Yubari: the oldest town in the world may offer Japan a taste of things to come
Yubari is a town in Hokkaido. It has the highest average age of any town in Japan, and probably the world. Indeed, its population is…
Written By : George Lloyd
Cafe Paulista in Ginza: Japan’s oldest existing kissaten is model for coffee shops across the country
Café Paulista opened in Ginza in 1911, making it the oldest cafe still in business in Tokyo today. The name is synonymous with the Taisho…
Shinjuku institution Takano Fruit Parlour quashes rumours of its imminent demise
Takano Fruit Parlour, the long-established Shinjuku specialty fruit store, recently announced that it planned to close its much-loved fruit bar at the end of March…
Art Fair Tokyo 2021 promises unprecedented fusion of real and VR exhibits
The coronavirus pandemic dealt the world economy a massive blow in 2020. Its impact was also felt by the art market, with around 90 percent…
Rengatei: venerable Ginza eaterie is birthplace of yōshoku classics like tonkatsu and omurice
Foodies often imagine that every country has its own distinctive eating habits. Ironically, the obsessive interest in national differences is one of the consequences of…
A trip to Snow Monkey Park in the mountains of Nagano prefecture
The troop of snow monkeys that bathe in a hot spring in Jigokudani in the mountains of Nagano prefecture has become one of the most…
Matsumoto Castle: an irresistible air of composure and grace
Matsumoto Castle (松本城, Matsumoto-jō) is one of the best-known of Japan’s historic castles, alongside Himeji Castle in Hyogo prefecture and Kumamoto Castle in Kyushu. The castle is…
United Nations global survey finds solid majority of Japanese believe in the climate emergency
With the beginning of the Biden and Suga administrations, both the U.S. and Japan are embarking on ambitious paths toward renewable energy and decarbonization. The…
Miri Yu, author of Tokyo Ueno Station, to give talk at FCCJ on February 25th
Award winning author, Miri Yu will give a talk about her latest novel Tokyo Ueno Station at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in Tokyo on…
Tower Records teams up with producers of last Evangelion film for limited edition merchandise
To commemorate the release of the final movie in the Evangelion series, Tower Records has released a series of commemorative merchandising. The new film is…
Remembering the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923
Much is made of Tokyo’s ability to blend the old with the new, as if a conscious choice had been made as to what to…
Former Deee-lite DJ Towa Tei celebrates 30 years in the music business with new album ‘LP’
Towa Tei, the record producer and DJ best known for his work with the band Deee-lite, has released a new album to mark his 30th…
Japan’s pets: like children, but quieter, cheaper and fluffier
Japan is the only country in the world in which pets outnumber children. The number of cats and dogs in Japan first surpassed the number…
Natsume Sōseki in London: “a dog thrown into the company of wolves.”
Natsume Sōseki 夏目漱石 is one of Japan’s most famous novelists, and the only one to grace a banknote. He is credited with pioneering the synthesis…
Kannō-ji: a temple where pet lovers pray for the rebirth of their beloved cats and dogs in paradise
Japan is the only country in the world where pets outnumber children. Not only are there more pets in Japan than ever, but their owners…