As we write these words, the abdication rituals are underway in Tokyo at the Imperial Palace as Emperor Akihito prepares to step down from his role. This will end the Heisei era and, from May 1st ...

Hiroshima's Miyajima island is already one of the most picturesque and popular sightseeing destinations in the whole country. And it now just got even better -- and cuter. The small island just ...

We are now very familiar with Japanese characters and franchises appearing on special trains. From Hello Kitty to Evangelion, and Pikachu, train operators frequently use tie-ups to promote regional ...

Nestlé Japan have enjoyed immense success with its range of exclusive Japanese Kit Kat snacks. Many of these use unique regional ingredients, such as sake or matcha. Others feature innovative ...

Did you know that Frieza is a businessman? Yes, the Vicious God from the imagination of Akira Toriyama is taking a change in career from battling Goku et al. He is now joining the team at your office ...

Last week we reported on the troubles faced by Fukushima sake in overcoming the reputation of the prefecture's nuclear disaster in 2011. Here is one novel way to attract new fans to nihonshu. ...

A promotional series of videos by Fukushima Prefecture promoting the region's sake has run into the very thing it was trying to combat: the taint of contamination (and false information) that the ...

Alongside other global food and drink brands like Coca-Cola and Kit Kat, Häagen-Dazs has enjoyed success in the Japanese market by creating flavors and products especially for the local market. The ...

The Japanese media and entertainment world can be almost Stalinist in its approach to damage control. When a celebrity is arrested for an infraction, and especially if it involves drugs or illegal ...

Hello Kitty fans will have another destination to come home in Tokyo this spring with the opening of a new Sanrio store in the Asakusa district of the city. Asakusa is associated with the old ...

This is certainly a novel way to get people's attention. Japan's leading airline ANA has turned to kabuki to liven up the standard pre-flight safety demonstration. As you would expect when kabuki ...

It was only a matter of time before the current inbound tourism boom crossed over directly with the virtual reality attractions fad in Tokyo. And so it is that we have the VR Ninja Dojo, which is ...

It's now only a few weeks left until the Heisei period ends and a new, as-yet-unnamed era begins when Emperor Akihito abdicates and Crown Prince Naruhito takes the throne. As such, we are seeing ...

Muji will open a new food-focused global flagship store in Ginza, central Tokyo, from April 4th. As previously reported, the Ginza Muji will house Japan's first Muji Hotel from its sixth to tenth ...

East meets West. Old meets new. These are cliches but it's a fact nonetheless that Japan produces plenty of inventive examples of this intermingling. We recently reported the release of the ...