Everybody wants to be a cat. You get to lie around all day, eat tuna brought to you by your human minions, and generally get worshiped and adored. And the best thing is that you don’t even need to be a pedigree show kitty to raise a few “aww’s” – even fugly kitties are still cute! That’s the premise behind Canon Japan’s Busakawaneko (cute-ugly kitty) Grand-Print photo competition. Cat owners from across Japan sent in photos of their adorably ugly balls of fluff in the hopes of scooping the grand prize of a holiday worth 100,000 yen (US$10,000). The winner and the runners-up will all be displayed on the JR Yamanote line train in Tokyo for around two weeks, starting on November 18. Or, you could also check them out right here!
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Osaka governor suggests lowering voting age to 0 to curb population decline
Japanese city loses residents’ personal data, which was on paper being transported on a windy day
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Smash Bros. director Sakurai stabs Kirby in the face, has delicious justification for it
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Anime girl English teacher Ellen-sensei becomes VTuber/VVTUber and NFT
Harajuku Station’s beautiful old wooden building is set to return, with a new complex around it
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Katsudon vs. tonkatsu vs. katsu sandwich – What’s the best way to eat pork cutlet in Japan?
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo to Kyoto
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour Totoro
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutions
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
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Anime girl English teacher Ellen-sensei becomes VTuber/VVTUber and NFT
Harajuku Station’s beautiful old wooden building is set to return, with a new complex around it
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Katsudon vs. tonkatsu vs. katsu sandwich – What’s the best way to eat pork cutlet in Japan?
Suntory x Super Mario collaboration creates a clever way to transform into Mario【Videos】
Limited-edition Carbonara Udon will anger noodle purists and pasta lovers 【Taste test】
Ghibli Park opens final area to first visitors, with stunning new attractions and shops 【Videos】
Sakura season arrives at McDonald’s Japan with new range of exclusive menu items
Muji Ginza’s freshly baked bread is our new favorite thing
We tried Korea’s way-too-big King Tonkatsu Burger at Lotteria 【Taste Test】
Haku is…Chihiro’s dead brother? Studio Ghibli fans blown away by Spirited Away theory
Japanese science museum in deep doo-doo after displaying false facts about poop
The 5 best Japanese bento to buy at Kyoto Station