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2026 (Page 62)
McDonald’s Japan celebrates spring with… a Strawberry Shortcake Pie?!?
- Oona McGee
Mar 18, 2026 - Tweet
Limited-edition pink dessert seems unseasonal at this time of year, but all will be forgiven if it meets our high standards.
- Japan
- (apple pie • dessert pie • desserts • fast food • food • Japanese strawberry • McDonald's • McDonald's Japan • pie • sakura • SNJO • strawberries • strawberry • strawberry shortcake)
Cherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura season
- Casey Baseel
Mar 18, 2026
Three cities share the status of this year’s first sakura arrivals, with a fourth joining them one day later.
- Japan
- (cherry blossom forecast • cherry blossom forecast 2026 • cherry blossoms • cherry blossoms forecast • cherry blossoms forecast 2026 • COK • flowers • Japan cherry blossom forecast • Japan cherry blossoms forecast 2026 • Japan travel • nature • sakura • sakura forecast • sakura forecast 2026 • tourism • travel)
Umamusume food and drinks dash into real world at Family Mart convenience stores[Taste test]
- Casey Baseel
Mar 18, 2026
Family Mart’s lineup includes actual Hachimi Drink, collaboration also features “magic” clear files.
- Japan
- (anime • convenience stores • drinks • food • Japanese convenience stores • manga • SNJO • sweets • taste test • Umamusume • Umamusume: Pretty Derby • video games)
Japanese government says country needs more women’s room toilets to meet modern society’s needs
- Casey Baseel
Mar 17, 2026
Even if the number of men and women using a building are the same, the number of toilets shouldn’t be, government’s guideline drafts say.
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
- Oona McGee
Mar 17, 2026
Rare, super-personalised Frappuccino gets a new look for spring.
- Japan
- (dessert drink • drinks • Frappuccino • fruit • Japanese Frappuccino • latte • limited edition • limited edition flavors • My Fruit³ Frappuccino • Peach • spring • Starbucks • Starbucks Japan • Starbucks limited edition)
Eastern Japan high school graduating class’s wallets robbed during ceremony
- Master Blaster
Mar 17, 2026
When the grads are up, the guard is down.
- Japan
- (ceremonies • crime • graduation • hare no hi goto • high school • robbery • theft • utsunomiya)
Pizza Hut Japan’s new ie-kei ramen pizza is here and weird, but is it tasty too? [Taste test]
- Casey Baseel
Mar 17, 2026
Yokohama-style ramen slides on top of a pizza with help from the creator of ie-kei.
- Japan
- (COK • crazy • food • ie-kei • ie-kei ramen • pizza • Pizza Hut • Pizza Hut Japan • ramen • ramen pizza • SNJO • taste test • weird)
Major Tokyo subway line shut down by in-train mobile battery fire
- Casey Baseel
Mar 17, 2026
Device for charging on-the-go brings subway to a stop in latest mobile battery fire.
- Japan
- (gadgets • Hanzomon Line • mobile batteries • subways • technology • Tokyo Metro • tourism • trains • travel)
Are Japanese convenience store sandwiches scamming us with their fillings?
- Oona McGee
Mar 17, 2026
We find out if there’s any truth to the so-called “cross-section scam”.
- Japan
- (7-Eleven • COK • convenience store finds • convenience store food • convenience store hack • convenience stores • crazy • egg sandwich • Family mart • food • hacks • Japanese convenience stores • Japanese sandwich • Japanese sandwiches • Lawson • sandwich • sandwiches • SNJO • taste test • weird)
Japanese man drives truck that’s on fire directly to fire station, drops flaming potatoes[Videos]
- Casey Baseel
Mar 16, 2026
Roasted sweet potato truck turns into mobile fireball.
- Japan
- (cars • crazy • fire • sweet potato truck • sweet potatoes • truck • video • weird • yaki imo • yaki imo truck • yakiimo • yakiimo truck)
Japan’s budget chain restaurant Saizeriya might just be the perfect first date location
- Elliot Hale
Mar 16, 2026
Why not feast like royalty while keeping your wallet, and your date, happy?
- Japan
- (cheap eats • cheap food • COK • date ideas • date spots • dating • family restaurant • family restaurants • first dates • food and drinks • Italian food • Saizeriya • SNJO)
The next time you’re feeling stressed out, you could relax on a Pokémon Psyduck chair from Japan
- Casey Baseel
Mar 16, 2026
Before you erupt like Psyduck, take a seat on Psyduck.
- Japan
- (anime • chair • crazy • cute • furniture • interior • manga • Pokemon • Psyduck • sofa • video games)
7-Eleven Japan’s giant fried chicken skewer would be too big to eat, so it’s really for cuddling
- Casey Baseel
Mar 16, 2026
Comfort food to snuggle up with is just one of the crazy prizes in the 7-Eleven Happy Kuji collection.
- Japan
- (7-Eleven • 7-Eleven Japan • awesome • convenience stores • crazy • food • fried chicken • funny • Happy Kuji • Japanese convenience stores • karaage • kuji • plushies • prize lottery • weird)
We asked our Japanese team of writers how they deal with seasonal allergies in Japan
- Krista Rogers
Mar 16, 2026
When you’re all choked up and there’s nose way out, take a leaf out of our book to get yourself out of the throes of nose blows.
- Japan
- (allergies • COK • hay fever • kafunsho • pollen • prevention • protection • SNJO • survey)
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
- Oona McGee
Mar 15, 2026
Sayonara to an old-school traveller’s way to eat noodles.
- Japan
- (Adachi • Adachi Ward • COK • food • Japanese train stations • Nishiarai Ramen • Nishiarai Station • Noodles • ramen • restaurants • Tokyo • train platform • train station • train stations)
Japanese convenience store sandwiches get extra protection from new business backpack
- SoraNews24
Mar 15, 2026
Work clothing brand makes it its job to keep your lunch out of harm’s way.
- Japan
- (backpacks • bags • clever • convenience stores • fashion • food • sandwiches)
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
- Oona McGee
Mar 15, 2026
Say I love you with the magical charm of characters from My Neighbour Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service.
- Japan
- (anime • carnations • cute • diorama • Donguri Kyowakoku • flowers • Ghibli • gift • gifts • Hayao Miyazaki • Jiji • Kiki's Delivery Service • merchandise • Mother's Day • My Neighbor Totoro • presents • Studio Ghibli • Totoro)
Starbucks Japan opens new Kyoto store in Place of Scenic Beauty
- Oona McGee
Mar 14, 2026
A new type of teahouse cafe opens in Kyoto’s popular historic tourist area.
- Japan
- (Frappuccino • Frappuccinos • Japanese Frappuccino • Kyoto • Maruyama Park • Starbucks • Starbucks Japan • tea • travel • Yasaka Shrine)
Sushi Push Pops aiming to be Japan’s newest sakura season snack sensation
- Casey Baseel
Mar 14, 2026
Restaurant chain creates sushi you can eat with one hand, leaving your other free to toast the cherry blossoms.
Starbucks Japan’s Cream Puff Frappuccino is here! Did it make Friday the 13th lucky? [Taste test]
- Casey Baseel
Mar 14, 2026
Our Frappuccino expert brushes aside fears of bad fortune to taste test two new drinks.
- Japan
- (choux cream • COK • cream puff • cream puffs • dessert drinks • drinks • Frappuccinos • Japanese Frappuccinos • K. Masami • shu cream • SNJO • Starbucks • Starbucks Japan • sweets • taste test)
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Recent Posts
- 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
- Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
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MOST POPULAR
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Today
Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
Continuing cyberattacks hit Japanese arcade hard [Photos]
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [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
Princess Mononoke was going to look totally different, new Studio Ghibli artbook shows
Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
First-ever cafe on Tokyo Imperial Palace Garden grounds is now open
Japan’s free stock image site of muscular men doing whimsical and mundane things reveals rankings
Godzilla becomes a Japanese randoseru backpack, as do two of his greatest rivals [Photos]
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
Princess Mononoke was going to look totally different, new Studio Ghibli artbook shows
Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
First-ever cafe on Tokyo Imperial Palace Garden grounds is now open
Japan’s free stock image site of muscular men doing whimsical and mundane things reveals rankings
Godzilla becomes a Japanese randoseru backpack, as do two of his greatest rivals [Photos]
This is Japan’s best cycling course, but is it fun for bicycling beginners too?
Starbucks Japan releases now Tokyo Reserve Roastery Christmas drinkware collection [Photos]
Mr. Sato searches for the mysterious new wall of fortune in Tokyo
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
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
Thief mails 460 million-yen watch back to Tokyo store he stole it from, says “I’m sorry”
Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign
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