The animated world of kyaraben boxed lunches Character bentos, or キャラ弁 kyaraben in Japanese, are bento (boxed lunches) usually made by parents for their kids…

Interview Series: “Words that changed my life” In this series, we interview leading figures in the fields of manga, anime, music, acting, voice acting, cosplay,…

Although March 3rd is more commonly known in Japan as “Girls Day,” it’s also commemorated for other reasons. The date 03/03 can be pronounced mimi,…

Kyoto pop icon Asachill Some of our long-term grape Japan readers may recall model, singer, DJ, artist, Harajuku fashion leader and Kyoto pop icon Asachill….

Many of our readers, and especially fans of retro gaming, not to mention those who are old enough to remember playing with one, will probably…

Known as Kaki no Tane 柿の種 (literally, “persimmon seeds”), the small, orange, crescent-shaped rice crackers with a soy and mild chili pepper taste have been…

Japanese “Cream Soda Craftsman” tsunekawa Some of our readers may remember tsunekawa from our recent article in which we introduced the self-professed Japanese “cream soda…

Japanese hobbyist 泡の海 awa no umi (@awanoumi2) works in a company selling FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic) materials. In his spare time, he uses the skills he’s…

Tempura rice bowl, known in Japanese as 天丼 or 天どん tendon, is a popular dish highlighting some of the best elements of Japanese cuisine. You…

For those who are unfamiliar with it, a 炬燵 こたつ kotatsu is a low, wooden table frame, covered by a heavy blanket or quilted futon,…

Takayuki Yoshida is a Japanese artist and motion graphic creator who was selected as one of “The 100 Japanese Motion Graphic Creators” in 2021. In…

Japanese figure and statue brand Kotobukiya’s 1/7 scale Bishoujo statue series are based on Shunya Yamashita‘s illustrations of various movie, game, and comic characters in…

Yoshioka よしおか Yoshioka (@010fu) is an up-and-coming Japanese illustrator who creates wonderful fantasy worlds reminiscent of storybooks with compelling characters. The artist has a gift…

Starting on Wednesday, February 9th, 2022, you’ll be able to buy vacuum flasks designed to look just like cans of Pringles, the internationally famous potato…

As most visitors to Japan’s major urban areas can surely attest to, this country has an astonishing diversity of food and drink vending machines. Vending…