~What is Amabie anyway? You will be forgiven for not knowing, as many Japanese themselves were unaware of the mythical being before the start of...
There is a shop in Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa, that is bustling with activity these days. Arai Darumaya is the kind of shop that you would...
Many people of our generation might not have even been familiar with it before 2020, but the traditional half-mermaid and half-bird yokai (supernatural monster) Amabie...
If you’ve been reading grape Japan lately, then there’s a good chance that you know about Amabie アマビエ. Legend has it that the yōkai 妖怪...
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, “Amabie” is going viral. The yokai (supernatural monster) believed to ward off pestilence became an instant sensation, with a number of...
In a time of COVID-19, when many feel helpless towards the invisible enemy, it can be tempting to just throw caution to the winds....
From as early as page one, the reader can see that Onibi: Diary of a Yokai Ghost Hunter is a genuine attempt by its French...
The town of Fukusaki in Hyogo Prefecture is using eerie mascots for their revitalization strategy, bringing back the heyday of the yuru-chara — mascots. The...
The Suntory Museum of Art in Tokyo is currently staging an exhibition of works by the artist Kawanabe Kyosai (1831-1889). This idiosyncratic artist was...
Emojis have imbedded themselves in our smart phone-obsessed culture. The Emoji Movie may have received a less-than-stellar critical review (currently holding an impressively low 8%...
Above: woodblock print (ukiyo-e) of a yokai called Gashadokuro (餓者髑髏) or starving skeleton by Utagawa Kuniyoshi. If you are living in Japan or just...
