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Maaya Konagai
For Maaya Konagai's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Aug 17, 2012
'Wallace & Gromit' creator Peter Lord to play major role at animation festival in Hiroshima
The Hiroshima 2012: International Animation Festival has done pretty well for itself since its debut in 1985. It is now considered one of the four most respected animation festivals in the world.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Aug 3, 2012
World Cosplay Summit to hit its climax in Nagoya
Last week the London Olympics kicked off with no shortage of spectacle. However, if it's visual delights you're looking for then it might be better to turn your eyes toward Nagoya instead of London. This event is all about cosplay — the very essence of spectacle.
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jul 27, 2012
Yukata tour to show there's more to Sumida Ward than just the Skytree
The Tokyo Skytree has been hogging the spotlight in Sumida Ward recently. With lineups to get in still pretty long, people in the area want tourists to check out the more historic parts of the neighborhood.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jul 20, 2012
Get the scoop on Edogawa's goldfish
The goldfish is a member of the carp family — some say it's related to the Crucian carp, others the Prussian carp. They were originally discovered in China during the Jin Dynasty (265-420 CE), and the Chinese began selectively breeding them as exotic pets during the 12th century. It was not until the 16th century that they were imported to Japan.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jul 13, 2012
It's music to children's ears
"I got this idea from children," said Japanese pianist Mayumi Tokugawa when asked about her upcoming performance — a collaborative effort involving poetry and music. "When we have concerts for children and we read out stories, they respond better," she said, explaining that she has always wanted to perform in a combination of music and words.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jun 22, 2012
Model train buff brings out his toys for everyone
The term Shangri-La was coined by British author James Hilton in his novel "Lost Horizon," referring to a mythical paradise in the Himalayas. Nobutaro Hara, however, found his utopia on a railway line.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
May 4, 2012
Sumida River to light up with LED fireflies
Japan isn't a difficult place to live. If you want to eat Mexican food, there are Mexican restaurants. If you want to buy brand-name British clothes, there are shops and websites that deliver. So Tokyo Hotaru Festival asks the question: What does Tokyo, where you can get anything, really need now?
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Apr 27, 2012
Fans experience the Web in real time at party
From Justin Bieber to Lana Del Rey, it seems the way to stardom now is via online video-sharing sites such as YouTube.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Apr 27, 2012
Multilingual art event hopes to educate
This weekend, the galleries of the Nihombashi district unite to host Tokyo Art & Antiques, an event that comprises tours and lectures for art lovers in a variety of languages.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Apr 20, 2012
Party in the park celebrates Earth Day
Earth Day celebrations have been held in different forms since 1970, but since April 22, 1990, the day has been an international affair.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 20, 2012
Shindo's 100th birthday screenings
"I have depicted so many things, but I have depicted only one thing," Kaneto Shindo once said. "It is how humans live." And on April 22, the venerable filmmaker — the oldest working director in Japan — will celebrate his 100th birthday.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Apr 6, 2012
Exhibition tells a cute tale of kawaii culture
When you hear the term "kawaii" (cute) what do you think of? Hello Kitty? Domo-kun? Everyone has their own idea of what makes something kawaii, what they might not know is the origin of Japan's particular brand of cuteness.

Longform

High-end tourism is becoming more about the kinds of experiences that Japan's lesser-known places can provide.
Can Japan lure the jet-set class off the beaten path?