Travel
Niigata’s ‘Giant Kite Battle’: A Story of Retaliation Turns Into A Festival Tradition
Three hundred kilometers west of Tokyo, in the heart of Japan’s Niigata Prefecture, lies Shirone. It is a modest [&hel
Travel
[Hidden Wonders of Japan] Preserving Maruyama’s Thousand Rice Paddies
The sound of pheasants chirping and frogs croaking filled the air. The rice paddies reflected the blue […]
Sports
Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays: Routes, Runners and Race Details
On June 1, the organizing committee of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games announced the route for the [&helli
Culture
Maiko Calling: Apprentice Geisha Welcome Kyoto Visitors
Maiko, or apprentice geisha, are one of the main attractions of the ancient capital of Kyoto. Young maiko […]
Culture
Manga Fans Worldwide Can Now Read Latest ‘One Piece’ for Free
Smartphone app MANGA Plus, released by the publishing company Shueisha in January, has caught the attention of manga
Culture
May at the Kabukiza Theatre: 5-year-old Debuts at Dan-Kiku Festival
The month of May’s matinee and evening show performances at the Kabukiza Theatre are a lineup of extremely famous [&he
Culture
A Derby Trifecta to Raise the Dead
When the proprietor of Gembei, a venerable yakitori establishment near Waseda University, died some 40 years ago, in l
Blog
The Only Word I Knew Was ‘Konnichiwa,’ but Here’s How I’ve Survived in Japan
As Japan prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020, there has been much attention to how […]
Culture
‘Hāfu2Hāfu’: Mixed-Raced Japanese Ponder Identity in Book of Portraits
Often in Europe, watching football is associated with nostalgic and fuzzy memories of going to the bar with friends [&
Culture
Director Yuki Eikawa Captures the Charm of Kansai
On March 20, the Kansai Tourism Bureau published a video produced and directed by Yuki Eikawa about the […]
Culture
The Branding — and Misunderstanding — of Marie Kondo
When I flew home to Italy for the Christmas holidays, I had a friend ask me: “You’re Japanese, right? […]
Blog
Mayumi Mikoshi Expo in Tokyo Ebisu this weekend!
What is a mikoshi and what is Mayumi Mikoshi? A mikoshi (or omikoshi) is a “portable shrine parade” […]