Payphones look like they’re in a giant plastic model sprue in toy-famous Japanese city
Although the number of payphones installed in Japan is decreasing due to the widespread use of smartphones, they can still be found. Payphones in Japan…
Shizuoka Prefecture
Eat your bento and your bento box too with these next-level onigiri rice balls
Even if you have only a mild interest in Japan, chances are you’ve heard of 弁当 bentō. These single-serving packed meals with their (often) neatly…
How much does it really cost to cross Japan by cab?
Toyama Prefecture and Shizuoka Prefecture. Two prefectures on opposite coasts of Japan. On the one hand, Toyama Prefecture is “located at the center of Japan…
Natsuiro Photography: Interview with Shizuoka photographer Shinnosuke Uchida
For students all over Japan, March is the month of graduation. With the ongoing pandemic, many students have been unable to have mass graduation ceremonies,…
Kids gathering around a cigarette machine? On closer inspection, it wasn’t what it seemed to be
As anyone who has visited Japan will probably know, the country allows cigarettes to be purchased in vending machines, but only to adults (20 and…
Hello Kitty collabs with Laid-Back Camp to present charms of Yamanashi Pref. & camping
Hello Kitty’s new hobby: camping According to her profile on her official fans site, Hello Kitty’s hobbies are “baking cookies and making pancakes; origami; foreign…
New shopping area “Hill Side” opened in Gotemba Premium Outlets near Mount Fuji
One of Japan’s most popular outlet malls, if not the most popular, is the Gotemba Premium Outlets located in Shizuoka, in Gotemba City. The mall…
Atami city’s favorite pudding parlor says thank you in a very delicious way!
Japan has a long history of importing foods from overseas and, through a certain Japanese je ne sais quois, giving them a makeover into exquisite…
Japan Turns Competitive Pillow Fighting Into An Art Form
Pillow fighting as a sport! Most of us have enjoyed a good pillow fight at some time in our lives. (If you haven’t, you don’t…
Tapioca Chazuke: Bubble Tea Trend Inspires A Sweet Twist on a Comfort Food Classic
Chazuke: a favorite comfort food A traditional comfort food for many Japanese people is a savory dish of green tea or dashi broth poured over…
Coelacanth Pancakes Are Making Waves In The World of Taiyaki Fish-Shaped Cakes
Updated: July 23, 2018 One of Japan’s favorite traditional snacks, and a popular item among foreign tourists, taiyaki are hot cakes made with pancake or…
Chabacco: Sticks of Powdered Green Tea Packaged Like Cigarettes
While green tea and products made with it continue to gain international attention, domestic consumption of simple green tea in Japanese households is sadly on…
Renting an Official Anime Car Made Our Love Live! Sunshine!! Pilgrimage Sensational!!!
Most anime fans have seen pictures of cars decorated in full or partial wrap-around stickers or paintwork featuring anime characters. A common sight in otaku-friendly…
Japan’s First “Hotel in a Park” Lets You Slumber in the Heart of a Forest
While the myriad sights and sounds of Tokyo and other big cities surely offer excitement and entertainment to those who visit Japan, there is a…
Enjoy the Height of Japanese Desserts With The Tallest Matcha Parfait in Japan
Matcha is probably one of the most recognized of Japanese flavors, even beyond Japanese borders. While it is a delight to sip matcha in the…