The Role of the Japanese Sword in Noh and Kyogen
Paul Martin, for JAPAN Forward Someone once said that studying the Japanese sword is one of the quickest ways to get a profound understanding of…
Only in Japan
Japanese sweet shop celebrates Star Festival season with magical Milky Way jelly and more
Today, July 7th, is known in Japan as Tanabata 七夕, or Star Festival (Qixi Festival in China). According to legend, this is the one day…
Artist turns Japan’s delicious Castella cake into adorable derpy plushie
Spongy castella are one of Japan’s favorite cakes. Available in a variety of flavors and even miniature versions (“baby castella”) sold at festivals, the cake…
Rep your favorite Vtubers with Nijisanji caps, themed keychains designed by Kae Tanaka
With over a 100 VTubers, Nijisanji is one of the most successful Vtuber projects. While most of their Vtubers are based in Japan, they also…
Doraemon Stand By Me 2 attraction is coming to Universal Studios Japan this summer
“Doraemon: STAND BY ME 2” XR Ride In 2014, STAND BY ME Doraemon, the first-ever 3DCG animated feature film in the history of the Doraemon…
Japanese photo-artist Tanico reverses proportions in common Japanese dishes
Photo-artist Tanico Photo-artist Tanico can create breathtakingly beautiful montages of cityscapes and nature, creatively accentuated with text. In recent months, however, his food-related work seems…
Touching “A Whisker Away”-esque manga of deceased wife returning as cat to comfort husband
If you’re an anime fan, you may have recently noticed A Whisker Away floating its way up your Netflix recommendations page. The 2020 feature-length film…
Road rage driver threatens commuter with a sickle as incidents increase across Japan
Although noxiously confusing, Japan’s roads are mostly safe. A license point systems ensures careful driving, and the number of accidents and traffic fatalities is experiencing…
Cheese Kuzumochi Pudding: A trio of fermented ingredients fuse in a refreshing summer treat
You can enjoy pudding almost anywhere in the world, but you’re not likely to experience puddings like the ones they make at Funabashiya 船橋屋. A…
Bandai Namco’s “Den-On-Bu” dance music character project assembles all-star cast
During the Asobinotes Online Fes held on Sunday, June 28th, Bandai Namco Entertainment’s fledgling sound entertainment label Asobinotes announced an exciting new project called “Den-On-Bu.”…
This Bearbrick bear may be horrifying to all but the most devoted wagyu lovers
Medicom Toy Inc.’s internationally popular B@ARBRICK bear collectible toys are famous for their artist collaborations. Since artists aren’t limited to sticking to cute and innocent…
Life-sized Evangelion statue in Kyoto lets you take a synchronization test in the entry plug
Home to Toei Studios Kyoto, the Uzumasa district of Kyoto is sometimes referred to as the “Hollywood of Japan”, with the Toei Kyoto Studio Park,…
Upcoming Fate/Grand Order anime film collaborates with AXE deodorant
If you’re a fan of the Fate Night/Grand Order series, then you’re probably excited about the upcoming two-part animated film based on the 6th Chapter:…
A significant number of foreigners experience housing discrimination in Japan
It’s not uncommon for Japan to be described as some kind of utopia. The temptation is certainly understandable. Violent crime is exceptionally rare here, the…
Music of the Ainu indigenous people is strangely hypnotic
Although Japan is largely considered homogeneous, minority groups do exist. Twenty-five thousand residents are considered Ainu, an East Asian ethnic group indigenous to the northern…