The Tanagokoro, an ultra-minimal wallet for a cashless society
For the ultimate in minimalism, consider the Tanogokoro, a sleek folding wallet that fits snugly into the palm of your hand. The wallet is the…
Crowdfunding
Art directors hope to recreate the gates of movie spectacular Rashomon
People have been bemoaning the state of the Japanese film industry for the last 40 years, so it’s a wonder to discover that the Japan…
New Grid-Bonsai Trees Let You Enjoy Traditional Japanese Art As A Puzzle
As we’ve seen with Tokyo Bonsai Lifestyle’s darkly beautiful Animal Skull Bonsai Series and even an A.I. powered tree that asks you for water, the…
Viral Crowdfunding Hit Yuru-Hakama Roomwear is Back for the Reiwa Era
Yuru-hakama concept As we’ve reported before, Campfire Creations (previously known as Mocolle), a brand which takes creators, illustrators and designers’ ideas and transform them into…
World’s First Matcha Latte Art Competition To Be Held In Tokyo
A fusion of traditional Japan and western coffee culture Following the global trend, baristas and other artists who can produce visual magic on a cup…
You Can Live With A Polar Bear Mother and Cub With These Life-Sized Art Masterpieces
Whether it’s gigantic wearable felt cat heads, lifelike animal heads, super realistic replicas of your pet’s head, or full body reproductions of shiba inus or…
Birthplace Of Ninja In Japan Hopes For “e-Ninja” To Be Recognized As Olympic Battle Sport
Thee Iga region of Japan has never shied away from its rich history of ninja tradition, boasting a national ninja certification test and even a…
Forget About Champagne, Sparkling Sake Brings a Traditional Japanese Twist to Christmas Dinner
Sake, or nihonshu as it’s usually called in Japan, has become the representative Japanese alcoholic beverage in the eyes of the world. From affordable ‘one…
Ayano Date, Daughter of First Virtual Idol Kyoko Date, Makes Her Debut
Kyoko Date DK-96 Do you remember Kyoko Date? As the world’s very first “virtual idol,” she created quite a sensation back in 1996. Produced by…
Overwhelmed by Tourists Japan’s Winter Wonderland Shirakawa-go Goes Reservation Only
Shirakawa-Go, a mountain settlement in Gifu prefecture, was once considered an unexplored region. The treacherous mountains and snowfall restricted outside interaction, preserving the unique cultural…
Authentic Katana Paper Knives Modeled After Famous Swords of Shinsengumi Warriors
Famous Swords Paper Knives: An astoundingly successful crowdfunding project As Japanese history buffs and sword collectors know too well, authentic Japanese swords made by master…
Otaku Coin: The Cryptocurrency That Could Save the Otaku Industry – Interview (Part 1)
Since the end of 2017 when they first made the announcement, Japanese pop culture news site and online store Tokyo Otaku Mode (TOM) has been…
Giant Japanese Mackerel Pillow Cases Are Here To Creep You Out And Cuddle With You
Japanese creative design brand Mocolle (whose official brand concept is “Wouldn’t it be nice if this existed?”) often makes clothes and home furnishings based on fantasies…
Japan Now Has An Idol Unit For The Game of Go
In the last five years, the complex and challenging game of Go (also known as igo in Japanese) has made strides internationally, with the American…
Grape-kun To Be Memorialized in Special “Kemono Friends” Airplane
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…