Japan Now Sells “Shiba Inu Stuck In Wall” Toys
Back in 2016, a trio of shiba inu dogs in the southern Japanese island of Kyushu adorably peeking out from holes in a wall went…
Only in Japan
Nose-Blowing and Facemasks Provide Surprisingly Deep Insight into Japan’s Social Norms and Facial Expressions
Have you ever been on the train or bus with a horrible runny nose? Whether due to allergies or a cold, I’m pretty sure we’ve…
Moomin Cafe Offers Illustrated Belgian Callebaut Chocolate Plaques for Valentine’s Day
As any good Moomin fan probably knows, in March 2019, Japan opened an entire theme park featuring everyone’s favorite Finnish trolls. One of the more…
Square Enix Cafe in Akihabara to Reopen in February
Good news for anyone who was saddened by the closing of the Square Enix Cafe in Akihabara this past Friday. You won’t have long to…
Adorable Koupen-chan themed cafes open for a limited time in 4 cities across Japan
Koupen-chan Japan has an undeniable penchant for cute characters. This means that even after creating internationally beloved icons such as Hello Kitty and Pikachu, they…
A Giant Moving Gundam Statue Is Being Built In Yokohama
Odaiba’s Diver City has long been a special place for fans of iconic anime Mobile Suit Gundam, previously housing a life-sized RX-78 Gundam statue that…
Mega Man LIVE 2020 – After Report
Dream of a VGM Fan I can’t say I’m exactly a Mega Man (originally known as “Rockman”) fan or anything like that. I haven’t even…
The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo is one of Japan’s largest contemporary art museums. Between six and eight temporary exhibitions are held every year, but…
Tearing down history: The planned demolition of A-bomb surviving buildings and how Hiroshima locals feel about it
On August 6th, 1945, Japan became the only country to suffer an attack by a nuclear weapon. Nearly 75 years later, a debate is raging…
![[Hidden Wonders of Japan] Kanazawa Carries On Edo-Era Kaga Tobi Firefighter Festival](https://grapeejapan.com/wp-content/uploads/Kagatobi_eyecatch-768x576.jpg)
[Hidden Wonders of Japan] Kanazawa Carries On Edo-Era Kaga Tobi Firefighter Festival
JAPAN Forward Sometimes, traditions have hidden histories to uncover. Other times, the origins can be surprisingly obvious and yet reveal how a traditional celebration has…
Spend A Night With The Boys of Hypnosis Mic: Tokyo Hotel Offers Themed Rooms
Ever since it launched in 2017, rap battle multimedia franchise Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle (AKA “Hypmic”) has grown in popularity, gaining fans both at…
Japan’s Giri-choco and Rental Girlfriends
Christmas is intended for lovers in Japan, and New Year’s is meant to be spent with family. How about Valentine’s Day? Of course, it’s intended…
NieR Music Now Available on Streaming Media
Step Into the Sound of NieR Maybe some people think that the music in games is nothing more than a bunch of beeps and boops….
Starbuck’s Japan’s New Year Drinkware is 20/20 Kawaii
Starbuck’s Japan, ever in the festive mood, is celebrating the new year with a new line of gorgeous Japanese oshōgatsu (New Year’s) themed drinkware. The…
PayPay Announces 40% Bonus Points Campaign
Japan’s cashless revolution continues. The electronic payment app PayPay announced on January 17, 2020 a new 40% Bonus Points Campaign that will run from February…