There appears to be a mascot for everything in Japan. Leave it to advertising agencies here to put a face on whatever product they are selling. But some products and promotions are difficult to create adorable characters for. How do you encapsulate all the intricate eccentricities of a city, for example, in one single super-deformed character?
Well Katsushika City in Tokyo is approaching the problem in a different way, but choosing not just one “cute character” to represent them but having an entire cast of beautiful heroines. Say hello to Katsukore!
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Harajuku Station’s beautiful old wooden building is set to return, with a new complex around it
Ghibli Park now selling “Grilled Frogs” from food cart in Valley of Witches
Japanese city loses residents’ personal data, which was on paper being transported on a windy day
Historical figures get manga makeovers from artists of Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and more
Beautiful Red and Blue Star luxury trains set to be Japan’s new Hokkaido travel stars
Anime girl English teacher Ellen-sensei becomes VTuber/VVTUber and NFT
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】
Sakura tree falls on man at Sannenzaka near Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto 【Breaking News】
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
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
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
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
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty
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
Beautiful Red and Blue Star luxury trains set to be Japan’s new Hokkaido travel stars
Anime girl English teacher Ellen-sensei becomes VTuber/VVTUber and NFT
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】
Sakura tree falls on man at Sannenzaka near Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto 【Breaking News】
Japanese politician’s birthrate plan: Have parents nag their kids to have “at least three babies”
Coca-Cola Japan unveils new sakura design bottle for cherry blossom season 2019
Why doesn’t every Japanese bakery sell this amazing anime-only bread we just made?【SoraKitchen】
Century-old Hiroshima brewery in one of Japan’s three great sake-brewing spots offers tours in English
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
10 awesome ice creams available from convenience stores in Japan
Japan’s massive matcha parfait weighs 6 kilos, contains hidden surprises for anyone who eats it