Seemingly abandoned building hides cafe with breathtaking ocean view and retrofuture design
If you’re driving along Route 11 in Sanuki, Kagawa Prefecture, situated along the Seto Inland Sea, you may not notice it at all. With its…
Only in Japan
Modern kimono designer Jotaro Saito launches new brand of practical and washable kimonos
In an interview with JAPAN Forward, modern kimono designer Jotaro Saito has said: “I wanted to make a kimono which wasn’t old, but was cool,…
Show off your figures, statues & models with awesome rotating LED spotlight display cases
Whether you have just one or a hundred and one, your collection of poseable figures, action figures, statues or plastic models probably means a lot…
Classic azuki ice cream bar gets a new twist with amazake
Ice cream bars made from azuki red beans are one of Japan’s classic iced treats. While many other iced selections come and go, the Azuki…
Japanese artist makes realistic flower ornaments from cloth with traditional craft technique
Tsumami zaiku: cloth pinching craft Tsumami zaiku つまみ細工 is a traditional Japanese craft that dates back to the Edo Period used to create beautiful ornaments,…
“Jellatte” multi-layer shake-and-mix drinks are a new sensation from Sarutahiko Coffee
Here at grape Japan, we’ve seen our share of layered drinks with cheese foam and drinks containing jelly, even desserts containing shaved ice and cheese…
Kirby opens up his mouth and head for new fall menu at Japan’s Kirby Cafe
Nintendo’s Kirby pink, puffy, and certainly jovial figure lends itself to a lot of food forms, including traditional Japanese sweets DIY kits and the cutest…
Exquisite cat kiriko glasses and Maneki-neko figurine collection from Fujimaki online store
If you’re a cat lover, and are fond of Japan’s beckoning lucky Maneki-Neko cat figurines, you should visit Gotokuji Temple, home of a thousand Maneki-Neko…
Fluffy souffle pancake shop Flipper’s features grapes, autumn fruits in “Fall Harvest Festival”
You’ve probably heard of souffle pancakes. Trending heavily on Japanese social media in recent years, these light, fluff-tastic creations can sometimes tower three or four…
Naruto’s mom Kushina gets her own statue, and it looks just as badass as she is
One of Japan’s longest-running series, Naruto, brought forth arguably some of the most badass characters ever seen in manga and anime. Despite a limited number…
Japan’s “Poop Kanji Drill” books get a poop-themed escape room
Japan seems to have a thing for making poop cuter than it actually is. This is evidenced by a Harajuku store selling poop emoji ice…
Japan’s unique and healthy sticky foods: “neba neba” dishes worth trying
Don’t say never to neba neba Neba neba (粘々 or ねばねば) means “sticky” in Japanese. Unfortunately, some people find neba neba foods unappealing on account…
Takashi Murakami: Japan’s coolest artist on kawaii culture
Takashi Murakami is one of Japan’s best-known modern artists. In 2008, he was named one of Time magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People’, the only visual…
Japanese Bread: Our top 7 picks of the most delicious bread in Japan
A bread-lovers paradise Many of you may associate Japan with rice, but you’ll be very surprised when you first come here and enter a supermarket…
Ask your Japanese friends this ONE question!
I’d like to start with a (hopefully) simple question. What is the closest star to Earth? Do you know the answer? I feel like I…