On 13th February, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake took place in Fukushima and Miyagi prefecture. As scary as the earthquake was, some Japanese people are making…

We know we can always count on capsule toy maker Qualia Co., Ltd. to come up with unique and surprising capsule toys. For example, in…

The treats on offer at Krispy Kreme’s Japan branches are undeniably adorable, and doughnut fans are treated to a never ending rotation of seasonal offerings…

Gen Masunaga’s art Gen Masunaga 増永元 is an Okinawa-based artist who mainly creates small art objects made of glass using a technique called burner-work. A…

In autumn, many in Japan take time to admire koyo, or the changing leaves of the fall. The great scenery sure is lovely background to…

What will you be drinking as you walk under a delicate, pink array of falling cherry blossoms this spring in Japan? Of course, whatever it…

In Japan, cherry blossoms are more than just a pretty flower to look at. Thanks to their subtle sweet taste and the fact that their…

The rag tag group of Sumikko Gurashi is one of the most highly-merchandised characters to come out of Japanese stationery company, San-X. The brightly-colored and…

Fans of the relaxed brown bear Rilakkuma now have an exclusive place to connect with other fans and gain access to limited merchandise. The official…

Foodies often imagine that every country has its own distinctive eating habits. Ironically, the obsessive interest in national differences is one of the consequences of…

The troop of snow monkeys that bathe in a hot spring in Jigokudani in the mountains of Nagano prefecture has become one of the most…

The manga and anime series Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan, (『岸辺露伴は動かない』 Kishibe Rohan wa Ugokanai in Japanese), by Hirohiko Araki, a spinoff from the JoJo’s Bizarre…

During COVID-19, many people are shifting their lives online. Despite going out much less than they used to, many are—dare I say—increasingly satisfied with their…

Everyone is familiar with the childhood game hide and seek. If you were anything like me, your older siblings always wanted to play whenever you…

In July 2020, the Japanese government started charging for plastic bags nationwide. This measure was put in place to help reduce plastic waste and prevent…