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Super Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto to receive Order of Culture from Japanese emperor
- Master Blaster
Oct 24, 2026 - Tweet
If anyone deserves an Order of Culture, it’s-a-him.
- Japan
- (awards • COK • culture • Culture Day • Emperor Naruhito • Mario • nintendo • Order of Culture • Shigeru Miyamoto • Super Mario • video games • Zelda)
Bilingual illustrated ninja guide stealthily drops courtesy of a top ninja researcher in Japan
- Krista Rogers
Oct 14, 2026
A new visual guide for the ninja enthusiast in your life sheds light on the myth and fact behind Japan’s historical agents of infiltration.
- Japan
- (bilingual • book • COK • cool • culture • English • guide • history • illustrated • Natsume-sha • new • Ninja • Yamada • Yuji)
High-speed Japanese festival cart crashes cause two deaths on same day, ignite debate over tradition
- Casey Baseel
Oct 13, 2026
Osaka’s danjiri festivals have existed for centuries, but some are saying it’s time for a reevaluation of the unique custom.
- Japan
- (accident • culture • danjii festival • Danjiri • Danjiri Matsuri • festivals • Matsuri • Osaka • Osaka Prefecture • society)
New Sonic the Hedgehog figure costs 1 million yen, is made of Arita ware Japanese porcelain [Vid]
- Casey Baseel
Oct 8, 2026
Yoyoyo says the Sega star not only has gotta go fast, he’s gotta be Arita-yaki too.
- Japan
- (Arita • Arita ware • Arita-yaki • art • beautiful • cool • crazy • culture • figures • Sega • Sonic • Sonic the Hedgehog • video games • Yoyoyo)
Casio collaborates with a Kyoto foil master for a luxurious one million yen G-SHOCK
- Elliot Hale
Oct 3, 2026
Featuring inspirations from kigumi wood joinery design and hand-dusted platinum, each of these limited edition watches are a unique work of art.
- Japan
- (Casio • COK • crafts • culture • G-Shock • kigumi • limited edition • Luxury • luxury watches • MR-G • sunago • watch • watches)
Japanese Shinto ceremonial sand-digging in London celebrates start of British Library expansion
- Elliot Hale
Oct 2, 2026
Swapping out scissors and ribbons for sand and farm tools.
- Japan, UK
- (British Library • chakkoshiki • construction ceremonies • culture • groundbreaking ceremony • jichinsai • kikoshiki • Mitsui Fudosan • shinto • traditions • UK)
How to get into this beautiful off-the-beaten-path Kyoto temple earlier than the general public
- Casey Baseel
Sep 29, 2026
Getting up early and heading outside the regular tourist circuit could lead to an unforgettable experience this autumn.
- Japan
- (beautiful • COK • culture • fall colors • Japan travel • koyo • Kyoto • maple • nature • red leaves • temples • tourism • travel • Yamashina)
Osaka’s amazing budget-luxury hotel has free takoyaki, craft beer, and comedy shows
- Elliot Hale
Sep 25, 2026
To truly experience the city, OMO7 Osaka is a dream stay for any traveler.
- Japan
- (accommodation • COK • culture • food • Hoshino Resorts • hotels • Janjan Yokocho • luxury hotel • Natsuno Futon • OMO • OMO7 Osaka • Osaka • regional food • Shinsekai • SNJO • tourism • travel)
Converse Japan and one of Japan’s greatest painters combine for fine fowl shoes [Photos]
- Casey Baseel
Sep 23, 2026
An all-star of the Edo period art world graces a new canvas.
- Japan
- (All Stars • art • Converse • Converse All-Stars • Converse Japan • culture • history • Iyo Jakuchu • painting • shoes • sneakers)
Hatsune Miku/Hokusai exhibition in Tokyo lets you make your own Miku woodblock print
- Casey Baseel
Sep 18, 2026
Printing Museum hosts mini exhibition for crossover of virtual idol and ukiyo-e art.
- Japan
- (art • culture • exhibitions • Hatsune Miku • history • hokusai • Katsushika Hokusai • museums • ukiyo-e • virtual idols • vocaloids • woodblock prints)
Are Japanese temples on Mt Koya cashing in on the foreign tourism boom?
- Oona McGee
Sep 16, 2026
With more than 100 million yen in underreported income, questions are being raised over the morals of profiting from overseas tourists.
- Japan
- (accommodation • culture • inns • Japan travel • Japanese accommodation • Koyasan • Mt. Koya • news • overtourism • religion • ryokan • shrines • shukubo • temple accommodation • temple lodgings • temple stay • temples • tourism • travel • Wakayama)
Megadeth guitarist becomes voice of reason regarding tourists dancing at shrine in Japan
- Casey Baseel
Sep 9, 2026
Tourists’ dance video at Kyoto shrine prompts angry response from Marty Friedman.
- Japan
- (COK • culture • etiquette • Fushimi • Fushimi Inari • Fushimi Inari Taisha • Japan travel • manners • Marty Friedman • Megadeth • overtourism • shrines • temples • tourism • travel)
Go to hell! …at a limited time historical art exhibit coming to Osaka
- Master Blaster
Sep 7, 2026
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)
Join Naked in the Niwa garden: Kyoto Station’s newest spot to craft traditional art
- Elliot Hale
Sep 5, 2026
Workshops offer English instruction in making custom gold leaf bags, weaving bamboo baskets, and crafting samurai armor.
- Japan
- (art • COK • crafts • culture • digital art • ikebana • Japan travel • Japanese traditional crafts • Kyoto • Kyoto Station • naked • odoshi • shikai nami • stations • surihaku • tourism • traditional crafts • travel • workshop • yuzen)
Kyoto temple bans visitors from wearing kimono
- Casey Baseel
Sep 4, 2026
Visitors to 600-year-old temple prohibited from wearing traditional garment following problems caused by those prioritizing cool social media photos over basic manners.
- Japan
- (COK • culture • Gion • Japan travel • kimono • Kyoto • overtourism • Seiraiin • temples • tourism • travel)
Ohaw? Ruibe? Pocche? While traveling in Japan’s north, we try Ainu cuisine for the first time
- Casey Baseel
Aug 23, 2026
Taste-testing the northern frontier of local foods in Japan.
- Japan
- (Ainu • Ainu food • Akanko Ainu Kotan • COK • culture • food • Hokkadio • Japan travel • Japanese food • Lake Akan • Lake Akanko • restaurants • SNJO • tourism • travel)
Kyoto’s Meiji-era mansion opens a private tearoom with stained glass for just one day
- Elliot Hale
Aug 21, 2026
A rare East-meets-West tea ceremony in a seldom seen tearoom.
- Japan
- (art • beautiful • Chorakuan • COK • culture • history • hotels • Japan travel • Kyoto • tea • tea ceremony • tearoom • teicha • tourism • travel)
Shinto shrine in downtown Tokyo announces cosplay ban
- Casey Baseel
Aug 13, 2026
No more cosplaying on shrine grounds, please, says Yasukuni.
- Japan
- (cosplay • cosplayers • culture • history • shinto • shrines • World War II • Yasukuni Shrine)
Tired of city life? Try out Japanese rural life for a few days on an active volcano in Kagoshima
- Elliot Hale
Aug 8, 2026
Escape Tokyo to harvest mandarins, dig footbaths, or learn how to run an inn.
- Japan
- (agriculture • All Nippon Airways • ANA • COK • countryside • countryside life • culture • Japan travel • Japanese countryside • Kagoshima • rural • rural life • Sakurajima • tourism • travel • volcano)
Starbucks Japan opens new store inside historic seaside quarantine station near Tokyo
- Oona McGee
Aug 1, 2026
Sip on Starbucks in a setting once linked to infectious diseases.
- Japan
- (architecture • artists • cafes • coffee • cool • culture • history • Japan travel • Nagahama Quarantine Station • new openings • Starbucks • Starbucks Japan • stores • Tangible Cultural Property • tourism • travel • Umi no Koen • Yokohama)
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Recent Posts
- Japanese government hires leading comedy agency to explain national defense spending
- Starbucks Japan unveils new winter drinkware collection with limited-edition Stanley cups
- Pokémon doughnuts pop up at Mister Donut, with a new gathering that’s bigger than ever
- Discount retailers known for massive bargains releases massive Japanese egg sandwich
- Tokyo to build new crematoriums to meet surging demand
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MOST POPULAR
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Today
Starbucks Japan unveils new winter drinkware collection with limited-edition Stanley cups
Pokémon doughnuts pop up at Mister Donut, with a new gathering that’s bigger than ever
Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
First-ever cafe on Tokyo Imperial Palace Garden grounds is now open
Japanese government hires leading comedy agency to explain national defense spending
Discount retailers known for massive bargains releases massive Japanese egg sandwich
Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
Continuing cyberattacks hit Japanese arcade hard [Photos]
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
Evangelion announces collaboration with Hard Rock Cafe
Cold Stone is closing its final branch in all of east Japan, but it’s going down singing- Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
Studio Ghibli homeware brand’s faux oil lamp brings light, smiles, and Kiki’s Jiji to your home
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Starbucks Japan releases now Tokyo Reserve Roastery Christmas drinkware collection [Photos]
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?- Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
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
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
Japanese government hires leading comedy agency to explain national defense spending
Discount retailers known for massive bargains releases massive Japanese egg sandwich
Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
Continuing cyberattacks hit Japanese arcade hard [Photos]
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
Tokyo to build new crematoriums to meet surging demand
Japan’s free stock image site of muscular men doing whimsical and mundane things reveals rankings
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Mr. Sato searches for the mysterious new wall of fortune in Tokyo
Princess Mononoke was going to look totally different, new Studio Ghibli artbook shows
Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
Japanese Twitter user stumbles across legendary deep-sea fish, cooks and eats it four different ways
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