Travel begins the moment you leave home, not when you get there. The same is true, of course, for the return trip. The time spent…

Typically, when you see a poster in your neighborhood with a dog on it, you can’t help but feel a pang of sadness as it’s…

It’s not uncommon to hear of workers in Japan’s service industry going the extra mile to accommodate customers with convenience and hospitality, whether it be…

“Night on the Galactic Railroad” is one of the popular fictional novels written by Kenji Miyazawa. A loner boy, Giovanni, travels on the Galactic railroad…

Recently there have been many special train services which promise a very Japan-specific experience before you’ve even arrived at your destination. One example is the…

The heartbreaking death of Grape, the Humboldt penguin in Tobu Zoo who loved a cardboard cutout of Hululu, an anthropomorphic penguin, from the popular anime…

By now we’re used to vending machines in Japan selling everything from drinks to daily commodities, but time and time again we learn of a…

Sometimes, it’s the simple things that really count in life. A recent social media phenomenon is a testament to this. A video – merely 30…