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You’ll never win cash or prizes or cash at this Tokyo pachinko parlor, and that’s why it’s so cool

Tampopo is part pachinko parlor, part video game arcade, and part museum.Being a man of culture, when our ace reporter Mr. Sato is out and about in the suburbs and sees on the map that there’s a “game center” (as Japanese arcades are called) on the map, he often goes to check them out. This isn’t because he’s a hardcore gamer (though he’s got some impressive in-game victories under his belt), but because a lot of times suburban arcades have a lineup of retro games, and visiting them feels like t

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Suspected yakuza member arrested for having frequent flyer mile account

Not quite as glamourous as a secret bank account.For most people doing long-haul domestic travel in Japan, the Shinkansen is their default method of getting from Point A to far-away Point B. However, sometimes it’s just as quick, if not quicker, to fly, especially if you’re starting at one end of the country and going all the way to the other.In addition, while Shinkansen tickets are more or less constant in price, airfares fluctuate, so if you time your trip right, flying can be quicker and mor

The Pokémon anime studio’s next project is a Scooby-Doo anime, Yokoso Scooby-Doo

Scooby, Scooby-Doo, where are you? Ah, you’re in Japan!Over the past few years, Japan has become one of the world’s most popular destinations for international travelers, with everyone from overseas otaku to major celebrities putting it on their travel itineraries. And soon Japan will be adding a few more high-profile guests, with the announcement of a new Scooby-Doo animated series that’s not only set in Japan, but animated by a major anime studio.Warner Bros. has unveiled Yokoso Scooby-Doo, a

McDonald’s Japan’s new Chiikawa Happy Meal figures are here![Photos]

New tie-up with hit anime comes with anti-scalper strategy.Fast food and anime figures are two of the reliable simple sources of joy in life, and yet there was some trepidation about combining the two of them as McDonald’s Japan launched a collaboration with the Chiikawa franchise last week. Chiikawa Happy Meals went on sale on May 15, but there was worry that the promotion would be marred by the same sort of ugly behavior from scalpers that’s taken place in some of the chain’s previous high-pro

The Mandalorian and Grogu film inspires a new set of Ginza Cozy Corner mini cakes and more

Three Star Wars-themed collaborations from a galaxy far, far away appeal to both longtime and newer fans of the franchise.We’ve known about Japanese dessert chain Ginza Cozy Corner‘s penchant for mini cake sets for a while now. From home-grown cuties such as Pokémon to international collaborations like Marvel’s Avengers and Pixar films, it seems no characters are safe from getting the Cozy Corner cake treatment–which now includes iconic members of the Star Wars franchise.

Mister Donut’s beyond super soft and chewy beyond mochi mochi donuts have returned

Mocchurin are back, and they brought a new friend with them.As Japan’s leading donut chain, Mister Donut is always cooking up new treats, but last year they invented some new words too: mocchuri and Mocchurin. “Mocchuri” was the descriptor they came up with for something that’s extra mochi mochi, which is itself a Japanese word for something with a soft, chewy texture, like you’d find in a mochi rice cake. Mocchurin, meanwhile is the name Mister Donut gave to a new line of mocchuri donuts that w

Six towering historical warrior floats will grace Fukui’s Mikuni Festival for three days

This annual procession is the perfect stop for samurai buffs who enjoy traditional Japanese festivals with a warrior twist.The streets of Sakai, FukuiPrefecture, are about to be packed when the city’s Mikuni Festival kicks off on May 19 for three days. Considered one of the Hokuriku region of Japan’s “three great festivals,” the annual festival spans approximately 300 years of tradition. This year, six newly crafted floats over six meters (6.6 yards) in height that depict

Studio Ghibli adds mini pillows and massive mats to its anime merchandise store in Japan

My Neighbour Totoro is here to help you look and feel cool in traditional Japanese style. With the weather heating up in Japan, people across the nation are reaching into their cupboards and bringing out their fans, cotton bedding, and other cooling items to help cope with the rising temperatures.Those who like to stay cool in traditional Japanese style, however, will be reaching for items made with igusa, a soft rush grass that has been used here for centuries. Commonly used for tatami flooring

Self-proclaimed Americans arrested for breaking into Punch the monkey’s Japanese zoo habitat

Intruder enters home of beloved stuffed animal-loving macaque.Japan’s Ichikawa City Zoo attracted worldwide attention earlier this year as animal lovers around the globe heard about Punch, a newborn monkey who, after being rejected by his mother, bonded with an Ikea orangutang stuffed animal. Though Punch is the facility’s most famous resident, it has other adorable animals as well, such as alpacas, capybaras, and lesser pandas.However, despite the Ichikawa City Zoo not having any donkeys, there

Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan

A fun new way to learn kanji… and reward yourself for it at the same time.  It’s been just over two weeks since Kanji Ice opened a store in the historic district of Kamakura in Tokyo’s neighbouring Kanagawa Prefecture. The opening on 1 May was perfectly timed to precede Golden Week, a string of holidays on 3-6 May, which is known for being a busy travel and shopping period.While the store’s operators had hoped it would be busy, they couldn’t predict just how sought

This Tokyo Station sweets sensation sells out daily, but we finally got our hands on it

Mont Blanc The Hakuzan is a sweets shop so nice it’s named twice.Tokyo Station isn’t just one of the most important places in the city for travelers and commuters, but for sweets fans too. Both within the station itself and inside the attached Daimaru department store are an array of dessert specialty stores, and we’ve been wanting to try one of them for months now.Make no mistake, the reason we haven’t yet tried the desserts from Mont Blanc The Hakuzan, which opened in October, has nothing to d

Shochu maker on remote Japanese island plays music as its spirits age, flavor varies by genre

Rock shochu and reggae shochu really do taste different from each other.The island of Amami Oshima is part of Kagoshima Prefecture, and Kagoshima is usually pictured as making up the southwest tip of the island of Kyushu, one of Japan’s four main islands. Amami Oshima, though, is far, far away from the Kyushu coastline, so far away that the ferry from Kagoshima City takes 13 hours to get there.▼ The route from Kagoshima City to Amami Oshima, which can alternatively be reached by plane from Tokyo

Choc mint ice cream season hits Japan with a spectacular drinkable ice cream from Tully’s

Why go to Starbucks when you can find hidden gems like this at a locally born chain?Are you a Chokomintou supporter? If you are, then you will be gearing up for a very busy, and refreshing, summer in Japan, because Chokomintou means “Choco Mint Tou”, where “tou” (“political party”) humorously refers to the chocolate mint party, a faction despised by some and strongly supported by others.Choc mint is certainly a divisive flavour combination, but here in Japan,

Baskin-Robbins Japan’s 2026 popularity poll results are in and the champion flavor is crowned

One flavor still rules the nation.For the last five years, Baskin-Robbins Japan (colloquially known as “31”) has been holding an annual Flavor Election that petitions fans of its ice cream to vote for their top flavors to discover the nation’s favorite.Out of a possible 1,400 original flavors that could have been potentially chosen from across the 53 years it has been operating in Japan, Baskin-Robbins narrowed down the contenders to the top 100, based on their own data, for fans to vote on and

Melbourne to Host 2026 Asia-Oceania Satellite Conference

Meteorology is a global science Sharing knowledge and expertise benefits all nations, including Australia.We contribute to this global effort, working

7-Eleven Japan now sells canned water, but does funky packaging mean funky flavor?[Taste test]

Lotte’s canned water makes its convenience store debut.The first time you take a look at the drink section in a Japanese convenance store, you might be surprised by some of the packaging, specifically the things that you can buy in cans. Canned coffee and cocktails can be found in pretty much every convenience store in the country, and while not as common, canned teas aren’t all that shocking to see here either.But even we were surprised to find out that 7-Eleven Japan now sells canned water.The

The top 12 incomprehensible school rules, as chosen by high school students

Plus some surprising extra requirements, like having to say “thank you” at least 10 times a day. Every school in Japan has its own set of rules, and while many of these guidelines are perfectly understandable, there are some that are baffling, to say the least.This topic of nonsensical school rules was recently explored by Jukusen, one of Japan’s largest online directory and comparison platforms for cram schools, in a survey that targeted 104 high school students nationwide.Mor

Let’s hike a Japanese mountain (that isn’t Mt. Fuji) – Mt. Tsukuba[Photos]

A beautiful, highly customizable hike that’s an easy day-trip from Tokyo.We’re finally in that not-too-cold, not-too-hot sweet spot of spring weather in Japan, providing a prime window for all sorts of outdoor activities. While “climb Mt. Fuji” might be the one that most quickly comes to mind for travelers in Japan, the country’s tallest mountain won’t be open to hikers until midsummer, but today we’re taking a look at a different great mountain to hike that’s doable as a day trip from Tokyo.Mt.

Hundreds of rose bushes in bloom at Tokyo’s off-the-beaten-path, next-to-the-tracks flower street

Local road goes from trash dump to treasure.One of Tokyo’s largest and most beautiful collections of roses is in bloom right now. However, you won’t find them blooming inside a park or private garden, but right on the street in the Otsuka neighborhood in Toshima Ward.These beautiful flowers, which are in bloom right now, are located on what’s now called Otsuka Rose Road (or Otsuka Rose Street – the signage is sort of inconsistent). However, such a pretty name wasn’t always so fitting for the pla