Asako Takaguchi - The Japan Times

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Asako Takaguchi

For Asako Takaguchi's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:

Japan Times

JAPAN

May 4, 2015

Demand growing for class-reunion services

Services to coordinate class reunions are finding more takers because of the scarcity of people willing to take charge of contacting former classmates and securing venues.

Japan Times

BUSINESS / Tech

Feb 25, 2015

Demand rising for smartphones that can take all of life's knocks

There is growing demand for rugged smartphones and tablet computers that can withstand the dirt and knocks of field work, and manufacturers are responding with products that include high-definition displays, cameras and audio.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Feb 16, 2015

Foreign tourists taking home wider range of Japanese souvenirs

With a record number of tourists visiting Japan from abroad, items they take back home are diversifying from home appliances, watches and other "conventional" Japanese souvenirs.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Feb 13, 2015

It's a buyer's market as smartphone apps mimic auction sites

People are increasingly turning to smartphone applications to sell used clothes and goods free of tax.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Feb 3, 2015

Japan's burial mounds drawing new breed of tourist

A new genre of tourism is emerging: amateur archaeologists who enjoy viewing ancient burial mounds.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Jan 29, 2015

Book clubs, 'biblio-Rx' keep printed word alive

Smartphones and the Internet may have become an integral part of life, but the power of books — paper ones — is not all lost.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Dec 21, 2014

Drinks, cosmetics makers using rice as product ingredient

Rice has become an increasingly popular ingredient in cosmetics and beverages as people eat less of what used to be Japan's main staple.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Nov 25, 2014

Japan's English conversation schools are adapting their classes to specific requirements

Some English conversation schools are increasingly tailoring classes for students who want specific training, such as dealing with customers or full immersion in American culture.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 7, 2014

Services allow for virtual grave visits

For people living far from the graves of their ancestors, paying respects no longer has to involve a long journey, with subscribers to an online service able to conduct virtual cemetery visits from their computer screens.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 7, 2014

Firms target share houses to boost business

Many companies are turning to shared housing as a place to promote products or offer services like job-hunting support.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Sep 30, 2014

Product developer says 'mothers' love' is key ingredient in popular drink

The young product developer behind a popular Moroccan-inspired soft drink knew she could score a hit with Japanese customers after tasting the flower-scented water widely drunk in the North African country.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Sep 11, 2014

Edible tableware served in waste-reduction bid

Edible tableware, such as plates made of shrimp crackers and cups made of seaweed, is catching on as a safer substitute for disposable tableware by reducing the amount of polystyrene and plastic waste thrown out each day.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Science & Health

Aug 20, 2014

Firms in Japan wake up to merits of siestas

Some Japanese companies appear to be embracing the wisdom of the old adage "sound sleep, sound mind," by letting their workers enjoy a short snooze during office hours.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Aug 14, 2014

'Gacha gacha' machines not just for kids anymore

Among the wide array of vending machines peddling items from the everyday to the obscure, one staple in Japan is the toy-dispensing "gacha gacha," which is named after the handle-turning noise that precedes the release of the plastic capsule.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Jul 16, 2014

'Cosplay' craze a boon for business

The popularity of Japanese anime around the world has triggered the growth of a variety of businesses targeting those who like to dress up as a favorite character from a manga or anime, known as "cosplay," as in "costume play."

Japan Times

JAPAN

Jun 9, 2014

Body hair out, nail polish in as latest grooming boom targets businessmen

A new cadre of self-indulgent, style-conscious businessmen is driving up sales of grooming services and products as "personal maintenance" becomes retailing's latest buzzword.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Apr 28, 2014

Granpa leads high-tech revolution in farming

A 70-year-old entrepreneur is promoting the indoor, computer-assisted cultivation of vegetables to establish a business model that can draw young people back to agriculture.

JAPAN

Mar 12, 2014

Social gifting services lower the bar for giving

For a team of young sumo wrestlers who could do with every drop of energy that comes their way, a present of bagfuls of rice would be a godsend.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Feb 27, 2014

Suntory researcher aims to create deep blue rose

Would a deep blue rose smell just as sweet? That is what a researcher at the Suntory Global Innovation Center is aiming to find out.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Feb 7, 2014

Building block creator seeks to spur kids' creativity

The Japanese creator of building-block sets for children that have become popular in Asia and Europe believes toys should promote children's healthy growth and help them communicate with their parents.

Two people try to take a selfie under the illuminated cherry blossoms in Kyoto’s Gion district last year.

Sakura stories revisited: Getting in the mood for hanami

Historically, kabuki was considered the entertainment of the merchant and peasant classes, a far cry from how it is regarded today.

For Japan's oldest kabuki theater, the show must go on

By Lance Henderstein

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass

Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass

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