Tarantula discovered stalking the streets of Hitachi City, Ibaraki
On October 22nd, an unusual exotic creature was found wandering the streets of Hitachi City in Ibaraki Prefecture. At around 8:30am, a woman living in…
News
New National Theater Tokyo takes part in World Opera Day and World Ballet Day
This year the New National Theater Tokyo will participate in World Opera Day on October 25 and World Ballet Day on October 29. Both World…
Universal Studios Japan’s Super Nintendo World Announces opening details, Mario Cafe this month
Video game fans around the world rejoiced when it was announced that Universal Studios Japan, located in Osaka, would be opening up a huge area…
JR East releases first-ever rail pass for foreign residents in Japan
The Japan Rail Pass, which provides unlimited travel riding JR trains (including the shinkansen bullet train) for a period of one, two or three weeks,…
Nintendo offers important advice and reminder for first-time Switch owners
It’s no surprise that when “stay-at-home” and quarantine protocol became an established countermeasure against the spread of a global pandemic, many people sought out new…
Matsui single malt whisky wins Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible top prize
On September 16th, the Matsui Distillery received notification that the 18th edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible had named its single malt whisky Matsui Mizunara…
It’s Here ーTop Things to Know for Tokyo Game Show 2020
Arielle Busetto, JAPAN Forward For video game lovers around the world, it will come as no surprise that the Tokyo Game Show is still set…
Did SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son single-handedly crash the US stock market in September?
Global stock markets have undergone unprecedented movement since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite reaching all-time highs in mid-February, by the end of the…
With the Departure of Shinzo Abe, Yoshihide Suga takes the reigns
In late August, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced he would be stepping down. Citing health concerns—he is diagnosed with ulcerative colitis—the news initially fueled speculation…
Toyota-backed SkyDrive successfully tests drone-like car. Are flying cars finally coming?
We’ve been waiting for flying cars for quite some time. The original Blade Runner, circa 1982, depicted flying cars incorporating seamlessly into the post-apocalyptic world…
Academy Museum’s inaugural exhibit will celebrate Hayao Miyazaki and his works
When the The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures finally opens in April, visitors will be treated to an inaugural exhibit that honors the legendary six-decade…
Long-awaited “Hololive English” Vtuber group makes its debut
As one of the most popular professionally organized Vtuber groups, hololive already has legions of fans of its popular Vtubers, including a steadily growing fanbase…
WWF climate change photography exhibition at Daimaru Matsuzakaya Ueno
Our world is changing. Recently, the speed at which the planet is undergoing environmental and social changes has become increasingly rapid. In particular we have…
12th Haruhi Suzumiya novel to be published after a nine-and-a-half year hiatus
Kadokawa announced today that Nagaru Tanigawa’s watershed Haruhi Suzumiya light novel series, which inspired an internationally famous anime adaption and the “Hare Hare Yukai” dance,…
Fearing Chinese advantage, Japan lurches towards digital currency and electronic payments
As we’ve discussed before, Japan is largely a cash based society. Despite, at times, a healthy interest in digital cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, consumers rely heavily…