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July 08, 2025
 

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Patrick St. Michel
Patrick St. Michel is a Tokyo-based writer with a focus on Japanese music. He runs the blog Make Believe Melodies, which has focused on Japanese independent music since 2009. Besides The Japan Times, he also contributes to MTV 81 and The Atlantic.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Jan 4, 2021
Streetwear meets sandwich cookies in this sugary, luxe collab
Fashion brand Wind And Sea has collaborated with pastry creator Pierre Herme for a particularly tasty drop.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Dec 26, 2020
Have a sweet, strawberry end to 2020
Need an alternative to the typical Christmas cake? Give these two colorful convenience store desserts a try.
CULTURE
Dec 24, 2020
Collapse, isolate, adjust and rebuild: How Japanese pop culture fared in the pandemic of 2020
Japan began 2020 with Olympic glory in its sights, with artists and musicians ready to take the spotlight. Then, the pandemic hit and pushed things in a much-needed direction.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Dec 24, 2020
How has COVID-19 changed Japan's pop culture? Episode 4: Rebuild
Two anime films — ”Demon Slayer” and “Violet Evergarden” — offer a dash of optimism to end 2020, as Japanese pop culture moves towards the beginning of a new era.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Dec 23, 2020
How has COVID-19 changed Japan's pop culture? Episode 3: Adapt
Pop group NiziU's “Make You Happy” became the song of this very strange summer and the government changed its tone from stay home to Go To.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Dec 22, 2020
How has COVID-19 changed Japan's pop culture? Episode 2: Isolate
When COVID-19 brought about a stay-at-home spring, Animal Crossing provided us with a digital island escape.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Dec 21, 2020
How has COVID-19 changed Japan's pop culture? Episode 1: Collapse
In Episode 1 of Recultured, we look at how 2020 ground to a halt through the lens of "Terrace House," and hear from stars of the show about its dramatic ending amid the arrival of COVID-19.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Dec 19, 2020
Take 2021 by the horns with sweets fit for the Year of the Ox
More than over the Year of the Rat? Moo-ve into 2021 with these cow-themed cupcakes from Fairycake Fair.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Dec 12, 2020
Need some pre-holiday indulgence? These chocolate sweets have you covered.
There may not be any holiday parties this year, but that just means you have even more reason to put together a festive convenience store smorgasbord.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Dec 5, 2020
Eggslut goes sweet with its Eggy Banana Pudding
The Los Angeles-born chain specializes in — you guessed it — egg dishes. Starting this month, it's giving desserts a go, too.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Nov 28, 2020
Plant-based protein makes healthy snacking easy
Wallet? Check. Keys? Check. Tofu bar from Seven-Eleven Japan? Check.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Nov 23, 2020
Raise a glass in memory of Tokyo's messier tourist traps
Robot Restaurant and MariCar (or Street Kart or whatever you want to call it) were problematic tourist experiences, sure. That doesn't mean they weren't bold.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Nov 21, 2020
U.S. election helps disinformation on social media thrive in Japan
The 2020 U.S. presidential election has dominated much of the news cycle over the past couple of weeks, with social media playing a key role in the conversation.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Nov 21, 2020
Upscale updates to the classic Mont Blanc
Department stores might already be in full Christmas mode, but specialty dessert stores aren't giving up on autumn flavors.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Nov 14, 2020
Reaction videos take center stage as YouTubers seek to decipher online content about Japan
Genre's roots can be traced to the sort of interactions once typically found on Japanese mainstream TV.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Nov 14, 2020
Dialing potato chip cheese flavor up to 11
Japanese snack makers often experiment with unique pairings, but there's nothing wrong with taking existing flavors to the boldest end of the spectrum.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Nov 7, 2020
Harajuku’s latest dessert trend? Taiwanese castella cake
New sweets constantly emerge in Japan, and the latest fad combines the addictive texture of a souffle pancake with the taste of castella.
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / Wide Angle
Nov 6, 2020
‘24 Japan’ turns back the clock with remake of U.S. series
When studios in Japan suspended production of new programming due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic this past spring, TV stations turned to nostalgia to fill the suddenly vacant spaces on their nightly schedules. Reruns of dramas, in particular, proved successful, whether they were from a...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Oct 31, 2020
These convenience store snacks are here to ‘slay’
Head to Lawson and you'll find a range of limited-edition snacks tied to the recent record-breaking movie, “Demon Slayer.”
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Oct 24, 2020
Social media creators take advantage of the subsidized Go To campaigns
The government’s Go To Travel campaign prompted plenty of skepticism ahead of its debut in July. Understandably so — new cases of COVID-19 infections were back on the upswing at that time and the whole push to help support the country’s ailing tourism industry felt far too early. Initial results...
Heatstroke alert issued for 19 prefectures as Japan enters 'once-in-a-decade' heat wave
Japan will experience a heat wave through mid-July on a “level only seen once in a decade,” the Meteorological Agency said on June 30.
Japan braces for more quakes as authorities dismiss doomsday hype
Evacuees from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecuture, arrive at Kagoshima Port on Friday.
Foreign nationals' presence in Japan emerges as key issue in Upper House poll
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers a campaign speech next to a Liberal Democratic Party candidate for the Upper House (top center left) in Yokohama on Sunday.
Hidden AI prompts in academic papers spark concern about research integrity
Waseda University is one of 14 institutions in eight countries found to have used hidden prompts in research papers.
China’s housing crisis is worse than it seems
Residential buildings under construction in Shanghai in July 2022. The Chinese government risks long-term decline by repeating Japan’s policy mistakes in handling its real estate and demographic crises.
Ainu land rights in crosshairs as Hokkaido communities debate nuclear waste
A street in Suttsu, Hokkaido, with a sign put up by an anti-nuclear organization. The small community is considering hosting a facility that would hold nuclear waste.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

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