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Buddhism
Go to hell! …at a limited time historical art exhibit coming to Osaka
- Master Blaster
Sep 7, 2026 - Tweet
It’ll be a hell of a good time.
- Japan
- (art • Buddhism • COK • culture • Descent into Hell • events • exhibitions • hell • jigoku • museums • mythology • Osaka • religion • shinto • Yomi)
Buddhist priest arrested for using health insurance card he found on the street
- Master Blaster
Apr 25, 2026
Priest enlightened himself of the burdens incurred when paying for insurance.
- Japan
- (Buddhism • crime • fraud • health insurance • Healthcare • MyNumber card • priest)
A Japanese dating app matched our bachelorette with a Buddhist monk, and she learned some things
- Casey Baseel
Dec 23, 2025
“I’ll be coming to the restaurant from work, so I apologize if I smell like incense.”
- Japan
- (Buddhism • dating • dating apps • monk • online dating • relationships • religion • romance • SNJO)
Foreign tourist steals offering and chugs booze in Japanese cemetery, sparking police investigation
- Casey Baseel
Sep 2, 2025
People both living and dead in Japan have reason to be very angry at this moron.
- Japan
- (Buddhism • cemeteries • crime • culture • foreign tourists • graves • religion • society)
World’s only double-helix wooden structure, Aizu Sazaedo, is mysterious both outside and inside
- Oona McGee
Sep 12, 2024
Helix maze built at a now-lost Japanese temple is a stunning architectural marvel.
- Japan
- (Aizu • Aizu Sazaedo • amazing • architecture • Buddhism • COK • double helix building • Fukushima • japanese architecture • SNJO • temples • tourism • tourist sites • travel • wooden buildings)
A trip to the other side of Matsushima, a mysterious power spot with an otherworldly atmosphere
- Oona McGee
Sep 2, 2024
The eerie ruins on this island will take your breath away.
- Japan
- (Buddhism • COK • culture • history • Matsushima • Miyagi • monks • samurai • shrines • SNJO • temples • tourist sites • travel)
Surreal scenes of Nara’s giant Buddha statue getting its once-a-year cleaning from 170 people【Video】
- Casey Baseel
Aug 9, 2024
Size difference makes human cleaners of the Daibutsu statue look like tiny little spirits.
- Japan
- (Buddhism • cool • crazy • daibutsu • Great Buddha • Nara • Nara Daibutsu • temples • Todaiji • tourism • travel • video)
Kyoto’s Tofukuji temple opens secret area above Sanmon Gate to the public
- Oona McGee
Jul 6, 2024
This section of the gate is usually off-limits to tourists, but you can now view its hidden gems.
- Japan
- (Buddhism • Buddhist temple • COK • Kyoto • National Treasure • SNJO • temples • Tofukuji • tourism • tourist site • tourist sites • travel)
Real Buddhist monk plays Super Mario Bros., recites prayers every time he kills an enemy【Video】
- Casey Baseel
Jul 5, 2024
Have you ever stopped to think about the soul of a Goomba when you crush or burn its body?
- Japan
- (Buddhism • Buddhist monk • crazy • funny • monk • NES • nintendo • religion • Super Mario • Super Mario Bros. • video • video games • weird)
Tokyo’s beckoning cat temple asks foreign tourists to stop writing on the beckoning cats they buy
- Casey Baseel
May 17, 2024
Gotokuji claims the figurines are “sacred.”
- Japan
- (beckoning cat • Buddhism • cats • COK • culture • ema • Gotokuji • manekineko • religion • temples • tourist manners • tourists)
Abe Monjuin: An ancient temple with a connection to stars and astrology…and National Treasures
- Oona McGee
May 4, 2024
A stop on the Nara Yamato Four-Temple Pilgrimage leads to a jaw-dropping discovery.
- Japan
- (Abe Monjuin • Abe Seimei • Buddha • Buddha statues • Buddhism • COK • cool • Nara • Nara Yamato Four-Temple Pilgrimage • National Treasure • SNJO • temples • travel)
Ancient temple with National Treasures is a hidden gem on the Nara Yamato Four-Temple Pilgrimage
- Oona McGee
May 2, 2024
Murouji has a fascinating history, with stunning sights that’ll linger in your heart long after you visit.
- Japan
- (beautiful • Buddhism • COK • cool • culture • history • japanese architecture • Muro-ji • Murouji • Nara • Nara Yamato Four-Temple Pilgrimage • National Treasure • SNJO • temples • tourist sites • traditional architecture • traditional Japan • travel)
Can a plant-based restaurant serving Buddhist meals turn meat-loving Mr. Sato into a vegetarian?
- Dale Roll
Sep 2, 2023
It turns out plant-based can be healthy and tasty!
- Japan
- (Buddhism • monk food • Mr. Sato • Nakano • Nakano Broadway • plant-based • Shojin cuisine • vegan • vegetarian)
Beautiful summertime goshuin seal stamps are back to grace your temple-visiting record book
- Krista Rogers
Aug 9, 2023
Kyoto’s ancient Ninnaji Temple is offering a second chance to grab these gorgeously intricate and exclusive papercut designs.
- Japan
- (art • beautiful • Buddhism • COK • go-shuin • goshuin • kirie • Kyoto • Ninnaji • papercutting • temples • UNESCO World Heritage sites)
1,032 statues, and one thing too many people miss, at this Kyoto temple
- Dale Roll
Jul 2, 2023
And it was his first time visiting, too!
- Japan
- (art • Buddhism • Buddhist temple • COK • cool • culture • history • Kyoto • Sanjusangen-do Temple • sightseeing • SNJO • statues • Tasuku Egawa • temples • tourism • travel)
Millennium-old Japanese temple offering funeral service for broken record player needles
- Casey Baseel
Jan 26, 2023
”Music Temple” wants to send audio equipment off with the respect it deserves.
- Japan
- (Buddhism • COK • cool • crazy • music • record players • religion • technology • temples • weird)
Buddhist metaverse “Teraverse” in development at Kyoto University, includes AI Buddha
- Master Blaster
Sep 14, 2022
I guess you could call it a meta-metaverse.
- Japan
- (AI • AR • Buddhabot • Buddhism • Kyoto University • metaverse • religion • technology • Teraverse)
Flush your prayers down the toilet at this unique Japanese temple
- Oona McGee
Sep 10, 2022
A new way to pray at the porcelain altar.
- Japan
- (Buddhism • buddhist • COK • culture • Gunma • Japanese squat toilets • Japanese toilets • religion • SNJO • squat toilets • Toilets • tradition • unusual • weird)
Holy noodles! Japanese restaurant serves up some very unusual udon
- Oona McGee
Aug 25, 2022
Food for thought, in more ways than one.
- Japan
- (Buddhism • buddhist • COK • culture • food • Gunma • Heart Sutra • Japanese food • Noodles • religion • SNJO • sutras • taste test • tradition • udon • unusual • weird)
Visit the birthplace of the Japanese daruma in Gunma Prefecture
- Oona McGee
Aug 14, 2022
Home to some unusual rotund inhabitants.
- Japan
- (Buddhism • COK • culture • daruma • Darumaji • gunma prefecture • religion • Shorinzan Darumaji Temple • SNJO • Takasaki • temples • tradition • travel)
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Recent Posts
- Life-size Gundam head going on display in Osaka, hopefully will find permanent home
- Tokyo police arrest the Ame-zing Spider-Man
- Ichiran releases an at-home counter kit that turns your desk into a ramen restaurant
- Starbucks Japan releases new Bearista glass tumbler that changes character with every drink
- Move aside, Asahi Super Dry – Asahi Spice Beer is in town, and it’s hotter than you think
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MOST POPULAR
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Today
Ichiran releases an at-home counter kit that turns your desk into a ramen restaurant
Starbucks Japan releases new Bearista glass tumbler that changes character with every drink
Tokyo police arrest the Ame-zing Spider-Man
Move aside, Asahi Super Dry – Asahi Spice Beer is in town, and it’s hotter than you think
Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
Japanese drivers reminded to look out for drunk people passed out on the road this holiday season
Historical-themed illumination display returns to Osaka Castle this winter
“Sweet sake” with yuzu is coming to Japan’s wonderful world of hot canned drinks this winter
KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]
Is hamburger patty ramen a case of too many good things in one bowl? Let’s find out! [Taste test]
Weekly
Tokyo cracks down on Airbnb-style rentals with new laws limiting operator days and more
Starbucks Japan unveils new winter drinkware collection with limited-edition Stanley cups
America’s first-ever permanent One Piece store is now open [Photos]
Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
Tokyo neighborhood adds new “smart trash cans” to deal with increasing amounts of tourist litter
Two Tokyo neighborhoods to gather on bridge and shift their recognized border through tug-of-war
New Era celebrates three decades of Pokémon with new 30th anniversary cap line [Photos]
Pokémon card game’s expansion features art from Fist of the North Star creator
Japan’s new matcha vending machines serve freshly prepared matcha in five different strengths- Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
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
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]
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
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
Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign- Tokyo cracks down on Airbnb-style rentals with new laws limiting operator days and more
Studio Ghibli creates illustrated Kyoto sightseeing map, available at any 7-Eleven Japan store
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
Japanese drivers reminded to look out for drunk people passed out on the road this holiday season
Historical-themed illumination display returns to Osaka Castle this winter
“Sweet sake” with yuzu is coming to Japan’s wonderful world of hot canned drinks this winter
KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]
Is hamburger patty ramen a case of too many good things in one bowl? Let’s find out! [Taste test]
Japan’s upcoming Romancecar train seeks to end intimacy with its super-wide seats
Tokyo cracks down on Airbnb-style rentals with new laws limiting operator days and more
Japanese teacher who asked permission to jerk off at convenience store has been fired
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Yakuza boss sues expressway owners for discrimination against criminals
KFC Japan starts selling soft-serve ice cream at select locations, and they’ve even put it in a biscuit
America’s first-ever permanent One Piece store is now open [Photos]
Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
Japanese viewers of Godzilla Minus Zero angered by unusual number of restroom goers
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