A touching video clip culminates with some famous well-wishers sending a special message to this year’s graduating class.
chalk
For students all around the world, the day of a big test is one of the most nerve-racking of the entire school year. And when you’re sitting for your university exam in Japan, it’s like the final step of a long journey after months of solo studying, endless reading and many sleepless nights.
The student’s journey to the final exam has now been beautifully captured in a unique two-minute commercial that features the most fitting of canvases: the humble school blackboard. While students around the country have shown us their amazing talent for creating chalk-based works of art on classroom blackboards, this commercial brings chalkboard art to life with a moving animation that will simply blow you away.
Idle hands are the devil’s play things, so why not occupy them with a monetary prize incentive? Japanese blackboard maker Nichigaku noticed that students have been creating some very impressive artwork on school blackboards. So what better way to promote Nichigaku’s product than to sponsor a nationwide chalk art contest?
Students all over the country submitted incredible pieces of art that turned that “boring thing you stare at every class” into something beautiful that you can’t believe was created with just chalk. Join us after the jump as we show you some of the best submissions from the Nichigaku Blackboard Art contest.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Japan’s massive matcha parfait weighs 6 kilos, contains hidden surprises for anyone who eats it
Historical figures get manga makeovers from artists of Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and more
Haku is…Chihiro’s dead brother? Studio Ghibli fans blown away by Spirited Away theory
Pokémon Sleep camping suite and guestrooms coming to Tokyo Hyatt along with giant Snorlax burgers
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Limited-edition Carbonara Udon will anger noodle purists and pasta lovers 【Taste test】
Anime girl English teacher Ellen-sensei becomes VTuber/VVTUber and NFT
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
Weekly
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
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month- Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
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
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】
Monthly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
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- All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
- 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
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
Yearly
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely- McDonald’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
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Limited-edition Carbonara Udon will anger noodle purists and pasta lovers 【Taste test】
Anime girl English teacher Ellen-sensei becomes VTuber/VVTUber and NFT
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
Sandwiches fit for a sumo served up in Osaka【Taste Test】
Starbucks Japan adds a Motto Frappuccino to the menu for a limited time
Tokyo has a BLUE sushi restaurant with all-you-can-eat BLUE sushi for just 400 yen (US$3.50)
New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo to Kyoto
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Tatami etiquette: Why you should never step on the threshold of a washitsu Japanese room
Our reporter takes her 71-year-old mother to a visual kei concert for the first time
Ramen and dekotora come together at this restaurant in Japan
-
