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The Yellow Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard is so bad it may damage Japan-US relations

• Master Blaster
  Jan 16, 2026
• Tweet

The opinions expressed in this lucky bag are the store’s personal views and don’t reflect those of our organization.

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• Japan, USA
• (fukubukuro • fukubukuro 2026 • Lucky Bags • lucky bags 2026 • New Year's • shopping • toilet golf • Village Vanguard)

Mister Donut and Godiva continue their sweet sweets relationship with new treats on sale now in Japan

• Casey Baseel
  Jan 16, 2026

Reunited and it looks so good.

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• Japan
• (chocolate • COK • donuts • food • Godiva • Mister Donut • sweets)

Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only

• Elliot Hale
  Jan 16, 2026

Making snow sports fun and accessible to kids, with a little spark of cuteness.

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• Japan
• (COK • merchandise • Nippon Ski Resort Development • NSD • Pokemon • pokémon merchandise • Ski Resorts • snow • snowboard • snowboarding • sports • winter • winter sports)

Totoro cream puffs and Catbus cookies are finally available in downtown Tokyo

• Casey Baseel
  Jan 16, 2026

Ghibli-themed sweets shop steps out of the suburbs and into downtown Ginza district.

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• Japan
• (anime • Catbus • cookies • cream puffs • cute • food • manga • My Neighbor Totoro • Shiro Hige’s Cream Puff Factory • Shirohige's Cream Puff Factory • Studio Ghibli • sweets • Totoro • Totoro cream puffs)

Immersive ukiyoe exhibition in Osaka adds some scented flair

• Elliot Hale
  Jan 16, 2026

Classic woodblock prints are animated and paired with perfume for a multi-sensory art experience.

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• Japan
• (3-D art • art • awesome • beautiful • COK • cool • Hatenko • Hitohata • Immersive Museum • museums • Osaka • ukiyo-e • Ukiyoe Immersive Art • woodblock prints)

Japan’s foreign tourist numbers projected to fall for first time in years in 2026

• Casey Baseel
  Jan 16, 2026

Major travel provider says that fewer international travelers will be coming to Japan in 2026, but they’ll be spending more.

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• Japan
• (China • China travel advisory • China travel warning • COK • Japan travel • tourism • travel)

One Piece teaming up with 5 NCAA basketball teams

• Master Blaster
  Jan 15, 2026

It’s January, February, and March madness!

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• Japan, USA
• (anime • basketball • Gozanga • manga • NCAA • One Piece • Rutgers • sports • St. John's University • University of Houston • University of Illinois)

McDonald’s Japan releases a Mushroom Mountain and Bamboo Shoot Village McFlurry

• Oona McGee
  Jan 15, 2026

New limited-edition dessert fans the flames of a longstanding chocolate war. 

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• Japan
• (Bamboo Shoot Village • chocolates • commercials • cool • desserts • hana • ice cream • Japanese chocolates • Japanese commercials • kinoko no yama • McDonald's • McDonald's Japan • McFlurry • Meiji • Mushroom Mountain • SNJO • soft serve • sweets • takenoko no sato)

Almost exactly half of the new adults in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward are foreigners

• Casey Baseel
  Jan 15, 2026

One of the city’s most internationalized districts hits a cultural milestone on Coming of Age Day.

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• Japan
• (COK • Coming of Age Day • culture • foreigners in Japan • internationalism • Seijin no Hi • seijinshiki • shinjuku • society)

Man with face covered in tattoos admits to repeatedly headbutting Tokyo store clerk【Video】

• Casey Baseel
  Jan 15, 2026

There was little chance this guy wasn’t getting picked out of a lineup.

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• Japan
• (crazy • crime • tatooes • tattoos • video • weird)

Japan’s Poképark Kanto Pokémon theme park area shows first attraction photos

• Casey Baseel
  Jan 15, 2026

Eevee stars in the Vee Vee Voyage.

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• Japan
• (Amusement Parks • anime • awesome.Poképark Kanto • cool • cute • Eevee • Japan travel • manga • Pokemon • Poképark • theme parks • tourism • travel • video games)

Is Starbucks Japan’s new Valentine’s Day Frappuccino worthy of your love?

• Oona McGee
  Jan 15, 2026

With three drinks vying for our attention, we pick our favourites for your consideration.

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• Japan
• (cacao • drinks • Frappuccino • Japanese Frappuccino • latte • SNJO • Starbucks • Starbucks Japan • Valentine's Day)

New KitKat pizzas are coming to Pizza Hut Japan

• Oona McGee
  Jan 14, 2026

An all-new experience to celebrate a special occasion. 

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• Japan
• (chocolate • crazy • food • Japanese KitKats • Kit Kat • KitKats • pizza • Pizza Hut • Pizza Hut Japan • weird)

Village Vanguard’s Blue Lucky Bag may have the most impressive piece of junk ever created

• Master Blaster
  Jan 14, 2026

This toy may be both the greatest and worst thing ever made.

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• Japan
• (fukubukuro • fukubukuro 2026 • Kendama • Lucky Bags • lucky bags 2026 • New Year's • plush toys • shopping • Village Vanguard)

We try an unusual buffet of dishes made from wild game at a roadside stop in Chiba

• Krista Rogers
  Jan 14, 2026

At this store managed by licensed hunters, you can not only purchase meat to go but also try venison, boar, and more at the on-site restaurant.

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• Japan
• (bear • Chiba • COK • dining • food • Kimitsu • meat • SNJO • travel • unusual • wild game)

Fewer ramen restaurants declare bankruptcy in Japan for first time in several years

• Casey Baseel
  Jan 14, 2026

Annual study shows fewer ramen joints went bankrupt in 2025, but that doesn’t mean everything is fine and dandy for the industry.

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• Japan
• (bankruptcies • food • ramen • restaurants • society)

Hokkaido has an Ice Festival that’s less famous than the Snow one, but beautiful in its own way

• Casey Baseel
  Jan 14, 2026

A fantasy realm of sculpted ice appears every year in Chitose and lasts for weeks..

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• Japan
• (awesome • beautiful • Chitose • Chitose-Shikotsu Lake Ice Festival • cool • events • Hokkaido • ice • Ice Festival • Japan travel • Sapporo • Shikotsu • Shikotsu Lake • Shikotsu-Toya National Park • snow • tourism • travel)

Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day

• Oona McGee
  Jan 14, 2026

Taking its inspiration from bitter and sweet chocolates, the range includes a tumbler that costs over US$120.

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• Japan
• (Bearista • cats • cups • cute • drinkware • mugs • Stanley cup • Starbucks • Starbucks Japan • tumblers • Valentine's Day)

We followed Tokyo’s mystery walking map and ended up creating our own bar-hopping adventure

• Elliot Hale
  Jan 13, 2026

Several bumps in the road, a few glasses of beer, and a black omurice later, we couldn’t be more satisfied with our new discoveries.

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• Japan
• (alcohol • Asami Oshima • Bar Hoshikuzu • Boheme Plus Beaudessin • Buzzed Lamb Brewing • capsule machine • COK • drink • Ecute • gacha machines • izakaya • Machimachi Megane • Map • Nippori • omurice • pub • random • sakaba • Seitaro • Shukon • SNJO • squid ink • sugidama • Tokyo • tour • tourism • travel • walking • walking tour • Yanaka • Yanaka Ginza • yorimichi • Yorimichi Map)

Village Vanguard tries to tickle us pink with a Pink Lucky Bag

• Master Blaster
  Jan 13, 2026

Our love-hate relationship with the popular store continues.

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• Japan
• (fukubukuro • fukubukuro 2026 • Lucky Bags • lucky bags 2026 • New Year's • Pink Lucky Bag • shopping • Village Vanguard)

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• Recent Posts

  • This hot spring near Osaka’s Kansai Airport resolves the pick-two-out-of-three bathhouse dilemma
  • Starbucks Japan invites us to par-tea with its new Earl Gray Frappuccino [Taste test]
  • Tokyo Skytree set to offer breathtaking Diamond Fuji natural phenomenon view this month
  • Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
  • Japan’s mini Shikoku Pilgrimage walking tour left us feeling immensely satisfied

• MOST POPULAR

  • Today
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  • Yearly

  Today

  1. Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
  2. Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
  3. Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
  4. Japan’s mini Shikoku Pilgrimage walking tour left us feeling immensely satisfied
  5. Starbucks Japan invites us to par-tea with its new Earl Gray Frappuccino [Taste test]
  6. Tokyo Skytree set to offer breathtaking Diamond Fuji natural phenomenon view this month
  7. Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
  8. Shoplifting prevention guard arrested for shoplifting boot from store he was guarding
  9. This semi-secret, totally free footbath in downtown Tokyo is completely awesome
  10. This hot spring near Osaka’s Kansai Airport resolves the pick-two-out-of-three bathhouse dilemma

  Weekly

  1. Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
  2. Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
  3. Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas goods for 2026, with exclusive holiday surprises
  4. Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
  5. Life-size Monster Hunter dragon statues to be built at Japanese shopping mall
  6. Studio Ghibli homeware brand’s faux oil lamp brings light, smiles, and Kiki’s Jiji to your home
  7. Modern exosuits are opening up ancient Japanese castle climbs to everyone
  8. Evangelion announces collaboration with Hard Rock Cafe
  9. Starbucks Japan releases “Let’s Par-TEA!” Frappuccino and drinks for the holiday season
  10. Cold Stone is closing its final branch in all of east Japan, but it’s going down singing

  Monthly

  1. Pokémon Company announces first-ever permanent Pokémon store to open outside Asia
  2. Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
  3. What’s it like to stay in a Japanese container hotel?
  4. Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
  5. Chainsaw robots helping keep trains running safely in east Japan [Video]
  6. New Studio Ghibli anime gets extended run at the only cinema in Japan where it’s being shown
  7. Tokyo train station will play Godzilla theme song as new departure melody
  8. Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign
  9. Studio Ghibli creates illustrated Kyoto sightseeing map, available at any 7-Eleven Japan store
  10. Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect

  Yearly

  1. Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
  2. Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
  3. Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
  4. Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
  5. Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
  6. Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
  7. Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
  8. Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
  9. Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
  10. Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa

• RECOMMENDED STORIES

  • Tokyo Skytree set to offer breathtaking Diamond Fuji natural phenomenon view this month
  • Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
  • Shoplifting prevention guard arrested for shoplifting boot from store he was guarding
  • This semi-secret, totally free footbath in downtown Tokyo is completely awesome
  • This hot spring near Osaka’s Kansai Airport resolves the pick-two-out-of-three bathhouse dilemma
  • Pokémon guitars from Fender Japan come with 8-bit sound mode for covering retro game music [Vid]
  • Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas goods for 2026, with exclusive holiday surprises
  • Life-size Monster Hunter dragon statues to be built at Japanese shopping mall
  • Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign
  • Evangelion announces collaboration with Hard Rock Cafe
  • Can Japan’s Self-Defense Forces legally open fire on a zombie horde?
  • Guile cosplay goes with everyone for Halloween at SoraNews24 HQ [Photos]
  • Hello Kitty cuts ties with hit Japanese spy drama Vivant over torture scenes
  • Studio Ghibli homeware brand’s faux oil lamp brings light, smiles, and Kiki’s Jiji to your home

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• • Life-size Monster Hunter dragon statues to be built at Japanese shopping mall
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