Let's put 2018 behind us and bring on 2019! It can't be worse, right? The best way to start the new year is by indulging in some special limited-edition sweets celebrating the forthcoming Year of the Boar. While it might not be the cutest ...
A reflection of how the internet functioned in Japan in 2018 can be seen in a recent incident at Shinjuku Station. On Dec. 18, Twitter user @Diablo_Lucifero warned women using the transportation hub to be on the alert for multiple men who were apparently going ...
Celebrities are just like the rest of us: They eat, sleep and would probably be better off if they reduced the time they spend on their social media. Japanese celebrities frequently find themselves tied up in controversy — 2018 marked the 10-year anniversary of pop star Koda ...
Who says you have to share? This year Japan's major convenience stores are rolling out some tasty options for those looking to snack on their own.
Everyone needs a break from the stress-percolator that is Tokyo. But heading off to a different sprawling metropolis for some peace of mind might not seem the most obvious play. Sometimes, though, heading to a new metropolis and surrounding yourself with new sights, smells ...
In the English-speaking world, Japanese TV in 2018 was celebrated for how boring it could get. But it was anything but domestically, where viewers questioned norms and helped nudge forward programs with progressive politics. However, no production from Japan was bigger overseas this year than ...
The final full year of the Heisei Era was one of the most discombobulating for Japanese music this decade. Nostalgia for the soon-to-end era clashed with efforts to figure out where J-pop goes moving forward. Tunes covered in cobwebs suddenly became the soundtrack for ...
YouTube in Japan had an identity crisis in 2018. The video-sharing site only grew in importance this year, as the top creators associated with the platform achieved acceptance by the country's mainstream media gatekeepers while famous names migrated over. But, at the same time, the ...
Inspired by the anime series "Fate/Extra Last Encore," Cold Stone Creamery Japan is offering an exclusive yakisoba look-alike ice cream at six store locations nationwide.
It’s fair to say that commercial enterprises have sometimes struggled to co-exist with social media. Attempts by brands to connect with a meme-savvy young audience can go downhill pretty quickly, while irritated customers certainly don’t hide their displeasure in pointing out bad service on official ...
