Japan

Beloved movie moment, brought to life in a beautifully crafted musical diorama. Throughout its four-decades-long history of making animated movies, Studio Ghibli has created some incredibly magical and touching moments that stay with us long after watching the film. One of those moments is the first meeting between young character Mei and giant forest dweller Totoro in the 1988 film My Neighbour Totroro, where Mei tumbles from an opening in a tree trunk and discovers the sleeping creature. Afte

Butler Association Japan wants to provide training in legitimate maid skills, but says they can be applied to other professional fields as well. “Maid School Japan” sounds like a pre-formed multimedia franchise. It’s extremely easy to imagine the trajectory of a 13-episode anime series about earnest newly enrolled students studying to become the best maids in Japan, followed by the gag manga spinoff, mobile game with plentiful alternate costume gacha-style purchases, collaboration cafe, and sub

Railway fans are full of praise for this heartwarming display of thoughtful customer service. For railway fans in Japan, few station sights are as nostalgic as the “patapata” departure board. Affectionately named after the “patapata” (Japanese onomatopoeia for a clattering sound) they made, these mechanical split-flap displays clattered away on station platforms as they flipped through destinations and departure times, creating a distinctive sound and mesmerising visual that became

Eating unlimited doughnuts isn’t as easy as you might think. Krispy Kreme Japan is marking its 20th birthday this year with a very surprising celebration—its first-ever all-you-can-eat event. Limited to 216 customers via a special lottery, with applications currently open and event dates scheduled for 30 July–18 August, we were able to try the offer ourselves ahead of the official launch to find out just how many doughnuts you can eat when they’re available in infinite quantities. ▼ The v

Claims it was an accident, police not so sure. A trip to the post office is, ideally, pretty dull. Sure, everyone likes a little adventure now and then to spice up their life, but when you’re just going to mail a package or buy some stamps, no one is really in the mood for much drama or suspense surrounding the transaction. Unfortunately, customers and worker at the Ryumachi Post Office in Nagoya on July 1 didn’t have the typical/ideal routine morning, as shortly before noon a man entered the p

Prepare for pan-Pacific pirate play. We often report on special events and campaigns going on in Japan, which can be frustrating for people in other countries who’d like to take part but can’t travel during that time. But every so often, there comes a tie-up between partners so big that it transcends borders. Such a monumental event is coming to both Japan and the USA as anime and manga stalwart One Piece makes its presence known in Round 1 amusement centers in both countries at the same time f

A Pokémon event to get both excited and sleepy about. Last month, the city of Yokohama hosted Sanrio Fes 2026, with Hello Kitty and her pals showing up in decorations and events in the bayside Minato Mirai district. With Sanrio Fes now finished, Hello Kitty and crew have said goodbye to the neighborhood, but some of the empty spaces they’ve left behind apparently look like great nap spots to a whole bunch of Pokémon. Later this month, visitors to the Landmark Plaza shopping center will find a

Forget sweet sandos, 7-Eleven wants us to explore the world of sweet burgers. 7-Eleven Japan is famous for its sweet sandwiches, commonly filled with fruit and cream, but now the chain is shaking up the convenience store scene by bringing out a new sweet burger. Called “Rare Cheese & Almond with Orange Peel Sweets Burger”, or “Brioche with Cheese Cream, Almond & Orange Peel” in English, this new treat was released on 23 June and is already creating a buzz online, so we picked one up at

Beautiful soft cloth versions of iconic Ghibli scenes warm the heart and inspire the spirit. Though they’ve come around to the idea of using more digital effects in some of their recent productions, Studio Ghibli is still strongly associated with producing animation via classical techniques. But while it would be cool to own a strip of film from one of Ghibli’s anime movies, such a collectible wouldn’t be a very practical item, nor would it be the kind of thing you’d feel secure carrying around

If you happen to travel around rural Japan by rail, there’s a chance you’ll encounter a cat stationmaster. Japan has a few remarkable local train lines where a friendly feline will see your train out in the morning or greet you as you pass through the ticket gate. Japan’s aging population directly led to the emergence of the cat stationmaster, driven by economic challenges in rural areas as young people move to larger cities for school and work. However, kawaii (cute) cultur

Two star brands join forces to celebrate the Japanese festival of star-crossed lovers. Stars have a special significance in Japan at the start of summer, as the Tanabata Festival is celebrated on 7 July. This annual festival marks the mythical reunion of celestial lovers Orihime (represented by the real star Vega) and Hikoboshi (represented by real star Altair), who were separated and forced to reside on opposite sides of the Milky Way by Orihime’s father, the King of Heaven, as punishmen

Looks like someone told Hello Kitty and friends how to get (how to get) to Sesame Street. We recently took a look at the results of this year’s Sanrio Character Ranking election, in which fans from around the world cast their votes to determine the cutest stars in Japan’s most prominent kawaii character community. But while it has dozens upon dozens of adorable icons, the company is always happy to collaborate with characters from outside the Sanrio family too, and their latest partner is Sesam

Supporting characters from My Neighbour Totoro are the star of this new merchandise range.  Studio Ghibli has such a talent for animated character design that it even manages to make clumps of soot look cute. These “Soot Sprites”, known as “Kurosuke” in the Ghibli world, bounce, float, and scurry through the scenes they appear in, acting as humorous surprise companions to the main characters in the films they appear in. First appearing in the 1988 film My Neighbour Totoro, the Soot Sprites star

As of July, it now costs more both to enter and leave Japan. Last week, the Japanese government decided “Hey, let’s raise the fees for foreigners who need a visa to enter the country by 400 percent!” That new pricing went into effect on Wednesday, but on the same day the government made it more expensive to leave Japan too by tripling the departure tax for travelers flying out of Japan. Departure taxes are something that many international travelers don’t really think about, because in the vast

Conquer Japan’s tallest mountain in style with a lineup born from the restoration of an ancient pilgrimage path. The ultimate symbol of Japan, Mt. Fuji, has long played a role in the culture of the nation, far greater than that of simply being the country’s tallest mountain. It has served as a spiritual landmark, and a muse for woodblock prints and poetry, while summiting the mountain has become a bucket-list item for residents and travelers alike. Every climbing season, thousands of hikers mak

Amongst all the viral convenience store food finds, this is a hidden gem. 7-Eleven Japan is known for many things, like coffees, sandwiches and smoothies, but one thing you might not know about the chain is it does a mean burrito. First launched in 1983, 7-Eleven’s burrito range has been a bestseller for more than 40 years, and now there’s a new Mexican-inspired flavour with a hot and spicy kick that’s said to be great for summer. Called “Tacos Meat Salsa Cheese”, or “Pork Taco Meat &

Clever use of sagara embroidery gives the beautiful black feline a fur-like feel.  Not every outing calls for a large bag, especially in Japan where many people shop for groceries regularly or carry a bento boxed lunch to work or school. Here with a cute solution for those everyday occasions is Studio Ghibli specialty chain Donguri Kyowakoku, with the release of a mini bag featuring Jiji from Kiki’s Delivery Service. ▼ Kiki’s Delivery Service “Jiji and Broom” Mini Bag M

Summer in Kansai has officially begun! Start the season with our best picks for Osaka area events for July that range from historic art exhibits to traditional Japanese festivals and more. July 1 – 7July 8 – 14 July 15 – 21 July 22 – 31 July 1 – 7 Sanno Museum of Art: Renoir’s 185th Anniversary Exhibition This collection presents about 50 Renoir works in the Sanno Museum of Art, tracing the painter’s warm, light-filled approach to portraits, figures, and scenes of everyday life.&nbs

Tokyo celebrates summer in July with fireworks, lantern festivals, flower fields and festival food. Wear a yukata and enjoy some of the city’s best events. From traditional matsuri to modern summer fun, check out our picks for Tokyo area events for July 2026. July 1–7July 8–14July 15–21July 22–31 July 1–7 Iriya Morning Glory Festival (Asagao Matsuri) Japan’s largest morning glory festival fills the streets around Iriya Kishimojin Temple with more than 100 stalls selling colorfu

Mosh is a posh Mos. Mos Burger has been a fixture in the Japanese fast food scene for decades, but as we’ve seen from chains that have found success and chains that just seem to fizzle, constant innovation is needed to thrive in this market. In that spirit, Mos Burger has reimagined itself in the form of Mosh Burger & Bar, which opened on 1 July in the ritzy Ginza district of Tokyo. This version of Mos Burger operates on a bar & grill format with both full dining options and a bar sect