The Nara Hotel offers royal-class hospitality, but right now you won’t have to pay a king’s ransom to experience it.
Casey Baseel
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Casey Baseel spent his formative years staring in frustration at un-subtitled Japanese TV programming shown on Southern California’s international channel. Taking matters into his own hands, he moved to Tokyo to study the language, then found work in Yokohama a decade ago teaching, translating, and marketing hotels he can’t afford to stay in. When not participating in the eternal cycle of exercising to burn the calories form his love of Japanese food, Casey scours used comic and game shops for forgotten classics, drags his wife around the country in a quest to visit all its castles, sings karaoke not nearly as well as he thinks he does, and counts the days until the summertime bars open on Enoshima Beach.
Posted by Casey Baseel (Page 201)
Once strictly for the suburbs, Sushiro lets fans in Tokyo’s otaku district enjoy tasty sushi and still have plenty of cash left over for anime merch.
In cooking or in advertising, breast meat always carries a premium.
One of Tokyo’s neighbors may become the first place in Japan to enact punishment for hate speech.
In a country where asking for, and even offering, help can be culturally difficult, these kindhearted badges aim to make a difference.
The man behind the Internet’s giant Starbucks mug meme drinks from a jumbo mug inside a jumbo mug.
A glut of GIFs chronicle our reporter’s journey as he makes himself look weird in an effort to also make himself look handsome.
Keep your saliva in your mouth, not on things other people are going to touch, taxi company says.
Workers begin gutting interior of Fushimi anime studio in preparation of tearing down its frame.
Japanese artist explains why turning your ashes into a pencil is a better choice than turning them into a diamond.
Major publisher’s promotion of Musume no Tomodachi has some saying the company is encouraging an illegal relationship with a minor.
Becomes first major restaurant chain in Japan to provide cooked food to “children’s cafeteria” facilities.
An extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-large order.
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McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
The oldest tunnel in Japan is believed to be haunted, and strange things happen when we go there
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
Arrest proves a common Japanese saying about apologies and police
Dogs now allowed on Catbus! Ghibli Park vehicles revise service animal policy
New smartphone game turns car models into anime girls with model-worthy looks
Japanese educators want to allow students to use robot substitutes to attend school
Businessman ‘wins’ 4-year battle with Singapore Airlines after being downgraded to economy class
Weekly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
We try out “Chan Ramen”, an underground type of ramen popular in the ramen community- Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Beautiful new Final Fantasy T-shirt collection on the way from Uniqlo【Photos】
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases【Survey】- Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
- More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
There’s a park inside Japan where you can also see Japan inside the park
Japanese convenience store packs a whole bento into an onigiri rice ball
Monthly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
Japan’s bone-breaking and record-breaking roller coaster is permanently shutting down
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Foreign passenger shoves conductor on one of the last full runs for Japan’s Thunderbird train
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Kyoto bans tourists from geisha alleys in Gion, with fines for those who don’t follow rules
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour Totoro
Domino’s Japan now sells…pizza ears?
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty
Yearly
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Studio Ghibli’s new desktop Howl’s Moving Castle will take your stationery on an adventure
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Arrest proves a common Japanese saying about apologies and police
Dogs now allowed on Catbus! Ghibli Park vehicles revise service animal policy
New smartphone game turns car models into anime girls with model-worthy looks
Japanese educators want to allow students to use robot substitutes to attend school
Businessman ‘wins’ 4-year battle with Singapore Airlines after being downgraded to economy class
Mister Donut teams up with Sumikko Gurashi for the first time for adorable goods and donuts
We taste test the new Squid Ink Black Cup Noodle!
Time to vote for your favourite in Japan’s Sanrio Character Curry Election
Our reporter takes her 71-year-old mother to a visual kei concert for the first time
Kyoto’s “ikezu” culture of backhanded compliments explained in hilarious souvenir sticker series
High school bicyclists figure out a way to ride double that appears to not break the law
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
Japanese black curry “experiment” takes place at an unlikely restaurant branch in Tokyo
Japan’s biggest dating app says young people not interested in romance, creates AI girlfriend app
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