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Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Nanohana, fuji, and more reasons to get out and see Japan’s springtime flowers.All of the seasons are celebrated in Japanese culture, but there’s a special mix of liberation and fun that comes with the arrival of spring. As the snow thaws and flowers start to bloom, many people are in the mood for their first extended outdoor excursions in weeks, if not months, and ready with suggestions is Japanese travel portal Jalan.Jalan conducted a survey, collecting 1,054 responses from its users between t
Is this Tokyo government office still one of the best places in the city for a curry rice lunch?
Shinjuku Ward Office has a restaurant that’s open to anyone, but have they kept up their quality and value since our last visit?With Tokyo being as big as it is, it isn’t really practical to have all of its 14 million-plus residents use the same single city hall. Because of that, each ward of the city has its own ward office where you can take care of official paperwork and procedures, such as updating ID cards, registering marriages, and make health insurance payments.Oh, and in the case of the
Tokyo bus line praised for handling of driver’s mental health
Driver driven to not drive by customer complaint.Late last month, someone posted online about an incident that occurred on a Toei Bus line departing from Tokyo Big Sight. At the time the driver of the bus closed the doors just as a passenger was approaching. The passenger got angry and shouted at the driver, “You saw me there! Why did you close the doors?”At that point, the driver contacted Toei Bus, told them he wasn’t in the right mental state to drive, and requested for his bus to be suspende
Is Japan’s Crab-shaped Cup Ramen Timer worth the hype?
This crustacean does more than just keep time on your three-minute instant noodles.Back in October, ramen lovers in Japan began scrambling for a hot new noodle accessory called the Crab-shaped Cup Ramen Timer. As the name suggests, this little crustacean keeps time so you can know when your three-minute noodles are ready, and it does it in such a cute way that it instantly became a sell-out hit.So when we were at a branch of drugstore chain Welcia the other day, we did a double take when we saw
Starbucks Japan offers special sakura picnics at Reserve Roastery Tokyo beside Meguro River
Enjoy a special experience at one of the best cherry blossom viewing spots in Tokyo.If you’re looking for a place where you can sip on Starbucks while admiring the cherry blossoms in Japan, the Reserve Roastery Tokyo is an ideal destination. Set beside the Meguro River, one of Tokyo’s most popular hanami flower-viewing sites, this multi-storey building has expansive views from which to view the rows of cherry blossom trees that line the waterway, and this year it’ll be holding
Spring pollen may be damaging your skin, so what’s Japan’s best moisturizing anti-hay fever spray?
Tell the plants “No, thank you!” to stinging skin with these five popular sprays. The shift into spring brings warmer weather, beautiful flowers, and the unwelcome addition of insanely high levels of pollen. I know of many people who have claimed to have not suffered from any sort of hay fever back in their own countries, but after spending any length of time in Japan, they join the rest of us with itchy eyes and running noses.▼ No one is safe from the pollen-ocalypse.Even if you’re
Starbucks Japan releases a new Cream Puff Frappuccino for a limited time
Exclusive drinks will make you feel like you’re biting into a choux cream pastry.Starbucks is a leader in the world of dessert drinks, but its newest release looks set to raise the bar even further, with two drinks inspired by cream puffs, or “shu cream” (“choux creme”) as they’re known in Japanese.Designed with the chain’s springtime theme of “Spring is the season for dreams to bloom” in mind, these two beverages are said to make you feel li
Cherry blossom Totoro cake brings pink sakura sweetness to Tokyo this White Day
Ghibli-themed sweets shop puts together a cherry blossom viewing party for a pair of Totoros.Last month, we looked at some very tasty, and cute, chocolate Valentine’s Day treats from Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory, Tokyo’s Ghibli-themed confectioner. Japan has a sweets-centered celebration in March too, though, as March 14 is White Day, when guys are expected to give thank-you gifts to the women who gave them chocolate on Valentine’s Day.So Shirohige is getting set to start baking a lineup of sp
Which of Japan’s main coffee shop chains is best for a caffeine-free life?
Hunting for Japan’s best caffeine-free drinks in these temples to caffeine.There are a myriad of reasons to keep your caffeine in check, be it pregnancy, health, or just to ensure a good night’s sleep. The real struggle starts when you start to eat out, or pick up beverages on the go, because trying to figure out how many caffeine-free options are available takes more than just a quick glance at a menu. So, let’s explore the caffeine-free landscape of three of Japan’s major coffeehouse cha
Silicone testicle covers banned from Japanese sauna following cups being left behind and on shelves
“People don’t forget to take their testicles with them when they go home” says sauna in explaining new policy.Most of the posts made through the official Twitter account of Sauna Monkey, a sauna and bathhouse located in downtown Nagoya, are pretty mundane. There’s information about limited-time discounts, promotional events, and other little everyday updates. But on February 28, Sauna Monkey put out a much more unique announcement:“Thank you very much for your continued patronage of Sauna Monkey
Asia’s leading geospatial industry meeting focuses on the impact of AI, robotics & autonomy in a data driven economy
The 6th edition of the two-day Geo Connect Asia will open on March 31 in Singapore, with record attendance expected from leading Singaporean and regional government agencies, enterprise decision-makers and global experts. Co-located with Digital Construction Asia, Drones & Uncrewed Asia, and Ocean Connect Asia, the event is expected to attract more than 3,000 attendees.
Mister Donut unveils new sakura doughnuts for cherry blossom season 2026
Proof that hanami flower-viewing season is a delicious time of year in Japan.Every March, we look forward to the blooming of the sakura trees…and the blossoming of sakura sweets around Japan. One of the biggest purveyors of limited-time sakura sweets is Mister Donut, who’s become well known for its annual “Sakura Mochitto” doughnut range. With “mochitto” referencing the doughnuts’ squidgy, mochi-like texture, this is a collection that ticks a lot of boxe
Japan asked to vote on what to officially call insanely hot days
Good idea to hold the election before it’s too hot to think.The days are starting to warm up here in Japan, and while that used to be a nice thing, I can’t help but be filled with a sense of dread at what’s to come. I think I’m at the bargaining stage of grief, where I’m praying for even a few weeks of bone-chilling weather just so we can make winter last a little bit longer.It’s pretty much a given that this will be the hottest year on record, because every year has been the hottest year
Japanese government planning higher ticket prices for foreign tourists at Tokyo National Museum
Agency for Cultural Affairs wants two-tiered ticket pricing system at 12 National Museums.Located in Tokyo’s Ueno Park, the Tokyo National Museum is considered by many to be the finest museum in Japan. Filled with centuries’ worth of historically significant artwork and artifacts, it’s a must-visit for anyone with an interest in Japan’s cultural legacy, but if you’re a foreign tourist, the Japanese government wants you to start paying more than locals do for a ticket.The Tokyo National Museum is
Studio Ghibli now sells Ursula’s backpack from Kiki’s Delivery Service at its anime shop in Japan
Channel the cool confidence of a Ghibli character with a real-world bag…that comes with a giant price tag.Journeys, both figurative and literal, are a recurring motif in a lot of Studio Ghibli movies, and it’s not just limited to the main characters, as members of the supporting cast are keen to explore new worlds too. While some journeys are treacherous, others are filled with fun experiences, and one character who makes travel seem like an exciting adventure is Ursula from KikiR
Visiting Japan’s one-and-only, and only-for-a-limited-time, Dragon Ball noodle restaurant[Photos]
Marugame Seimen branch in downtown Tokyo transforms into an anime eatery with awesome artwork inside and out.One of Japan’s most popular udon noodle restaurant chains is named Marugame Seimen, with the Marugame part meaning “circle turtle.” For anime fans, though, the combination of “circle” and “turtle” might also have them thinking of Dragon Ball, since hero Goku and the other disciples of Master Roshi, a.k.a. the Turtle Sage, wear uniforms bearing the kanji character for “turtle,” 亀, inside a
7-Eleven Japan now sells bagels…cooked in bamboo steamers
Like a bagel masquerading as a Chinese steamed bun.You never know what you might find when you stop by 7-Eleven, and we were reminded of exactly that on a trip to the chain recently, when we spotted something unusual in the case displaying Chinese steamed buns on the counter.There, in the heated display, were bagels, and to our surprise these weren’t ordinary bagels, as they had been steamed in a bamboo steamer, like the chain’s steamed buns. ▼ Needless to say, we immediately purchas
Over four billion yen in lost cash was found in Tokyo last year, setting new record
Billions turned in to police, and billions returned to owners.Botanists and economists agree that money doesn’t grow on trees, but it turns out that there’s actually a whole lot of cash to be found in the concrete jungle of Tokyo. With March being the start of the fiscal year, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police have released their annual statistics regarding lost and found property in the city, and a record-breaking amount of yen was turned in over the past year.In total, the police received more tha
Japan’s Human Washing Machine pods are now on sale for home use, and they’re not cheap
But can you really put a price on this kind of science fiction-grade luxury?When visitors to last year’s Expo 2025 world’s fair in Osaka saw that Japanese company Science was displaying a human washing machine pod, it must have felt like a vision of the future, and it was. However, this wasn’t a vision of the future of many centuries, decades, or even years ahead, but actually just a sneak-peak at what was coming in a few months, as you can now officially walk into one of Japan’s most popular el
Starbucks Japan has a limited-edition candle…that hasn’t sold out yet
Does this mean the candle isn’t any good? Starbucks is famous for its limited-edition wares, especially in Japan where you can get everything from sakura mugs and tumblers through to chocolatey Valentine’s Day goods.While most of these goods are only available for a limited time and disappear quickly from shelves, one product appears to have lingered longer than expected, because despite being released for Christmas, we were lucky enough to find it at one store in February.▼ The prod