Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
GSR & Studie with TeamUKYO
Itasha, or “pain mobile,” is a Japanese word that refers to a car that is so nerdy, it’s painfully embarrassing to even look at. If a car actually had the ability to cause pain with a single glance, this BMW, with full-body paint and decals featuring otaku-worshipped vocaloid, Hatsune Miku, is enough to put you in the hospital.
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
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Our reporter takes her 71-year-old mother to a visual kei concert for the first time
The oldest tunnel in Japan is believed to be haunted, and strange things happen when we go there
Arrest proves a common Japanese saying about apologies and police
Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
Tokyo’s most famous arcade announces price increase, fans don’t seem to mind at all
Beautiful new Final Fantasy T-shirt collection on the way from Uniqlo【Photos】
89-year-old Japanese man rides bike 600 kilometers to visit his 61-year-old son
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
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases【Survey】Beautiful new Final Fantasy T-shirt collection on the way from Uniqlo【Photos】
There’s a park inside Japan where you can also see Japan inside the park
New Studio Ghibli bedding sets are cool in all senses of the word
Japanese convenience store packs a whole bento into an onigiri rice ball
Hanton rice — a delicious regional food even most Japanese people don’t know about, but more should
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutions
Hamburg and Hamburg Shibuya: A Japanese restaurant you need to put on your Tokyo itinerary
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
Kyoto creates new for-tourist buses to address overtourism with higher prices, faster rides
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
Arrest proves a common Japanese saying about apologies and police
Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
Tokyo’s most famous arcade announces price increase, fans don’t seem to mind at all
Beautiful new Final Fantasy T-shirt collection on the way from Uniqlo【Photos】
89-year-old Japanese man rides bike 600 kilometers to visit his 61-year-old son
My Neighbour Totoro kimono coat sells out as soon as it’s released by Studio Ghibli in Japan
New book teaches Japanese people English to help out foreign travelers
Starbucks releases a special sparkly tumbler in Japan to support diversity
Beyond sakura: How to tell a cherry blossom from a plum or peach flower
Thai lip balm commercial has a surprise ending that boys’ love fans will really enjoy
Can you become a martial artist after six months of online karate classes? Let’s find out
How to find a lost cat: Unique method from Japan proves to be surprisingly effective