Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
waiting area
On the morning of 2 November a man armed with a kitchen knife entered a bank in Munakata city, Fukuoka Prefecture. Upon seeing the man, the clerk asked “What can I do for you?”
“Hand over the money.” he said quietly.
Then the clerk summoned all her years of training and experience as a bank employee and dealt with the intruder the best way she knew how.
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
Super Nintendo World expansion gets delayed for several months at Universal Studios Japan
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
Kyoto’s 100 Demons yokai monster parade returns!
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
McDonald’s Japan releases a pancake pie for new retro kissaten coffeeshop series
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Arrest proves a common Japanese saying about apologies and policeMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in TokyoMore foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last monthStarbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Beautiful new Final Fantasy T-shirt collection on the way from Uniqlo【Photos】
Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases【Survey】All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
Japanese convenience store packs a whole bento into an onigiri rice ball
We try out “Chan Ramen”, an underground type of ramen popular in the ramen communityMcDonald’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
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
Foreign passenger shoves conductor on one of the last full runs for Japan’s Thunderbird train
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 indefinitelyMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
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
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
McDonald’s Japan releases a pancake pie for new retro kissaten coffeeshop series
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Arrest proves a common Japanese saying about apologies and police
We try out “Chan Ramen”, an underground type of ramen popular in the ramen community
Beautiful Sailor Moon manhole cover coasters being given out for free by Tokyo tourist center
The oldest tunnel in Japan is believed to be haunted, and strange things happen when we go there
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutions
10 of our absolute favorite places to spend a day in Tokyo
Cloth randoseru Japanese backpacks are here to lighten load on parents’ wallets and kids’ backs
McDonald’s Japan goes old-school with new Showa-era Kissa Mac sweets lineup【Photos】
Cast of this summer’s live-action Naruto stage play looks more awesome than ever in new photos