SoraNews24 —Japan News—

Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.

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Hatsune Miku successfully wraps Miku Expo 2026 North America tour with 100,000 attendees

Krista Rogers
Jun 24, 2026
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Almost 20 years after her debut, the Vocaloid virtual idol still has plenty of power to draw fans and transcend language barriers around the world.

Canada, Japan, Mexico, USA
(concert • Digital Stars • Hatsune Miku • J-Pop • Miku Expo 2026 • music • pop culture • virtual idol • virtual idols • Vocaloid • world tour)

Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer

Oona McGee
Jun 24, 2026

Late-night high-speed service allows passengers to travel while they sleep, making better use of time and cutting hotel costs.

Japan
(bullet train • bullet trains • Central Japan Railway • Central Japan Railway Company • Japan Railway Company • Japan travel • JR • JR Central • news • Osaka • overnight trains • shinkansen • Tokaido Shinkansen • Tokyo • tourism • trains • travel)

Nearly half of Pokémon hot spring’s statues have been damaged less than two months after opening

Casey Baseel
Jun 23, 2026

Adorable new ashiyu destination has no Pokémon battles, but injuries to the creatures are still occurring.

Japan
(anime • ashiyu • cool • cute • footbaths • hot springs • Ishikawa • Ishikawa Prefecture • Japan travel • manga • Noto • Noto Peninsula • onsen • Pokemon • tourism • travel • video games)

Japan opens shrine for plush toys in Kyoto, offering memorial rites and a resting place for remains

Oona McGee
Jun 23, 2026

A heartwarming way to say thank you to the plush toys you have loved, and who have loved you in return.

Japan
(culture • Kyoto • news • nuigurumi • plush toys • plushies • religion • shinto • shrines • soft toys • toys)

Foreign tourist arrested in Japan after drifting in museum parking lot[Video]

Casey Baseel
Jun 23, 2026

The Dumb and the Inconsiderate: Tochigi Drift.
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Japan
(cars • crazy • crime • drifting • tourist crime • vandalism • video)

Starbucks Japan creates special drink bottle bags, adorable stickers for all 47 prefectures[Pics]

Casey Baseel
Jun 23, 2026

Starbucks Day Trip line gives each and every part of Japan a chance to shine.

Japan
(cool • cute • drink bottles • drinks • drinkware • Starbucks • Starbucks Day Trip • Starbucks Japan • stickers)

Enjoy the world’s oldest gyoza chain hidden just outside Shinjuku Station

Elliot Hale
Jun 23, 2026

Serving up dumplings with almost 200 years of Chinese history.

Japan
(China • Chinese cuisine • chinese food • COK • dumplings • food • gourmet • gyoza • Laobian • Laobian Dumpling • Restaurant • Rouben Gyozakan • Seiji Nakazawa • Shanghai Great World Guinness • shinjuku • Shinjuku Station • SNJO • Tokyo)

Cheap Japanese sandwich hack: Popular cafe’s 21-cent white bread offcuts will really up your game

Oona McGee
Jun 23, 2026

A smart way to beat rising prices and eat on the cheap like a local in Japan.

Japan
(cafes • Caffe Veloce • cheap eats • cheap food • COK • food • food hack • food hacks • hack • hacks • hidden gems • Japanese food • Japanese sandwiches • sandwich • sandwiches • SNJO • toast sandwiches • Tokyo • weird)

Starbucks Japan sells Valencia Flavoured Syrup, and here are four ways to use it this summer

Oona McGee
Jun 22, 2026

These syrups aren’t only designed for coffee.

Japan
(drfnk hack • drinks • food hacks • fruit • hack • hacks • milk tea • orange • SNJO • Starbucks • Starbucks Japan • summer • syrups • tea • Valencia • yoghurt • yogurt)

Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country

Casey Baseel
Jun 22, 2026

First increase to visa fees in nearly 50 years will affect some arriving foreigners more than others.

Japan
(COK • foreigners in Japan • Japan travel • Japan visa • Japanese visa • Living in Japan • society • tourism • travel • visa)

Beat the heat with chilled Iekei ramen from Yokohama Iekei Ramen Ichikakuya

Master Blaster
Jun 22, 2026

Eat big and eat light at the same time.

Japan
(chilled ramen • food • iekei ramen • ramen • summer • Yokohama Iekei Ramen Ichikakuya)

Kits to make battle tops out of pure candy coming soon in Japan

Master Blaster
Jun 22, 2026

If you’re going to play with your food, make it competitive.

Japan
(candy • Custom Koma King • educational candy • Kracie • snacks • tops • toys)

“Phantom Egg Shop” opens in Japan, with a dozen rare Japanese varieties

Oona McGee
Jun 22, 2026

In-house expert Mr. TKG gives us his top three egg recommendations.

Japan
(egg shop • eggs • food • Japanese eggs • Japanese food • Phantom Egg Shop • raw eggs • SNJO • specialty store • tamago kake gohan • TKG • Tokyo)

Japanese merry-go-round has heartwarming backstory, is one of the best rides in Japan

Oona McGee
Jun 21, 2026

The amusement park may have been demolished, but this ride lives on.

Japan
(amusement park • Amusement Parks • carousel • Japan with kids • japanese amusement parks • merry-go-round • merry-go-rounds • off the beaten path • retro • retro amusement park • SNJO • theme park attractions • theme parks • Tochigi • tourist sites • travel)

7-Eleven Japan vs Family Mart: Who has the biggest convenience store cookie?

Oona McGee
Jun 21, 2026

A cookie clash amongst convenience store chains.

Japan
(7-Eleven • 7-Eleven Japan • convenience store finds • convenience store food • convenience stores • cookies • Family mart • food • Japanese convenience stores • SNJO • sweets)

We invent ice slurry somen to combat the extreme Japanese summer heat【SoraKitchen】

Elliot Hale
Jun 21, 2026

Although your pre-battle preparations need to start a week in advance.

Japan
(COK • cooking • food • ice cubes • ice slurry • Japanese food • Japanese summer • mentsuyu • Noodles • Seiji Nakazawa • SNJO • somen • SoraKitchen • summer • summer food • tsuyu)

Japanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for it

Oona McGee
Jun 21, 2026

Famous “Cat’s Tongue” cookies get a whole new look with a limited-edition release at only one location.

Japan
(biscuits • Cigare • cookies • food • Ichibangai • langue de chat • limited edition • milkshake • milkshakes • new • shakes • souvenirs • sweets • Tokyo • Tokyo Station • Tokyo Station Ichibangai • YOKU MOKU)

Ginza Happo: One of Tokyo’s best all-you-can-eat seafood restaurants is an extreme buffet affair

Oona McGee
Jun 20, 2026

This breathtaking spectacle includes, beef, desserts, hot dishes, drinks, and a special grill experience, but it requires some insider expertise to properly wade through.