We think this might be one of the most original and ingenious beauty tools we've seen yet. And that's saying a lot. Japan is a nation that has produced a serious wealth of beauty items, from ...

The Self-Assembly Shamisen is, as the name suggests, a shamisen instrument that you can build yourself -- and customize! The shamisen is surely the most famous Japanese traditional instrument. You ...

Chanel is opening a temporary Omotesando pop-up space to advertise its new Rouge Coco lipstick, which went on sale on March 20th. From March 27th to April 5th, visitors to Rouge Coco at Omotesando ...

Nail art is big in Japan. So is Purikura, the "print club" photo booths where you can take inventive shots with your friends. Combine the two and you should have a recipe for success. At least, ...

How do you promote cycle racing, a sport that rarely gets much of a look-in from the baseball-obsessed media? Easy. You sex things up and push cute girls to the forefront. Girl's Keirin is a ...

Ten types of stylish wearable smart accessories designed by current female college students have been unveiled. The designs are the results of a project run in partnership between Recruit ...

As we reported last May, the "cool/cold beer" trend has crossed over from actual bars and restaurants to home "toys". You haven't lived until you've tried Kirin's Frozen Beer at least once (for some, ...

Yesterday we introduced the iDoll, currently being showcased by ad agency Hakuhodo at SXSW Interactive Festival. Another prototype by Hakuhodo -- and just as outlandish -- are the Talkable ...

Visitors to SXSW Interactive Festival (SXSWi) (March 13-22, 2015) in Austin should head to the Hakuhodo Group exhibition booth, "Prototyping the Future". Hakuhodo will be showcasing several of its ...

As we head into the spring, get ready for hay fever. Pollen allergy is big in Japan, caused by the large numbers of cedar trees planted in the postwar period. The corollary is that these trees ...

Japan's first architecture model museum is opening this summer. It is set to open as a museum in August, though will begin operating from April. Applications for architecture scale model exhibits ...

Almost a year after we blogged that iconic gyaru and hostess subculture magazine Koakuma Ageha was closing down comes some unexpected good news: Ageha is returning. Last year was a gloomy one ...

We all love candy and who will not admit to getting cravings for something sweet during long study or work sessions? Sometimes in our agony we might be tempted to nibble the pen we are holding and ...

It was surely just the next logical step: Funassyi the anime is here. A series of animated shorts will premiere on March 30th on Nippon TV's Sukkiri starring the yellow pear ...

Every year there are some pretty outlandish concept cars, mostly designed to generate headlines and buzz. But forget robots and bizarre shapes. Nissan have gone for a more practical, ...