For Tom Hanaway's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
A new year in Japan means it’s time for ōsōji, the annual cleaning of one’s home. And, right on schedule, Netflix has released “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” to give us all some inspiration — or make us feel guilty for putting it off. The eight-episode ...
After launching in Japan in September 2015, Netflix has aggressively gone after the nation’s streaming market with an array of content. Original programming such as “Aggretsuko,” “Terrace House” and a reboot of “Ainori” have helped capture the attention of many cordcutters who want the ...
Ever since the original release of the “Pokemon” games for the Nintendo Game Boy back in 1996, the series’ central character — the electric, yellow rodent Pikachu — has found a permanent place in the world’s pop-culture zeitgeist. Pikachu has since shown up everywhere, ...
Warning: The following may contain minor spoilers for "Terrace House: Opening New Doors." If you live in Japan and have either a passing interest in pop culture or a Netflix account, you’ve likely heard of “Terrace House.” The basic premise of this Japanese reality show is ...
The city of Yokosuka, located south of Yokohama, is mostly famous for feeling at times like a slice of America, as it is home to a large U.S. naval base. (Some stores in Yokosuka even accept U.S. currency.) For foodies and fashionistas, Yokosuka is ...
Sanrio Co. is known for churning out some of the most adorable creatures out there, including Hello Kitty and the bunny My Melody. Its characters are often cute and colorful, and usually silent. Retsuko the red panda, on the other hand, is the total opposite ...
The internet desperately tried to keep up with the Kardashians last week when the famous family visited Japan. Kim, Kourtney and Khloe traveled to Tokyo and Kyoto while filming an episode of their enormously popular reality show that has been running for 14 seasons, ...
Sega's popular video game character Sonic the Hedgehog is famous for running fast, but now it's slowing down to grab a bite to eat with some extra friendly company.
Just as many readers are swapping paperbacks for tablets, many language learners are trading in their textbooks for apps so they can study on the go. One of the most popular language applications on the market is Duolingo, a program that "gamifies" learning by rewarding ...
Japanese KitKats are famous — or perhaps infamous — for their varied and sometimes peculiar flavors, including green tea, sake and wasabi. But now Nestle Japan Ltd. has released arguably its strangest concoction yet: sushi. A new KitKat Chocolatory opened in Ginza on Thursday and ...
