SoraNews24 —Japan News—

After 15 years of needing a doctor’s permission, women and teens in Japan can now buy emergency contraceptives over the counter, but still with some strings attached.

Japan
(birth control • contraceptives • emergency contraceptives • health • medecine • morning-after pill • pregnancy • society)

Is Starbucks Japan’s new extra-expensive Valentine’s Day espresso Frappuccino worth the price?

Casey Baseel
Jan 30, 2026

Starbucks is getting into Godiva territory with the price of its newest chocolate dessert drink, but is the quality there?

Japan
(affogato • cacao • chocolate • coffee • COK • cookies • drinks • espresso • Frappuccinos • Japanese Frappuccinos • SNJO • Starbucks • Starbucks Japan • sweets • taste test • Valentine's Day)

Japan’s got a subscription service for pillows with or without plastic tubes inside

Master Blaster
Jan 30, 2026

Why own a comfy pillow when you can lease one?

Japan
(comfort • health • pillows • plastic • shopping • sleeping • subscription services • The Pillow)

New Studio Ghibli stamps leave an impression on your stationery…and your heart

Oona McGee
Jan 30, 2026

Dress up notebooks and sticky notes with memorable anime scenes from Japan.

Japan
(anime • art • Calcifer • Donguri Kyowakoku • Ghibli • Howl's Moving Castle • Japanese stationery • Jiji • Kiki's Delivery Service • Laputa • Laputa: Castle in the Sky • manga • My Neighbor Totoro • No Face • spirited away • stamps • stationery • Studio Ghibli • Totoro)

Japan cherry blossom forecast update moves up sakura dates for many parts of the country

Casey Baseel
Jan 29, 2026

Forecast shows you might need to move your cherry blossom plans in Japan up by a few days.

Japan
(cherry blossom forecast • cherry blossom forecast 2026 • cherry blossoms • cherry blossoms forecast • cherry blossoms forecast 2026 • flowers • Japan cherry blossom forecast • Japan cherry blossoms forecast 2026 • Japan travel • nature • sakura • sakura forecast • sakura forecast 2026 • tourism • travel)

And now, we eat a bear paw we bought in Japan’s Chiba Prefecture【Taste test】

Casey Baseel
Jan 29, 2026

Bear with Seiji as he cooks up some high-quality, high-rarity meat.

Japan
(bear meat • bears • COK • cooking • crazy • food • hot pot • nabe • Seiji Nakazawa • SNJO • taste test • weird)

Bacha Coffee opens in Japan…but is it worth the hype?

Oona McGee
Jan 29, 2026

We line up to try one of the most unusual, and expensive, coffee experiences in Tokyo.

Japan
(Bacha Coffee • cafes • coffee • COK • drinks • Ginza • Marrakech • new opening • SNJO • Tokyko)

Denny’s new Japanese parfait looks totally different depending on what angle you look at it from

Casey Baseel
Jan 29, 2026

Pictured: A towering, sensibly sized dessert.

Japan
(COK • cool • crazy • Denny's • Denny's Japan • ice cream • parfaits • SNJO • strawberries • sweets • taste test • weird)

Spirited Away adds a dash of Ghibli beauty to hanafuda flower cards【Photos】

Casey Baseel
Jan 29, 2026

Characters and creatures from the anime masterpiece step into the world of Japan’s traditional card game.

Japan
(anime • Donguri Kyowakoku • flower cards • hanafuda • manga • spirited away • Studio Ghibli)

A spotlight on Japanese singles figure skating: Sliding onto the World Stage【Pt. I】

Krista Rogers
Jan 29, 2026

In this two-part series just in time for the 2026 Winter Olympics, we’re taking a look at Japanese skaters who have shaped the sport past and present.