ICYMI: Thanks to ease of access, diverse menus with side dishes and fusion blends, touch panels with multilingual support for easy ordering, relatively cheap prices, and overseas locations, kaiten zushi chains are also drawing in more foreign residents than ever before.
What happens if you're in a Japanese subway and your fare card stops working? Some folks found out the hard way recently. Here's how to avoid finding yourself in the same pickle.
For over half a century, passengers on Japan’s high-speed rail lines have relied on trusty food carts, pushed by polite, uniformed staff, for drink and sustenance needs during the long rides between the island nation’s major cities. Sadly, these days may be coming to an end.
Using Panasonic tech, VLiver Lab uses a transparent projection screen to connect a VTuber, who engages with fans through their model. The VTuber takes orders and relays them to a human staff member, who brings drinks and helps you settle your tab at the end.
Just like TOKYO VICE, TOKYO NOIR is more of an intertwined anthology than the straightforward narrative you might expect. And amidst investigative adventurism and journalistic exposes of Japanese political scandals is a story surprisingly focused on personal tragedy.
People in Japan have a reputation for their health and longevity. But 83yo Nanri Hiroshi takes it to the next level. Here's his advice for living a long, active life.
Conveyor belt sushi chain Sushizanmai boasts an expansive menu and average prices. It makes news every year when "Tuna King" CEO Kimura Kiyoshi spends a fortune bidding at the New Year tuna auction. Some locations use his life-sized statue to welcome (or terrify) customers.
ICYMI: What do you get as a souvenir when you travel to Japan? Recently, more inbound tourists are treating themselves to a uniquely Japanese gift: hanko, or seals, engraved with their names.
How do you incentivize workers? One company in Japan thinks they've found the answer: subsidized steak at the corporate cafeteria. Metal parts Castem offers bottomless steak bowls for just 190 yen (USD $1.22).
Thanks in part to the opening of the new Ghibli Park, Aichi Prefecture is receiving more attention as a travel destination these days. Recently, the prefecture ran its own survey to assess how it stacks up. Here are a few of the things you can enjoy on a visit to Aichi.
ICYMI: Japan is experiencing a huge influx of tourists. As a result, some stores and restaurants are struggling with how to handle customers who don’t speak Japanese. Learn how one restaurant owner took out his frustration on social media – & had to close his store shortly after.
Would you go out to drink with your favorite VTuber (virtual YouTuber)? We paid a visit to a new VTuber bar in Tokyo's Ikebukuro - and asked an expert on Japan's nightlife what this trend bodes for the future.
Apple's controversial "Crush" ad received a negative reaction worldwide - and especially in Japan. We've rounded up some of the most pained reactions from artists and customers on social media.
A new app from Japan Railways East set to debut next year will make it easier for tourists to get around before they even leave their homes. Learn more about it in our latest.
ICYMI: When in Rome, they say, do as the Romans do. But what happens when the locals don’t even agree on what the local customs are? Case in point: the ongoing debate in Japan over what exactly to do with a large backpack on a crowded train.
ICYMI: Japan continues to face a population decline and aging population crisis. Along with it comes a host of other problems. One is an explosion of abandoned properties with no occupants. New data from Japan’s government shows that the problem is accelerating rapidly.
With so much Japanese media available now, it can be tricky knowing which ones to use as language learning tools. Here’s how to use Japanese drama to learn Japanese and improve your Japanese comprehension, listening, and speaking skills.
ICYMI: Harassment by customers has been a growing issue in Japan for years. As companies tackle harassment, the current scene in Japan tells a somber story. According to surveys, it’s not looking good.
It may be under fire in Japan but conveyor belt sushi is still a popular way to grab a quick bite without breaking the bank. Here are the ones that foreign residents ranked as their favorites in a recent survey.
With an annual turnover of ¥170 billion ($1.1 billion), Inaba Foods is a big player in pet food and canned goods. However, their dorms for new hires - which ex-employees describe as falling apart - are so crusty that 90% resigned within weeks of starting this April.
The new short documentary Snack Sakura embraces the retro charm and social ambiguity of Japan's ubiquitous snack bars. Learn more about the history of snack bars in Japan - and how to watch the new doc - in our review below.
Planning a run? One shrine in Tokyo, made famous by a long-running manga, has a protective charm just for you. Plus , you can carb up on pastries while you're there. Learn more about the unique strategies the shrine is using to increase visitors and stay afloat.
Japan Railways East is cracking down on customer harassment. The company says behavior such as physical or verbal attacks & demanding a deep apology bow (土下座, dogeza) are a no-go. They’re also keeping an eye on online abuse & anything that makes their employees feel unsafe.
Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications announced that, as of October 2023, there were 9 million unoccupied homes throughout the country. There are a total of 65.2 million homes in Japan, which means that unoccupied houses represent 13.8% of total homes.
Hanko seals in Japan may one day go obsolete due to digitization. But thanks to tourists buying them as souvenirs, they're more popular than ever. Learn why the traditional signature seals are Japan's hot new omiyage (and where to get one yourself) in our latest.