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Foreign tourists outnumber Japanese ones at Kyoto hotels for first time ever
- Casey Baseel
Jun 14, 2025 - Tweet
Japan’s former capital experiences a historic first as inbound travel boom continues and Japanese travelers avoid staying in the city.
Hello Kitty and Sanrio friends team up with Spy x Family for adorable merch and popup shop【Pics】
- Casey Baseel
Jun 13, 2025
Anya and Kitty-chan form friendship and swap outfits.
- Japan
- (anime • Cinnamoroll • Hello Kitty • manga • My Melody • Pompompurin • Sanrio • Spy x Family)
Sausage stepping in for increasingly expensive octopus at takoyaki stands around Japan
- Master Blaster
Jun 13, 2025
Sausageyaki?
- Japan
- (COK • food • Horaiya • hot dogs • Japanese street food • Mr. Sato • octopus • octopus balls • sausages • SNJO • takoyaki)
Dragon Quest’s Slime is now a geisha (and delicious)
- Casey Baseel
Jun 13, 2025
Dragon Quest Walk’s Kyoto strolls inspire collaboration with local confectioner that’s been in business for more than 300 years.
- Japan
- (COK • Dragon Quest • Dragon Quest Slime • dragon quest walk • food • nama yatsuhashi • Shogoin • slime • SNJO • sweets • video games • yatsuhashi)
Is splendid alfonsino ochazuke from a vending machine too fishy, or splendidly delicious?
- Krista Rogers
Jun 13, 2025
First we had to track down the vending machine in question.
- Japan
- (canned • COK • crazy • fish • food • kinmedai • ochazuke • Seiji Nakazawa • SNJO • splendid alfonsino • taste test • tasting • vending machine • vending machines • weird)
Totoro, Howl, and Spirited Away earrings and brooches ready to add Ghibli touches to your look
- Casey Baseel
Jun 13, 2025
Artisan-painted pieces ensure that no two accessories are exactly alike.
- Japan
- (accessories • anime • brooches • Donguri Closet • Donguri Kyowakoku • earrings • fashion • Howl's Moving Castle • manga • My Neighbor Totoro • spirited away • Studio Ghibli • Totoro)
Hokkaido police refuse to acknowledge theft that really seems like a theft
- Master Blaster
Jun 13, 2025
Unfortunately, not technically being a theft won’t bring the victim’s car back.
Japanese cafe’s beautiful Hydrangea Gelatin Shaved Ice is a reason to love the rainy season
- Casey Baseel
Jun 12, 2025
A non-matcha green tea dessert to get out of the rain with.
- Japan
- (ajisai • beautiful • cafes • flowers • food • green tea • hydrangeas • restaurants • sencha • shaved ice • sweets • tea)
JR’s new overnight sleeper train will connect Tokyo and northern Japan, is private cabin-only
- Casey Baseel
Jun 12, 2025
A way to ride the rails from Tokyo to Tohoku while you snooze.
- Japan
- (East Japan Railway Company • Japan Railway Company • JR • JR East • overnight trains • sleeper trains • Tohoku • Tokyo • tourism • trains • travel)
Why you should be worried if someone calls you “Uehara-san” in the Japanese workplace
- Master Blaster
Jun 12, 2025
You got a lot of nerve calling me Mr. Uehara!
- Japan
- (business • culture • employment • harassment • Japanese language • Japanese names • slang • society • work)
Japan’s mint chocolate season hits Family Mart with 14 new choco mint treats (and five superstars)
- Casey Baseel
Jun 12, 2025
We taste-test the entire lineup of joy-inducing summertime blue-green sweets.
- Japan
- (choco mint • chocolate • COK • convenience stores • Family mart • food • mint • mint choco • mint chocolate • SNJO • sweets • taste test)
Mr. Sato orders a box of hot coffee from Starbucks Japan to our office
- Elliot Hale
Jun 12, 2025
Ever felt like a Venti was just too small? This is over three times the size.
- Japan
- (coffee • coffee delivery • Coffee Traveler • COK • delivery • drink • Mr. Sato • SNJO • Starbucks • Starbucks Japan)
Bento bankruptcies increasing as Japan’s boxed lunch shops struggle in the new dining landscape
- Casey Baseel
Jun 12, 2025
Walls are closing in for boxed lunch shops, especially small and independent ones.
- Japan
- (bento • boxed lunches • food • restaurants • rice • rice prices • society)
Real-world Pokémon Diamond and Pearl! Playing with Japan’s Pokémon Fossil Excavation Kits【Pics】
- Casey Baseel
Jun 11, 2025
Activity kits turn tables into the Sinnoh Underground and adult Pokémon fans into happy little kids again.
- Japan
- (anime • COK • cool • fossils • manga • Pokemon • Pokemon Center • Pokémon Diamond and Pearl • SNJO • toys • video games)
David Bowie’s Lazarus makes its debut in Japan, bringing his love for the country full circle
- Oona McGee
Jun 11, 2025
Experience the unstoppable love for Bowie in this electrifying Japanese production.
Indian man in Japan arrested on charges of using curry spices as weapon in robbery attempt
- Casey Baseel
Jun 11, 2025
Spicy tactics used in attempted theft of over 7 million yen, police say.
AR sport Hado added to Shizuoka high school curriculum
- Master Blaster
Jun 11, 2025
Shoot fireballs for your health!
- Japan
- (AR • gym class • Hado • health • PE class • schools • sports • technology • video games)
Ponyo-catching game comes to Ghibli Park anime theme park this summer
- Casey Baseel
Jun 11, 2025
Ghibli Park gives you a chance to experience a traditional Japanese summer festival and to take home multiple Ponyos if you’ve got the right skills.
- Japan
- (Amusement Parks • anime • festivals • Japanese festivals • kingyo-sukui • manga • Ponyo • Studio Ghibli • summer festivals • theme parks)
Shinkansen coffee and ice cream vending machines make train travel in Japan magical
- Oona McGee
Jun 11, 2025
Bullet train blends you won’t get anywhere else.
- Japan
- (bullet train • coffee • coffee vending machine • COK • food vending machines • ice cream • Japanese trains • Japanese vending machines • shinkansen • SNJO • Sujata • tourism • train • trains • travel • vending machine)
Japan’s 10 most beautiful hydrangea spots to visit【Photos】
- Casey Baseel
Jun 10, 2025
Grab your umbrellas and get ready to see the silver/blue/purple/pink lining to Japan’s rainy season.
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Recent Posts
- 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
- Thief mails 460 million-yen watch back to Tokyo store he stole it from, says “I’m sorry”
- This is Japan’s best cycling course, but is it fun for bicycling beginners too?
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MOST POPULAR
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Today
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
Godzilla becomes a Japanese randoseru backpack, as do two of his greatest rivals [Photos]
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
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
Japanese government announces criteria for creating backup capital of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases now Tokyo Reserve Roastery Christmas drinkware collection [Photos]
Thief mails 460 million-yen watch back to Tokyo store he stole it from, says “I’m sorry”
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
Studio Ghibli homeware brand’s faux oil lamp brings light, smiles, and Kiki’s Jiji to your home
Modern exosuits are opening up ancient Japanese castle climbs to everyone
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas goods for 2026, with exclusive holiday surprises
Evangelion announces collaboration with Hard Rock Cafe
Starbucks Japan releases “Let’s Par-TEA!” Frappuccino and drinks for the holiday season
Cold Stone is closing its final branch in all of east Japan, but it’s going down singing
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?
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- Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
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
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
Japanese government announces criteria for creating backup capital of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases now Tokyo Reserve Roastery Christmas drinkware collection [Photos]
Thief mails 460 million-yen watch back to Tokyo store he stole it from, says “I’m sorry”
Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
This hot spring near Osaka’s Kansai Airport resolves the pick-two-out-of-three bathhouse dilemma
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Japan’s mini Shikoku Pilgrimage walking tour left us feeling immensely satisfied
Starbucks Japan invites us to par-tea with its new Earl Gray Frappuccino [Taste test]
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas goods for 2026, with exclusive holiday surprises
This semi-secret, totally free footbath in downtown Tokyo is completely awesome
Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign
Guile cosplay goes with everyone for Halloween at SoraNews24 HQ [Photos]
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