In Japan, rather than signing documents and forms, people use a ‘hanko’, a stamp of their name. Also known as an inkan, it is specially…

Early January is typically when sushi and seafood specialty shops begin to announce their lineup of ehomaki, the giant sushi rolls eaten on February 3rd…

Virtual Singer YuNi Virtual YouTuber and singer YuNi, whom we had the pleasure of interviewing last year, has seen her channel steadily climbing the ranks,…

The traditional soi robes worn by Japanese Buddhist monks may be traditional, but that doesn’t mean they cramp the wearer’s style. A monk in Fukui…

(by JAPAN Forward) The Keio Plaza Hotel screams elegance. With its many branches in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district and other locations, it has always delighted guests…

The Custom of Eating Seven Herbs of Spring January 7th is a special day in the traditional Japanese calendar, known as Nanakusa no Sekku 七草の節句…

Every year, many Japanese people send New Year’s post cards called 年賀状 nengajou. While it is possible to buy pre-printed postcards at stationery shops or…

Studio Ghibli fans were overjoyed last year when the famed animation studio announced that it would be opening their first official theme park in Japan,…

Introduction Japanese design firm nendo has made a name for itself with its minimalist and functional designs for furniture, interiors, lighting and products both domestically…

When you think of Japanese robotics, it’s easy to be distracted by some of the more eccentric and outlandish examples such as robot-staffed hotels or…

by Yuya Hosoda The city of Osaka’s dream for the 2025 World Expo is to use cutting-edge technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), to welcome…

Square Enix’s long running fantasy video game series Dragon Quest changes heroes every installation, but one constant has become the face of the series. Despite…

As we reported earlier this month, we attended a special public recording at the @home cafe in Akihabara of @17 no Gokitaku Shimasenka? あっとせぶんてぃーんのご帰宅しませんか? (@17’s…

If you keep a tab on some of the stranger flavored foods that get released in Japan, you may be familiar with the work of…

Tokyo is the world’s third most expensive city for taxi fares While taxis may be plentiful in Tokyo, they’re an expensive way to get around…