Yumiko Morioka: A good time to find refuge in a reissue of her ambient sounds
Yumiko Morioka's first and only album, 1987's 'Resonance,' gets the reissue treatment, allowing fans to hear the musician's ambient sounds once again.
Japan’s film and TV industries soldier on despite coronavirus
The death of comedian Ken Shimura on March 29 due to pneumonia caused by COVID-19 sent a shock wave throughout the country. A star on Japanese TV for decades, he was the first major celebrity here to pass away after contracting the virus. To curb ...
Kamishibai: Rediscovering the fine art of storytelling in Japan
Artists are taking a traditional art form to a new audience but a battle rages over its true essence.
Actress Aoi Mizuhara explores Asian family values in 'The Farewell,' her Hollywood debut
Japanese actress Aoi Mizuhara explores Asian family values in her debut Hollywood film, 'The Farewell,' which is set for release in Japan in April.
'Step': Parenthood drama that tugs at the heartstrings
'Not Quite Dead Yet': A feeble take on two days of death
'Mishima: The Last Debate': Careful revival of a battle of wits
'Extro': A Japanese mockumentary that works
'All About March': A love story that puts years on you
An Indian take on making a Japanese film
Ensuring live music survives the pandemic
While the COVID-19 pandemic has all but shut down Japan's live music scene, innovative acts and labels are still reaching fans in the country.
The unstoppable rise of Regal Lily
Tokyo DJs and owners say closing clubs to curb virus is easier said than done
Squarepusher speaks up for a little human kindness
Ron Carter: A record-breaking jazz legend returns to Tokyo
As COVID-19 cripples live music, hopeful promoters look ahead
Fuji Rock keeps calm and carries on despite coronavirus fears
Japan’s art institutions struggle to cope with the COVID-19 crisis
Since the quarantine of the Diamond Princess, Japan has gone from being one of the world’s most at-risk countries to lucky outlier, to being again fearful of COVID-19 getting out of control. At the time of writing, the last 24 hours saw the postponement of ...
Lee Ufan: The same but different
A sea change for Japanese sculptors
Bamboo crafts: Woven into Japan's art history
Barry McGee: Painting outside the lines
Japan's postwar aesthetics: compelling if not confusing
Constructing the self in 'One's Behavior'
Meet the expat comedians who keep Tokyo smiling
Probably the biggest paradox of stand-up comedy is that while there are no schools of humor — no Bachelor of Laughs degree, not even a “funny” skill on Linkedin to endorse your friend for — stand-up comedians are out there in good numbers. Even ...
Must the show go on during the COVID-19 outbreak?
Conquering history and conquering the stage with Ken Watanabe
Deconstructing the avant-garde art of butoh with Taketeru Kudo
Virtual idols, anime and a rock 'n' roll spirit: Nakamura Shido II leads kabuki's evolution
Japanese students take idol worship to a whole new level
Ken Shimura’s entertainment legacy spans generations
Entertainer Ken Shimura didn’t belong to any single generation. Following news that the 70-year-old comedian had died on Sunday from pneumonia caused by COVID-19, TV broadcasters on Monday featured both Shimura’s contemporaries and much younger personalities visibly upset over his passing. On social media, fans ...
John Prine, revered American folk songwriter, dies of coronavirus complications
Popular comedian Ken Shimura first Japanese celebrity to die from COVID-19
In first post-royal job, Meghan to narrate Disney nature film
Pioneer K-pop idol Yang Joon-il makes an unlikely comeback
Harvey Weinstein moved to maximum-security prison a day before he turns 68
‘What is Japanese Cinema?’ review: A deft and engaging history of Japanese film
This book is healthily nonjudgmental concerning which films are “good” and which are not. Instead it steps back — far back — to gaze carefully at and analyze the bigger picture: the role that cinema has played in reflecting and altering Japanese consciousness and ...
The seemingly perfect world of author Clarissa Goenawan
'Grit, Grace, and Gold' review: The Olympics are postponed, but this book's a winner
'The Salaryman' review: Spilling the secrets of Japan's everyman
'The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper': What to do when you lose your shoes? Find them and write
Momoko Ishii: Shaping Japanese children's literature for the modern era
'Factory Girls': Verses for the workers, who toiled all day long
Ep. 38 'Case of The Costume Incident'
We at The Japan Times have described “Terrace House” on multiple occasions as the ultimate show to help you unwind after a long day. That's mostly because there's none of the intense, emotionally triggering drama that other reality TV shows tend to rely on. Once ...
Ep. 35 'The Monster in the Hallway'
Ep. 34 'Case of The Bottled Beer Incident'
'Followers': Tokyo life as seen through an Instagram filter
