A 21-year-old shares yogurt ice cream with a 'mother' she just met. In Japan, you can rent almost anyone — a mum, a middle-aged uncle, a boyfriend, or even a guy who literally does nothing. Inside Japan's quietly booming and surprisingly tender human-rental economy, from a 400-person agency to the Brendan Fraser film inspired by it.
Sushiro, the king of Japan's revolving sushi industry with 13 consecutive years as the top earner, is finally making a real run at the US market. The Times Square flagship opens this fall — but rival Kura is already at 83 US stores and listed on NASDAQ. Inside Japan's three-way sushi war and Sushiro's last frontier.
Frass discovered on a wild cherry tree at Yoshinoyama, Nara—home to 30,000 sacred cherry trees revered for 1,300 years—has been confirmed as damage from the invasive red-necked longhorn beetle. The first such case in any Japanese national park. A story at the intersection of invasive species, climate change, and cultural heritage.
JR East has unveiled a concept render for the next-generation 'sustina' commuter train, and it looks nothing like the iconic Yamanote Line trains running today. Featuring autonomous control and 'emotional graphics,' the design reimagines what a Tokyo commuter train can be. Here's why Japan's commuter trains are a global obsession.
Inside the Nippon TV interview AKIRA creator Katsuhiro Otomo gave after unveiling Tokyo's Ginza Station mural Procession Spin. The original design got scrapped, the Kaneda bike was a doodle, and he wants to retire to sumi-e — context English-language press hasn't carried.
Nlab Research polled 943 Japanese men on the 'coolest dog breed.' Akita took #1 with 9.5%, Doberman #2 with 8.8%. We unpack the male-specific trend, compare with women's results, and examine what Voicenote's panel composition tells us about who actually answered.
Gunma Prefecture's passport-style pamphlet sold out 10,000 copies on day one. Behind the frenzy: a beloved internet meme calling Gunma 'Japan's undeveloped territory' and a regional rivalry where prefectures fight to be the least popular.
Tsubame Industries' Archax — a 4.5-meter, 3.5-ton piloted transforming robot — has released new transformation footage. We break down the $2.5M price tag, the Gundam-inspired engineering team behind it, and where Japan-bound travelers can actually see one.
Tatsumi Publishing's Tanuki Marugoto BOOK, released May 1, hit #1 in 12 Amazon categories during pre-orders alone. From Shigaraki pottery statues outside every Japanese restaurant to Studio Ghibli's Pom Poko, from Animal Crossing's Tom Nook to viral SNS memes with 96 million views — why is Japan so devoted to this uniquely Japanese canid? A guide for overseas readers (and please, it's not a raccoon).
Yamaguchi's premium sake brand Dassai and Japanese engineering giant Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have successfully brewed sake in space for the first time in human history. The result: a single 100ml bottle priced at $700,000. Inside the Dassai MOON Project, the long-term plan to build a brewery on the Moon, plus practical brewery-tour info for international visitors in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi.
Global matcha production has roughly doubled in just five years. Japan can no longer meet world demand alone, and Chinese matcha is rapidly filling the gap. Should matcha be defended as Japanese cultural heritage, or embraced as a global beverage? We explore the strategic crossroads facing Japan's matcha industry.
Once dismissed overseas as resembling 'black paper,' nori is now riding the global onigiri boom into kitchens worldwide. A 3-Michelin-star Italian chef uses nori pesto on cuttlefish, and the global market is projected to grow from $3.8B in 2025 to $6.4B by 2034. From the famous 2010 Nature paper that overturned the 'Westerners can't digest seaweed' myth, to Japan being overtaken by Korea in production volume — here's how Japanese seaweed conquered the world.
Japan is famously polytheistic and its gods rarely clash — unless we're talking about mushroom-shaped vs bamboo shoot-shaped chocolate snacks. Discover the hilarious 50-year "war" between Meiji's Kinoko no Yama and Takenoko no Sato: national elections, celebrity endorsements, peace treaties, and why this debate can break friendships.
On April 29, 2026, Mobile Suit Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon. A guide for international Gundam fans on Japan's imperial decoration system, Tomino's global influence, the state of Gundam IP, and current games like SD Gundam G Generation Eternal.
Japan had FIVE earthquakes of intensity 5 or higher in April 2026, including a magnitude 7.7 offshore Sanriku quake. Casualties: zero deaths, zero collapses. How? The 1981 building code, a 21-story 'fortress' built to survive a magnitude 8 hit, and one counterintuitive rule: don't run outside. A humorous look at the world's most earthquake-hardened country.
Yoshitaka Amano, the legendary illustrator behind Final Fantasy's iconic art, has donated fusuma (sliding door) paintings to Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Shrine. From April 25 to May 10, 2026, visitors can see these never-before-shown works themed around 'Light and Darkness.' Admission about $6.30. A rare opportunity for fans and art lovers alike.
Tokyo-based Minyo Crusaders' third album 'From Japan with Love' arrives June 26, and remarkably, North American release comes via the legendary Blue Note Records. Featuring guest vocalists Chitose Hajime, Saya Asakura, and Colombia's Frente Cumbiero, the album reimagines Japanese folk songs through cumbia, Afrobeat, and salsa. Here's why the world is finally discovering Japan's roots music.
The 8.5-million-copy biblio-mystery series Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou finally gets a TV anime for 2027, produced by CloverWorks with director Mamoru Kanbe (Elfen Lied). Nearly a decade after an anime film was announced but never materialized, fans' long wait is over. Teaser PV and main cast revealed.
On April 22, 2026, the world's first global matcha industry body launched in Tokyo. Led by 28-year-old tea master Ryo Iwamoto, the International Matcha Association (IMA) brings together the CEO of the Specialty Coffee Association, UC Davis tea scholars, and Future Food Institute to tackle counterfeiting and the absence of international standards in a $4.4 billion global market.
Ainoshima, a tiny island off Fukuoka, is home to roughly 200 cats that outnumber its 270 human residents. Named one of CNN's top 6 cat spots worldwide, this heart-shaped island is going viral again on TikTok and Instagram in spring 2026. Discover the fishing village coexistence, TNR efforts, and how to visit.