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2026 (Page 28)
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
- Oona McGee
Jul 24, 2026 - Tweet
Spend the night inside a bullet train from just 5,000 yen.
- Japan
- (accommodation • Akita • Aomori • bullet trains • COK • East Japan Railway Company • hotels • Japan Railway Company • Japan travel • Japanese trains • JR • JR East • Komachi Shinkansen • overnight trains • shinkansen • sleeper train • sleeper trains • Tohoku • tourism • trains • travel)
“We want to be Japan’s best cheap restaurant” says new (but also not new) Akihabara noodle joint
- Casey Baseel
Jul 24, 2026
Akihabara Ramen Center is dead. Long live Akihabara Seimen Center.
Starbucks Japan releases a miniature display rack so you can create your very own store at home
- Oona McGee
Jul 24, 2026
A beautiful way to show off your Starbucks collectibles.
- Japan
- (cute • display case • display rack • limited edition • merchandise • miniatures • Starbucks • Starbucks goods • Starbucks Japan • Starbucks limited edition • Starbucks merchandise • Starbucks miniatures • Starbucks Rewards)
Eight great words for talking about summer in Japan in Japanese
- Casey Baseel
Jul 24, 2026
Taking a break in the shade? Here’s some Japanese vocabulary and cultural knowledge that could be yours by the time you step back into the sun.
- Japan
- (cicadas • COK • fireworks • Japanese language • learning japanese • linguistics • SNO • summer)
Kodama Shinkansen trains on popular Japan route get a whole new look this winter
- Oona McGee
Jul 24, 2026
Beautiful new design pays homage to regions that the bullet train serves, with charming hidden details.
- Japan
- (bullet train • bullet trains • design • Japan travel • JR • JR West • kodama • news • Sanyo Shinkansen • shinkansen • tourism • trains • travel • West Japan Railway • Yurari)
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
- Casey Baseel
Jul 24, 2026
New machines at two of Tokyo’s busiest metro stations will require you to pay with a credit card or one-day-pass QR code.
- Japan
- (Ginza • IC cards • IC transportation cards • Japan travel • Pasmo • stations • subways • Suica • Tokyo Metro • tourism • trains • transportation • travel • Ueno)
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
- Casey Baseel
Jul 23, 2026
Three-day ascent attempt comes to an abrupt end.
- Japan
- (climbing Mt. Fuji • Fujinomiya Trail • hiking • hiking Mt. Fuji • Mountains • Mt. Fuji • nature • outdoors)
Starbucks Japan adds a new summer Frappuccino to the menu, but is it as refreshing as it looks?
- Oona McGee
Jul 23, 2026
Limited-edition “gyugyutto” beverage features a fruit combo rarely seen at Starbucks.
- Japan
- (Chillax Soda • drinks • Frappuccino • Frappuccinos • fruit • Japanese Frappuccino • Japanese Frappuccinos • limited edition • Limited edition flavours • mango • orange • orange mango • SNJO • Starbucks • Starbucks Japan • Starbucks limited edition • summer)
Which country’s foreign tourists spend the most money per-person in Japan? Hint: Not the U..S. or China
- Casey Baseel
Jul 23, 2026
One country’s travelers spend more than double the total average for tourists in Japan, and it’s one the Japanese tourism industry hasn’t paid much attention to.
- Japan
- (COK • Japan Tourism Agency • Japan travel • Mexico • Survey on Inbound Tourism Spending Trends • tourism • travel)
Cup Noodle and Columbia team up for a weird and wonderful T-shirt that’s very Japanese
- Oona McGee
Jul 23, 2026
The English on the back of the shirt is almost as humorous as the beach hut squid in the design.
- Japan
- (beach • Columbia • Cup Noodle • cup noodles • cute • fashion • instant noodle • instant noodles • outdoors • pot noodle • Pot Noodles • ramen • shirts • summer • t-shirts)
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
- Oona McGee
Jul 23, 2026
“Hands-Free” service lets Shinkansen travellers send their suitcases by bullet train without carrying them onboard.
- Japan
- (bullet train • COK • East Japan Railway Company • Hakobyun • Japanese trains • JR East • luggage • luggage delivery • luggage forwarding • Multi-Ecube • Sendai • shinkansen • Tokyo • Tokyo Station • trains • travel)
Hatsune Miku, VTuber Suisei Hoshimachi perform opening pitch at pro baseball game in Japan [Video]
- Casey Baseel
Jul 23, 2026
Suisei throws smoke, some commenters throw shade.
- Japan
- (anime • baseball • Chiba Lotte Marines • cool • crazy • funny • Hatsune Miku • HoloLive • Hoshimachi Suisei • Lotte • manga • music • sports • video • virtual idols • virtual YouTubers • vocaloids • VTubers • weird)
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality
- Casey Baseel
Jul 22, 2026
European man lost consciousness during Mt. Fuji hike with his son.
- Japan
- (climbing Mt. Fuji • Fujinomiya Trail • hiking • hiking Mt. Fuji • Mountains • Mt. Fuji • nature • outdoors)
Japanese government sets up new group to deal with trading card boom
- Oona McGee
Jul 22, 2026
Trading cards have become so popular in Japan that the government is now getting involved, but what does this mean for fans?
- Japan
- (anime • card games • collectible card games • manga • My Number Card • news • Pokemon • Pokémon card game • pokemon cards • Pokémon Center Online • Pokémon Company • resellers • scalpers • trading cards)
Yakuza members arrested for building a road on mountain they don’t own
- Master Blaster
Jul 22, 2026
Darn gangsters! Building infrastructure without permission.
- Japan
- (Construction • Hiroshima • Kyosei-kai • Organized crime • roads • yakuza)
If you love Pokémon and cats, you’ll love Japan’s cat Pokémon cat toys and feeding dishes[Photos]
- Casey Baseel
Jul 22, 2026
Some Pokémon fun to share with your real-world Meowth, Litten, or Sprigatito.
- Japan
- (animals • anime • cats • cute • manga • pet supplies • pets • Pokemon • video games)
Taco sandwiches appear in Japan with new Lunch Pack sandwich pocket flavor[Taste test]
- Casey Baseel
Jul 22, 2026
Yamazaki’s beloved series branches out with a new fluffy taco offering.
- Japan
- (COK • food • Lunch Pack • sandwich pockets • sandwiches • SNO • tacos • taste test • Yamazaki • Yamazaki Baking)
Studio Ghibli’s new moving keychains are the angry, adorable bugs from Nausicaa [Photos]
- Casey Baseel
Jul 22, 2026
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind’s Ohm want to be the holders of your keys.
- Japan
- (anime • Donguri Kyowakoku • figures • key holders • keychains • manga • Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind • ohm • pullback • Studio Ghibli)
Brand new Shinkansen bullet train unveiled in Japan… but it won’t carry passengers
- Oona McGee
Jul 21, 2026
Meet “SOAR”, the next-generation Shinkansen designed to protect the rails.
- Japan
- (bullet train • bullet trains • East Japan Railway • East Japan Railway Company • Inspection Shinkansen • inspection trains • Inspection vehicle • Japanese trains • JR East • shinkansen • Soar • Tohoku • trains • travel)
Sanrio eco-friendly plushies are here for the earth-conscious lovers of all things kawaii
- Krista Rogers
Jul 21, 2026
This cute line-up is made from sustainable materials and will make your friends green with envy.
- Japan
- (Bandai Namco Nui • cute • eco-friendly • Hello Kitty • Kawaii • Kuromi • My Melody • plushies • recycle • Sanrio • sustainable)
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Recent Posts
- Tokyo to build new crematoriums to meet surging demand
- Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
- Continuing cyberattacks hit Japanese arcade hard [Photos]
- Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
- Princess Mononoke was going to look totally different, new Studio Ghibli artbook shows
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MOST POPULAR
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Today
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
Continuing cyberattacks hit Japanese arcade hard [Photos]
Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
Princess Mononoke was going to look totally different, new Studio Ghibli artbook shows
First-ever cafe on Tokyo Imperial Palace Garden grounds is now open
Godzilla becomes a Japanese randoseru backpack, as do two of his greatest rivals [Photos]
Japan’s free stock image site of muscular men doing whimsical and mundane things reveals rankings
Weekly
- Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America- Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
Life-size Monster Hunter dragon statues to be built at Japanese shopping mall
Modern exosuits are opening up ancient Japanese castle climbs to everyone
Evangelion announces collaboration with Hard Rock Cafe
Studio Ghibli homeware brand’s faux oil lamp brings light, smiles, and Kiki’s Jiji to your home
Cold Stone is closing its final branch in all of east Japan, but it’s going down singing
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas goods for 2026, with exclusive holiday surprises
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Monthly
Pokémon Company announces first-ever permanent Pokémon store to open outside Asia- Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
- Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
- Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
What’s it like to stay in a Japanese container hotel?- Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
Chainsaw robots helping keep trains running safely in east Japan [Video]
New Studio Ghibli anime gets extended run at the only cinema in Japan where it’s being shown
Tokyo train station will play Godzilla theme song as new departure melody
Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign
Yearly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
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RECOMMENDED STORIES
Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
Princess Mononoke was going to look totally different, new Studio Ghibli artbook shows
First-ever cafe on Tokyo Imperial Palace Garden grounds is now open
Godzilla becomes a Japanese randoseru backpack, as do two of his greatest rivals [Photos]
Japan’s free stock image site of muscular men doing whimsical and mundane things reveals rankings
This is Japan’s best cycling course, but is it fun for bicycling beginners too?
Mr. Sato searches for the mysterious new wall of fortune in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases now Tokyo Reserve Roastery Christmas drinkware collection [Photos]
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Thief mails 460 million-yen watch back to Tokyo store he stole it from, says “I’m sorry”
Japanese government announces criteria for creating backup capital of Japan
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s remake can be played with an actual ocarina [Video]
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas goods for 2026, with exclusive holiday surprises
This hot spring near Osaka’s Kansai Airport resolves the pick-two-out-of-three bathhouse dilemma
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