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Many of the acts making their debut at this year's "Kohaku" song contest came out for the lineup announcement at NHK's studios in Tokyo.
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Nov 19, 2024

NHK announces Number_i, Illit and Glay for ‘Kohaku’ lineup

Acts from the former Johnny’s were frozen out for a second year as NHK opts for new names and old favorites.
Get the rubber gloves and cleaning supplies out. This is the time of year when we should clean our homes and prepare them for the upcoming rainy season.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 11, 2024

Dust off your tidying vocabulary with a refreshing spring clean

While most Japanese households take part in a big clean at the end of the year, it doesn't hurt to tidy a little as the weather changes.
Eschewing the comfort of Tokyo’s air-conditioned museums, the inconvenient art movement draws viewers into the countryside to see artworks such as Christian Boltanski’s “Les Regards.”
CULTURE / Art
Jun 7, 2024

A list of Japan’s remote art sites

Get off the beaten path this summer and discover art tucked away in the farthest reaches of Japan.
An undated photo of a poster in a window promoting shows at Lincoln Center by Shen Yun, which in its 2023-2024 season performed more than 800 times on five continents, in New York. Over the past decade, the dance group Shen Yun Performing Arts has made money at a staggering rate in large part by getting followers of the Falun Gong religious movement to work for free and pay its bills.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Dec 31, 2024

How Shen Yun tapped religious fervor to make $266 million

Shen Yun’s success flows in part from its ability to pack venues worldwide — while exploiting young, low-paid performers with little regard for their health or well-being.
Stuff your empanadas with a classic "gyōza" filling for a fun recipe crossover.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 1, 2025

The empanada that’s secretly a ‘gyōza’ inside

Turn your favorite Japanese dumplings into heartier bites by reworking them into pastry-like treats.
The Oxford English Dictionary contains 552 Japanese loanwords in English, a small number compared to the near 25,000 borrowings from French.
LIFE / Language
Apr 18, 2024

The unexpected ways in which Japanese words 'make it' into English

Thanks to new entries in the Oxford English Dictionary, pretty soon even your grandparents will know what "onigiri" and "omotenashi" mean.
Muscat International Airport in Oman was ranked No. 1 in AirHelp’s just-released annual global airport scores.
BUSINESS
Dec 20, 2023

Japan scores highly in ranking of 2023’s best and worst airports

More than 4,000 airports worldwide were assessed for on-time performance, airport navigation, food and shopping options.
Look for tempeh in health food stores or online from Japanese producers.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 1, 2023

Recipe: Damascene tempeh kebab

Firmer than tofu, tempeh often works better as a direct substitution for both meat and nuts.
Whether you see it as ceremonious or a “way” of living in the moment, the tea ceremony offers a chance to relax and think about the moment you are in.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 13, 2023

The linguistic influence of tea in Japan is more than ceremonial

The way of tea is one of inner peace and enjoying the moment. And it's good for understanding idioms, too.
'Oden' may not be an iconic dish outside Japan, but during winter, there's nothing Japanese diners love more.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Jan 28, 2024

In a Japanese winter, homemade ‘oden’ warms the body and soul

In poll after poll, this warming assortment of slowly simmered foods is the top-ranking comfort food for blustery winter nights.
Who can survive summer on chilled noodles and salads alone?
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Aug 11, 2024

Fight fiery summer temps with this dry Japanese curry

This recipe is quick to prepare and can be made in advance, making it great for the hot summer months when you don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen.
New Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (front center) and other Cabinet ministers pose for a commemorative photo after an appointment and certification ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 1, 2024

New Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba unveils Cabinet as LDP divide emerges

His Cabinet, made up of lawmakers largely untainted by an LDP political funds scandal, has appeared to open up a rift in the ruling party.
In the kitchen or on the road, be open to discovery and good things will happen.
LIFE / Food & Drink / The Recipe Box
Jul 30, 2023

Recipe: Street stall-fresh Shan-style noodles

Open your mind to wan dō fen, a hearty and strikingly hued dish of noodles cooked with chickpea custard, chili crisp oil and assorted toppings.
Almost every household in Yamagata has their own recipe for this dish of sliced and lightly sauced vegetables.
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Aug 6, 2023

Recipe: Yamagata’s famous summer veggie relish

Unlike in most of Japan, in Yamagata Prefecture, “dashi” can refer to this dish of finely chopped summer vegetables and herbs.
The so-called グリーンカーテン ("gurīn kāten," green curtain) is a vertical garden you can create for your balcony to help provide shade from the summer sun.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 24, 2024

Get started on your at-home garden before the summer hits

Even if you live in a small Tokyo apartment, a garden isn't out of the question. Learn the Japanese needed to visit your local garden center.
The government may sell stakes in some major firms, including NTT, to fund its growing defense spending.
BUSINESS
Aug 3, 2023

Raising the stakes: Japan may sell shares to fund defense spending

Selling government stakes in some of Japan's biggest firms won't be straightforward, given the need for consensus and changes to laws.
'Arayes' are a Lebanese dish made from raw meat stuffed into pita pockets and cooked until succulent inside and crispy outside.
LIFE / Food & Drink / The Recipe Box
Nov 26, 2023

Recipe: Coffee-spiced stuffed pitas

'Arayes' are a Lebanese dish made from raw meat stuffed into pita pockets and cooked until succulent inside and crispy outside.
What's in a mince pie? Does it really matter if the end result is a delicious Christmas treat?
LIFE / Food & Drink / The Recipe Box
Dec 10, 2023

Recipe: Zesty 'yuzu' mince pies

The combination of fresh and dried fruit creates the recognizable mince pie flavors, but with a refreshing zing from yuzu citrus and a juicier texture.
'Menchi katsu' are actually made with as much chopped vegetables as ground meat, so it’s a sneaky way to get some veggies into your childrens' diets.
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Feb 4, 2024

Recipe: Deep-fried minced meat cutlets

These days, 'menchi katsu' have been become popular as a "B-class gourmet" item — something that is inexpensive but tasty.
It may not qualify as a health food, but if spare ribs help you endure Japan's summers, your doctor likely won't mind.
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Jun 30, 2024

Eat your way to a bit of heat relief

Eating small amounts of nutritionally dense yet balanced foods at regular time periods can help keep Japan’s summer doldrums at bay.
Learning the ropes of Japan’s online marketplaces can yield hidden treasures and also help you freshen up your home or closet from time to time.
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Mar 31, 2025

How to navigate Japan’s e-commerce platforms and online flea markets

Looking to refresh your wardrobe or home with the arrival of spring? Check out our tips for how to make the most of Japan’s online marketplaces.
Swapping out soybeans for chickpea flour puts a unique twist on this classic Japanese dish.
LIFE / Food & Drink / The Recipe Box
Aug 13, 2023

Recipe: Deep-fried chickpea tofu with 'devil's dung'

Unlike soy tofu, where proteins are coagulated from soy milk, Shan tofu uses heat-set starch with ochre-hued chickpea flour.
Then-Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu attends the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in June.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Oct 25, 2023

Chinese defense chief’s ouster opens door to better military ties with U.S.

Although questions remain over Li Shangfu’s fate, his firing has opened an avenue for resuming high-level military talks with the U.S.
This simple bento recipe is perfect for meal prepping, school lunches and any other meal where you want maximum flavor for minimum effort.
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Feb 25, 2024

Recipe: 'Rainbow' bento lunch box

The idea of making a bento every day can seem daunting, but there are a few tricks that you can add to your arsenal that will make the task go smoothly.
A satellite image from Wednesday shows Typhoon Shanshan south of Kyushu as the storm was rapidly intensifying.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Aug 30, 2024

From tropical storm to 'violent': Japan’s typhoon classifications

Japan's system differs from that used for hurricanes, and there also differences in how the storms are discussed in English versus Japanese.
Argentine presidential candidate Javier Milei of La Libertad Avanza alliance looks on as he casts his vote at a polling station during Argentina's primary elections, in Buenos Aires on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Aug 15, 2023

Here are candidate Javier Milei’s proposals for Argentina

Milei's fiery rhetoric has resonated with many Argentines who gave him an unexpected win in Sunday’s primary vote.
Get a taste of Hokkaido’s playfully named chan-chan yaki — or griddle-cooked salmon.
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Sep 11, 2023

Recipe: Hokkaido-style griddle-cooked salmon

This dish reflects a combination of Ainu food traditions from Hokkaido.
A filling, home-cooked Christmas dinner is within your reach — even among all the fried chicken and cramped kitchens throughout Japan.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 17, 2023

An oven-less Christmas ‘roast’ for your tiny Japanese kitchen

Forget fried chicken. Forget expensive meals out. Here’s how to cook your own filling meal no matter what kitchen appliances you have.
A little artful application of your pizza toppings can leave you feeling like you've just put together an equally aesthetic bowl of sushi and rice.
LIFE / Food & Drink / The Recipe Box
Jan 14, 2024

Recipe: ‘Chirashi’ pizza

In traditional 'washoku' cuisine, five flavors and five ways of cooking ensure balance of flavor and nutrition.
From mid-August through late September, eggplants reach their height of flavor in Japan.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Sep 1, 2024

Japan’s autumn eggplant: Too delicious for your daughter-in-law

In Japan, autumn eggplant has become a shorthand symbol for keeping the most pleasurable things in life to yourself.

Longform

After the asset-price bubble crash of the early 1990s, employment at a Japanese company was no longer necessarily for life. As a result, a new generation is less willing to endure a toxic work culture —life’s too short, after all.
How Japan's youth are slowly changing the country's work ethic