pandemic

One month after masking was left to “personal judgement,” it’s still the norm in Tokyo, but why?

Combination of factors is keeping masks on in Tokyo even as the government says they don’t have to be.

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Mask rules in Japan have changed…so are people still wearing them?

We find out if people in Tokyo are ripping off their masks and throwing them to the wind in light of the new changes.

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Did this ’90s Japanese horror manga predict the coronavirus pandemic?

Manga artist draws amazing parallels between fiction and reality.

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Tokyo’s Ikebukuro is looking very different, and also pretty sad, these days【Photos】

Our resident otaku reporter’s Ikebukuro homecoming is bittersweet.

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Half of 7-Elevens in Japan to start selling 100-yen Daiso products this month

Now buying cheap everyday goods is even more convenient than before!

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Leading maid cafe chain to open largest location in history in Akihabara

Maid cafes are coming back in a big way.

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Pandemic hits sweet potatoes in Japan, prices rise and social potato distancing advised

Of all the potatoes, it had to be the sweet ones…

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Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade returns after nearly two years

The long-awaited parade is finally back, along with extended park hours!

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Living with coronavirus in a Japanese share house

Firsthand account reveals there are pros and cons to catching the virus in a communal living environment.

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Pocari Sweat offers free self-care packages for those battling COVID-19 at home

They will deliver 12 bottles of Pocari Sweat plus 36 sachets of frozen drinks.

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New COVID-19 delta variant discovered in Japan, believed to be domestically mutated

But what this means for the pandemic is yet to be determined.

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What to expect when traveling abroad from Japan in a global pandemic

Our Japanese-language reporter writes on the peculiarities of traveling from a high-risk country during a pandemic.

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Return of Comiket doujinshi manga convention announced for 2021 in Tokyo

After missing multiple iterations due to the coronavirus, organizers feel confident about holding otaku gathering once again.

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Japan to begin process of distributing vaccine passports, Chief Cabinet Secretary says

The passports are meant to be used strictly for travel purposes.

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Why did this stand-and-eat soba noodle shop in Tokyo open in the middle of the pandemic?

At a time when many small restaurants are going out of business, we speak to the manager of one that took the exact opposite approach.

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Is ramune another COVID-19 casualty? Iconic Japanese soda faces plummeting sales and bleak summer

Not the ramune!

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Man who refused to wear a mask on a plane got arrested again, this time for punching a policeman

After a disturbance he caused by–you guessed it–not wearing a mask.

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This new Onsen Mask is here to help you soak in the steam, not the germs

A specially constructed mask designed for use in all kinds of public bathing facilities.

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Why is the Japanese wig industry flourishing in the pandemic when other businesses struggle?

Sales not of party wigs or cosplay wigs, but everyday wigs–especially for men–are booming right now!

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Kyoto slammed for manga telling people not to talk at restaurants

Four-panel manga fires up the Internet. 

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