Economy | ANALYSIS
Households to take hit from tax hike
by Tomoko Otake
The consumption tax increase will hit every household in Japan hard, with many people’s financial future hanging on whether their wages rise enough to offset the hike's impact.
Event Topics
Events Outside Tokyo Aug 8, 2013
Beat the heat with Southeast Asian tradition
by Magdalena Osumi
No doubt that those unable to take a few days off during the Bon holidays are really feeling the heat and impatiently awaiting a vacation that might not happen until New Year’s. Unlike in Japan, however, people in many Southeast Asian countries celebrate the ...
Events Outside Tokyo Aug 1, 2013
Take baby steps into theater
by Magdalena Osumi
Before it learns how to speak, a baby responds to sounds by cooing, gurgling and changing his or her facial expression. Then it begins to babble and, eventually, the first “mama” or “dada” pops out to parental delight. Words, therefore, are not necessary for ...
Events Outside Tokyo Aug 1, 2013
Isobe works herald rebirth for museum
by Edan Corkill
‘Scrap and build” used to be the mantra of Japanese developers when approaching out-of-date structures. The theory was that Japanese people preferred their buildings to be in a more-or-less constant state of “newness” — a la Ise Shrine, which is rebuilt every two decades. ...
Events Outside Tokyo Aug 1, 2013
Fantasy goes on display at Nebuta Festival
by Alisa Yamasaki
Although staying at home in the air conditioning is tempting in this sweltering weather, if you’re here for the summer you might as well embrace the heat and sweat it out with everyone else at a festival. The Nebuta Festival is held in Aomori ...
Events Outside Tokyo Jul 25, 2013
Hentai animation night at YCAM
by Tomoko Otake
The word “hentai” has two meanings in Japanese, referring both to “metamorphosis” and “abnormality/perversion.” On Saturday, Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media will screen a series of 13 hentai films — covering the wackiest, weirdest animated shorts in which the characters also undergo various ...
Events Outside Tokyo Jul 25, 2013
Noodles to flow in Kobe
by Magdalena Osumi
On a summer day in 1959, some men gathered at a river in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture. After a long day of work, they devoured white-wheat noodles that swooshed down an open bamboo pipe. It’s said that hungry workers would eat the bamboo pipes and ...
Events Outside Tokyo Jul 25, 2013
Encouraging your kid's inner artist could make summer 'bearable'
by Magdalena Osumi
Teddy bears are often the first friends a child will have. They’ll tell them their secrets, give them kisses and pull them under the covers at night so they don’t get lonely. Brown bears, who can look just as cuddly, are — of course ...
Events Outside Tokyo Jul 25, 2013
Car event revs up U.S. spirit
by Alisa Yamasaki
Whether you took your first date out in a Ford or a Toyota, car enthusiasts of any nationality should head over to this Sunday’s Super American Festival in Shizuoka. The festival, now in its 21st year, is a day of drag racing, car shows ...
Events In Tokyo Jul 18, 2013
Take to the sky this summer
by Magdalena Osumi
In my childhood, I used to dream about floating through the sky like Mary Poppins, but to do that would likely involve a big umbrella in a typhoon, which is not as appealing. It looks like Midtown Loves Summer (MLS), however, offers a good ...
Events In Tokyo Jul 18, 2013
Restaurant tour to provide diners with a taste of Shimokitazawa
by Alisa Yamasaki
Imagine eating all you want at a restaurant and then walking out the door without paying — only to simply head to another restaurant for more food. I’m not recommending a dine-and-dash situation, it’s an event in Tokyo this weekend. This Sunday, visitors to ...
Events Outside Tokyo Jul 18, 2013
All of Okinawa is a stage for Kijimuna Festa
by Natasha Vik
Parents who have tried to take their children on museum outings might recognize what a formidable challenge it can be to get them excited about traditional arts. Kijimuna Festa, a theater festival in Okinawa for children and young adults, was founded with this issue ...
Events In Tokyo Jul 11, 2013
Aqua art makes for fishy frames
by Natasha Vik
Some say beauty can get you far in life. That’s true this weekend, at least for our friends with fins. Plain goldfish are often relegated to being the cheap prizes in the kingyo-sukui (goldfish scooping) challenge popular at summer festivals and fairs. Their well-bred ...