Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Shiobara Onsen
Another festival season and summer is coming to an end. The dragonflies are out and the days are getting shorter, which means fall will soon be upon us.
But before the fireworks fizzle away and the festival food stalls have packed up for good this year, one area in Japan decided to go out with a bang and surprise festival-goers with superb portable shrine, or mikoshi, recreations of some of Japan’s most popular characters, including one famous red mobile suit from the anime classic Gundam.
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
Beautiful Sailor Moon manhole cover coasters being given out for free by Tokyo tourist center
Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
The oldest tunnel in Japan is believed to be haunted, and strange things happen when we go there
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases【Survey】
Hey, Japanese taxi driver! Take us to your favorite restaurant in Tsuruga City!
Tommy Lee Jones cries, says sayonara to the Heisei era in epic new Boss coffee commercial 【Video】McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
We try out “Chan Ramen”, an underground type of ramen popular in the ramen communityStarbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Beautiful new Final Fantasy T-shirt collection on the way from Uniqlo【Photos】Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases【Survey】Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
There’s a park inside Japan where you can also see Japan inside the park
Japanese convenience store packs a whole bento into an onigiri rice ballMcDonald’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
Foreign passenger shoves conductor on one of the last full runs for Japan’s Thunderbird train
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Kyoto bans tourists from geisha alleys in Gion, with fines for those who don’t follow rules
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour Totoro
Domino’s Japan now sells…pizza ears?
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty
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
Studio Ghibli’s new desktop Howl’s Moving Castle will take your stationery on an adventure
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
The oldest tunnel in Japan is believed to be haunted, and strange things happen when we go there
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases【Survey】
Hey, Japanese taxi driver! Take us to your favorite restaurant in Tsuruga City!
Tommy Lee Jones cries, says sayonara to the Heisei era in epic new Boss coffee commercial 【Video】
Get in the bullet train, Shinji! The Evangelion Shinkansen is here 【Videos】
Why Japanese doesn’t need swear words
Star Wars becomes a kabuki play as we attend Kairennosuke and the Three Shining Swords in Tokyo
10 of our absolute favorite places to spend a day in Tokyo
Japanese League of Legends first female champion is also an aspiring model
Our reporter takes her 71-year-old mother to a visual kei concert for the first time
Father and son dissect a gachapon capsule toy machine to show us its magical insides【Video】
Top 10 places to see a spectacular sunset in Japan
Make your kancho dreams a kancho reality with new, interconnecting KAN-CHO figures【Pics】