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Tom Hanaway
For Tom Hanaway's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Nov 25, 2015
‘Japan Sumo Cup’ is possibly the most Japanese thing ever
In this rhythm game, players choose a real sumo player, ride an actual race horse and compete against characters from 'Street Fighter.'
Japan Times
MULTIMEDIA
Nov 19, 2015
Tokyo opens the doors to the State Guest House
As part of campaign to attract more overseas tourists to Japan, the government is planning to open the State Guest House in Tokyo’s Minato Ward to general visitors as early as April next year, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Thursday.
Japan Times
MULTIMEDIA
Nov 13, 2015
ANA sends 'Star Wars' fans into hyperdrive
Guests got a sneak peek of All Nippon Airways' "Star Wars"-themed Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft and were able to take photos of the business class section during a special fan event at Singapore's Changi Airport on Thursday, Nov. 12. The aircraft was opened to the media for its first Asian stop outside Japan.
Japan Times
MULTIMEDIA
Oct 28, 2015
Dammit, Janet! Japan’s ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ shadowcast thrills early Halloween revelers
Japan’s oldest shadowcasting group, Lip’s, delighted a crowd of early Halloween revelers on Sunday when they performed a uniquely Japanese version of the film “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” as it was screened behind them.
Japan Times
MULTIMEDIA
Oct 27, 2015
Halloween comes early for Tomy employees
For a Halloween themed event, employees of toy company Tomy, known as Takara Tomy in Japan, indulged in a bit of corporate cosplay on Tuesday at the company headquarters in Tokyo. | AFP-JIJIA few staffers chose to emulate the Twitter mascot. | AFP-JIJILicca-chan dolls made flesh were another favorite. | AFP-JIJINaturally, Pop-up Pirate, a popular Tomy game, made an appearance. | AFP-JIJIHarold Meiji, the president of Tomy himself, got into the Halloween spirit by coming dressed as a muskateer. | AFP-JIJI
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Oct 22, 2015
Ginza Cozy Corner takes dessert into hyperdrive with 'Star Wars' cakes
One Japanese confectionary vendor is about to find the Force deep within a sweet tie-up.
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Oct 21, 2015
Warning: This viral video of high school girls might make you blush
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / Japan Pulse
Oct 20, 2015
Sharp dials up the fan service to celebrate 20 years of 'Evangelion'
For those who have always dreamed of owning an Evangelion robot, this might be the closest you get.
LIFE / Digital / Japan Pulse
Sep 5, 2015
J-blip: Ipsa's Face Melody
Every face has a name, a story and . . . a song? That’s the idea behind cosmetic company Ipsa’s newest creation.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / Japan Pulse
Aug 21, 2015
Japan celebrates the GIFs that keep on giving
GIFs — which stands for graphics interchange format, don’t you know — have made the Internet an even more enjoyable place than before, and we have the receipts to prove it.
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Aug 13, 2015
Lena Dunham brings 'Girls' to Tokyo for a fifth season episode
In the fourth season finale of HBO's hit TV show "Girls," a comedy that follows the exploits of a group of 20-somethings navigating New York, Shoshanna (played by Zosia Mamet) surprises her roommate, Jessa, by declaring "I'm moving to Japan," while leafing through a travel book and practicing her chopstick skills.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / Japan Pulse
Jul 30, 2015
Make 12th-century art using 21st-century tech
The Choju-Giga, the famed animal caricature ink paintings displayed Kyoto’s Kozan-ji Temple have been captivating people for centuries. The four scrolls, which date to the 12th and 13th centuries and depict rabbits and monkeys getting into mischief, are often cited as the first manga comics in Japan’s history.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Japan Pulse
Jul 16, 2015
Pokemon ages ungracefully with middle-aged 'Ojisan Monsters'
'Ojimon' is a new mobile game where players can catch middle-aged pocket monsters and make them do their bidding.
Japan Times
Places
Jul 3, 2015
Where to view the Women’s World Cup final in the Tokyo area
The teams of Japan and the United States will face again each other again to determine the winner of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The game will be broadcast locally on Fuji TV, but if you want to support your team along with other soccer fans in person, a number of venues in Japan will offer public viewings. The game will be broadcast from 8 a.m. in Japan so if you want to see it up-close, it’s recommended that you set your alarm clock accordingly.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jun 20, 2015
Dive into the culture of Minamiboso
It is just after sunset and hundreds of people have gathered around the docking bays of Minamiboso on the southern edge of Chiba Prefecture. As men bang away on taiko drums, dozens of women emerge from a hilltop shrine. Dressed head-to-toe in white outfits and wearing goggles on their heads, they carry lit bamboo torches and walk, two-by-two, toward the docks. These are ama (female divers), and as they wade into the water to form a circle, onlookers watch in near silence — save for the sound of digital and analog shutters.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Japan Pulse
Jun 9, 2015
Load up YouTube because it’s morphin’ time!
Summon your Megazord because the Power Rangers are heading to YouTube — and it’s all in Japanese.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Japan Pulse
May 22, 2015
Wear Japan’s past this summer with yukata and monpe
This week clothing chain Uniqlo launched a line of colorful yukata while Loft has a new line of monpe pants.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Japan Pulse
May 20, 2015
Save your breath and let 'Suimasen!' make the call
Soft-spoken diners can use the “Suimasen Daiku014d” app to make their phone let out a hearty “u3059u3044u307eu305buff5euff5euff5eu3093!” (“Excuse me!”)
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Japan Pulse
May 13, 2015
Grow a new boyfriend with 'ikemen' seeds
Girls are encouraged to buy their favorite “Ripe Boyfriend Growing Set” and watch their dream man grow right before their eyes.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Japan Pulse
Mar 27, 2015
Ultraman monsters invade your travel show
Fuji TV One is letting the monsters from Ultraman loose in a new travel program called “Ultra Monster Walk.”

Longform

Rows of irises resemble a rice field at the Peter Walker-designed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.
The 'outsiders' creating some of Japan's greenest spaces