1765 articles
Issues & Racism
Controversial livestreamer slapped in the face while walking busy Japanese street
Controversial IRL (in real life) livestreamer JohnnySomali was struck in the face by a random passerby while livestreaming in Tokyo. What ha...
Bryan Ke
Food
Japanese convenience store chain offers edible spoons to reduce plastic waste
A Japanese convenience store chain will start offering edible spoons in June that customers can use to eat ice cream. Ministop, which has ar...
Isa Peralta
Civil Rights
Japan court rules same-sex marriage ban ‘unconstitutional’
A district court in Nagoya, Japan, has become the second district court in the country to rule that banning same-sex couples from marrying i...
Mister Donut Japan to release doughnuts filled with meat, mashed potatoes
Mister Donut Japan will soon be offering savory doughnuts filled with meat and mashed potatoes. The doughnut chain’s newest product, the Zak...
Culture
What really happened to the man from a ‘parallel universe’ who bewildered Japan
It was a hot summer day in July 1954. A businessman, whom people say looked just like any other traveler, arrived at Haneda Airport in Tokyo...
Carl Samson
Japan
‘Pikachu-chu’: Pikachu-themed train in Japan goes viral
A bright yellow Pikachu-themed train has gone viral on Instagram. On May 15, travel vlogger Billy Biehl (@billybiehl) uploaded a short video...
Iris Jung
How summer became Japan’s ‘spooky season’
For many cultures that celebrate Halloween, costumes and scary stories do not come around until October, when the air becomes cooler to make...
Korean American man calls out livestreamer for harassing people in Tokyo about WWII
A Korean American man from Texas confronted an American livestreamer filming himself harassing train passengers in Tokyo. Videos of the inci...
Business
The hottest trend among S. Korea’s young people is rooted in the past
Over the past year, South Korea has seen a growing trend among younger generations for visiting photobooths. While walking through the stree...
Government
Meet 26-year-old Ryosuke Takashima, the youngest mayor in Japanese history
On April 23, voters in the coastal city of Ashiya, Japan, elected the country’s youngest mayor in history. Ryosuke Takashima, 26, ran on a b...
Babies battle it out in 1-on-1 crying matches during Japanese traditional festival
Japan’s “crying baby sumo” festival, which involves scared infants competing against each other by loudly weeping, has returned for the firs...
Top 20 must-visit landmarks in Asia
Asia, the world’s largest continent, is home to diverse cultures, delicious food and stunning landscapes. Since one of the best ways to exp...
Ryan General
Entertainment
Haruki Murakami releases first novel in 6 years
Celebrated Japanese author Haruki Murakami recently released his first novel in six years. On Thursday, “The City and Its Uncertain Wa...
Photos: Desserts at new Kirby-themed café inside Tokyo Station are almost too cute to eat
A Kirby-themed café recently opened at the popular Tokyo Character Street inside Tokyo Station in Japan. The take-out-only store, called Kir...
Fin Facts: 12 surprising things you didn’t know about the cherry blossom, Japan’s unofficial national flower
Spring is in the air, and so is the sight of blooming cherry blossoms. Unless you’ve been living under a rock that’s devoid of this marvelou...
Japanese railroad workers build safe passages for wandering turtles
Railroad workers in the coastal city of Kobe in central Japan have built safe passages for turtles that wander onto railway tracks. The safe...
Krispy Kreme Japan will soon be offering wasabi doughnuts
Krispy Kreme Japan will soon offer a “Sesame Street”-themed range of doughnuts that features a doughnut with Elmo’s favorite food: wasabi. T...
Coronavirus
1.5 million people in Japan are living as social recluses after COVID-19
According to a recent government survey, approximately 1 in 50 Japanese citizens are living as “hikikomori,” or individuals who isolate them...
Ines Shin
Feature
Japanese man fined $11,000 for smoking more than 4,500 times on the job
A Japanese civil servant was fined around 1.44 million yen (approximately $10,900) for smoking on the job more than 4,500 times in over 14 y...
Michelle De Pacina
Fashion
Concept store CAPSULE is now open in Tokyo – take a look inside Peace and After’s first store
Apparel brand Peace and After has opened their concept store in Tokyo, Japan called CAPSULE. CAPSULE held their grand opening on March 3 wit...
Editorial Staff
News
Japanese scientists create litter of mice with 2 fathers
Japanese researchers have successfully used male mouse cells to create eggs, marking a significant breakthrough in reproductive biology. Th...
Cilantro lovers will rejoice in Pizza Hut Japan’s newest creation
Pizza Hut’s back at it again with another unique flavor — and this time, it’s got tons of cilantro. On Monday, Pizza Hut Japan announced its...
Art
Japanese pro Lego builder creates 50,000-piece replica of Hokusai’s ‘The Great Wave’
Fans of Katsushika Hokusai’s “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” can now find a unique Lego replica of the famous woodblock print in Japan. Japane...
Largest indoor Harry Potter attraction in the world to open in Tokyo
Fans of the “Harry Potter” franchise will soon have another attraction to look forward to — and this time, it’ll be in Japan. “Warner ...
Nissin’s Cup Noodle bedding set is what dreams are made of
On Friday, Japanese food company Nissin posted a photo of a unique bedding set on Twitter. The set — a dream come true for Cup Noodle fans ...
Shohei Ohtani leads Japan to 8-1 win against China in World Baseball Classic opening
The Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run double on the plate and tossed four scoreless innings to help Japan win against China at...
ATARASHII GAKKO! on new single ‘The Edge,’ superpowers and spreading Seishun spirit
Japanese girl group ATARASHII GAKKO! return with “The Edge,” an ebullient, high-octane track that fits perfectly in Crunchyroll’s latest sea...
Daniel Anderson
Japan startup plans $180,000 balloon flight space viewing tours in bid to ‘democratize space’
A Japanese startup has partnered with a travel agency in an attempt to make commercial space viewing flights more accessible. In partnership...
Economy
South Korea smashes own world record for lowest fertility rate
South Korea’s fertility rate has dropped yet again, beating its own record for the world’s lowest fertility rate. According to Statistics Ko...
Leiji Matsumoto, ‘Space Battleship Yamato’ mangaka and Daft Punk collaborator, dies at 85
Leiji Matsumoto, who is best known for creating classic manga and anime space sagas “Space Battleship Yamato,” “Space Pirate Captain H...
Crime
Japan proposes raising age of sexual consent from 13 to 16
The Japanese Justice Ministry has proposed raising the age of sexual consent from 13 to 16. The proposal comes as part of an overhaul of the...
New Studio Ghibli collection includes Inami chokuku Totoro figurine costing $2,450
Studio Ghibli recently announced their collaboration with Japanese artisan company Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten to create a special collection...
Environmental
Japan’s islands double in number to over 14,000 after recount
The number of islands in Japan has doubled since 1987, a new survey of the country has found. With the help of digital mapping technology, ...
‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ final trailer shows new canine sidekick, samurai-inspired body armor
The final trailer for “John Wick: Chapter 4” has been released, giving audiences one last look at the film’s all-star cast...
Chandler Treon
Education
English teacher in Japan highlights school rules that would ‘send Americans into a coma’
An English teacher living in Japan highlighted how Japanese schools have a very different approach to education compared to American high sc...
Yale professor backpedals after floating ‘mass suicide’ for Japan’s aging population
An assistant professor at Yale is taking a softer stance on Japan’s aging society after stirring controversy by suggesting that the “elderly...