Photographer Eiji Ohashi gained a deeper appreciation of Japan’s ubiquitous vending machines one harsh night in his Hokkaido hometown of Wakkanai, Japan’s northernmost city. Roadside Lights, by Eiji Ohashi.44 pages ZEN FOTO GALLERY, Photography. Caught in a fierce snowstorm, he was able to navigate ...
The government’s Cool Japan initiative may be focused on spreading anime around the world, but Japanese culture scored a significant victory in France earlier this month in the world of theater.Director Satoshi Miyagi, 58, became the first Asian dramatist to present the opening play ...
When the call for auditions went out in November 2015, 1,346 boys sent in their head shots and resumes hoping to land what could be a life-changing role as the titular lead in a Japanese production of “Billy Elliot.”The competition was fierce — around ...
Interviews with Japanese directors tend to be straightforward PR exercises. The subjects may be friendly, but they are also disinclined to deviate from their script, especially if they are on their umpteenth media interview of the day.Ryuichi Hiroki is different, though, and that’s not ...
“I don’t want people to treat me like a god,” says Keiji Haino, chuckling. “I want to be a bad boy, right until the end.”An audience with the 65-year-old iconoclast, a towering figure on Japan’s underground music scene, is always memorable. When I meet ...
What happens when you take the Nazi zombies, coin collecting, cuddly creatures, xenomorphs, etc., out of video games and you just wander around virtual reality?While pondering that, we could also ask, “How realistic is it to be Utopian?,” “What is life without work?” and “How ...
The neighborhood surrounding Yurakucho Station isn’t exactly starved for things to do. The Ginza is an area of intense competition for Tokyoites’ leisure time, hosting countless bars, eateries and shops, as well as theaters dedicated to traditional kabuki and the famed all-female Takarazuka Revue.Still, ...
Justin Bieber is not welcome to perform in China because of his “bad behavior,” Beijing authorities have said, after the pop idol angered many Chinese in 2014 by visiting war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture revealed it was not a ...
New Year’s is one of the best times of the year when one can relax with family and friends. But for those who prefer to go out and enjoy the festive season, there are numerous exciting events going on. Here are some ways to ...
Richard Henry Brunton was a Scottish engineer who came to Japan in 1868, one of a number of o-yatoi-gaikokujin — foreigners hired to help Japan modernize at the beginning of the Meiji Era (1868-1912). This book is his memoir, the story of the eight ...
One of the best things to come out of the rise of streaming websites overseas has been an increase in productions that have featured great roles for women. This year alone we’ve seen some phenomenal acting from Elisabeth Moss on “The Handmaid’s Tale” and ...
