piloted by people with disabilities opening in Tokyo in 2021
OriHime is a charming Japanese robot. Like most robots made in Japan, it’s full of circuitry, programming chips, and has an exterior human-like shell. Though…
Get your work done before you even leave the station with Coco Desk
Mr. Yamamoto awoke with a loud grunt. He glanced down at his watch. Already 06:30 AM!? Memories of the night before came flooding back. A…
A Japanese fairy story: Urashima Tarō and the Dragon Palace beneath the sea
Urashima Tarō （浦島太郎）is one of the most famous fairy stories in Japan, known to millions of elementary schoolchildren. One day a young fisherman named Urashima…
‘W-Junji’s Back Alley’ merchandise now on sale at Graveyard Gallery in Nakano
‘W-Junji’s Back Alley’ is a collaboration between world-famous horror manga artist Junji Ito and master ghost storyteller Junji Inagawa. Original merchandise from ‘W-Junji’s Back Alley’…
Market for personal information theft insurance looks set to boom in 2021
Market research firm Kenneth Research has published a report that shines a light on growing demand for personal information theft prevention services, including insurance. The…
How the Great Fire of 1657 shaped modern Tokyo
Take a stroll around modern Tokyo and the city appears to be the epitome of orderly peace and calm. It’s hard to believe that it…
Problem solved: these Japanese Instagrammer children know how to send a message
Recently, communication is at our fingertips. Respond to a message, send an email, and post your thoughts online. Then you play the waiting game—waiting for…
Twitter fathers learn a touching lesson from their kids on how to be a good dad
Being a parent is not easy. It’s an age-old adage and its true. Sleepless nights, cleaning spilt milk and sitting through fits all take a…
Yubari: the oldest town in the world may offer Japan a taste of things to come
Yubari is a town in Hokkaido. It has the highest average age of any town in Japan, and probably the world. Indeed, its population is…
Japanese university and high school have their graduation ceremony in Animal Crossing
With the ongoing pandemic, many schools and universities have postponed and canceled large events in order to avoid crowds. Naturally, graduation ceremonies qualify as such,…
Shiseido and Pokémon collab on ultra-protective UV sunscreen in Eevee, Pikachu, Squirtle designs
From March 21st, 2021, Shiseido will launch a limited-edition package of “Anessa Perfect UV Skincare Milk” in collaboration with the world-famous franchise Pokémon, featuring Pikachu,…
SEGA 60th Anniversary Official Bootleg DJ Mix details, opening track preview released
SEGA Corporation has released a list of all 60 tracks included in their highly-anticipated non-stop DJ mix album “SEGA 60th Anniversary Official Bootleg DJ Mix,”…
Online lottery for the popular anime series Ikebukuro West Gate Park now available online
Ikebukuro West Gate Park, also abbreviated as IWGP, was released last year during the fall season and was arguably one of the most exciting of…
Oblaat Taberato Disney character edible prints: Just cut and paste onto your food
Character bento and characters’ dishes, in general, are very popular in Japan, and the most frequent characters you will spot in the kids’ lunch boxes…