Fans Vote Hello Kitty the Most ‘Kawaii’ Sanrio Character for 2019
Sanrio, the world-famous cuteness-producing company, announced on June 4 the result of 2019 Sanrio Character Prize, its annual popularity contest for the various characters now…
JAPAN Forward
Niigata’s ‘Giant Kite Battle’: A Story of Retaliation Turns Into A Festival Tradition
Senol Hasan, for JAPAN Forward Three hundred kilometers west of Tokyo, in the heart of Japan’s Niigata Prefecture, lies Shirone. It is a modest city…
![[Hidden Wonders of Japan] A Maiko Does the Ceremonial First Pitch at Koshien Baseball Stadium](https://grapeejapan.com/wp-content/uploads/maikoball.jpg)
[Hidden Wonders of Japan] A Maiko Does the Ceremonial First Pitch at Koshien Baseball Stadium
Kanako, a maiko from Miyagawacho, Kyoto, does the ceremonial first pitch in Koshien Baseball Stadium on May 22, 2019. Photo by Sankei Shimbun | ©…
Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays: Routes, Runners and Race Details
On June 1, the organizing committee of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games announced the route for the Olympic torch relay races, which will…
Jimbocho — A Booklovers’ Haven in the Heart of Tokyo
Jason Morgan, Reitaku University, for JAPAN Forward Japan is famous, among many other things, for its exceptionally high literacy rate. Although Japan has not conducted…
Yanagiya Tozaburo Introduces ‘Rakugo’ to the World
Written by Toru Matsugaki for JAPAN Forward Tozaburo Yanagiya, 42, is a storyteller with a drive to spread the word on rakugo, a traditional form…
With Help from Robots, Nursery Teachers Have More Time to Focus on Children
Written by The Sankei Shimbun | JAPAN Forward ICT (Information and Communication Technology), including robots, are starting to be utilized in the childcare industry. Increasingly,…
Riding the Steam Train Chichibu Paleo Express
Written by Earl Kinmonth for JAPAN Forward On March 31, I and my older son took a day trip on the Paleo Express, a steam…
‘Beautiful Harmony’: Japan Releases Official Translation of ‘Reiwa’ After Mixed Reactions to New Era Name
(Written by JAPAN Forward) On the day the government announced the name of the new imperial era on on Monday, April 1, people all around…
In the Small, Mystical Town of Ono, A Castle in the Clouds and Other Wonders
In a small city in Japan, on a cold morning with no wind between October and April, you might experience an incredible sight if the…
Heart of Everyday Life: British Pub vs Japanese Izakaya
Written by Sara Doel for JAPAN Forward The pub — short for “public house” — has long been established as part of daily life in…
Kimono Fashion Can Be Cool — Trust Designer Jotaro Saito
(by Arielle Busetto for JAPAN Forward) Jotaro Saito doesn’t go unnoticed when walking down a street. The day I met him at Kanda Myojin, he…
Across the Pacific in Two Hours: JAXA Sets Sights on Mach 5 Supersonic Aircraft
(by Shinji Ono for JAPAN Forward) The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is advancing research on a hypersonic Mach 5 passenger aircraft that can cross…
Get Transported Into A Sci-Fi Movie with the Nagano Shinkansen
by JAPAN Foward Photo by Masamichi Kirihara | © JAPAN Forward Just before dawn, a sight which resembles a sci-fi movie unfolded before our eyes….
Veganism in Japan: How to Cook and Survive in the Kitchen
(By Jasmine Ortlieb for JAPAN Forward) Being a vegan in Japan can sometimes be quite tricky, especially with popular dishes which are fish and meat-based,…