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Studio Ghibli releases a musical diorama based on a touching anime scene from My Neighbour Totoro

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.After c

Japan has a new maid school, and it’s now accepting applicants for its first term

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 subse

Japanese train company brings back beloved “patapata” departure board…with a clever digital twist

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 in

We try Krispy Kreme Japan’s first-ever all-you-can-eat doughnut deal

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 venu

Foreign resident of Japan arrested after spraying bear repellant inside post office

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 post

One Piece docking at Round 1 amusement centers in both Japan and the USA

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 for

Giant sleeping Snorlax coming to Yokohama as part of Pokémon Sleep Sleeping Faces fan event

A Pokémon event to get both excited and sleepy about.Last month, the city of Yokohamahosted 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 giant

7-Eleven Japan now sells a tiny dessert burger but is this convenience store sweet worth the hype?

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 ou

Studio Ghibli film towels with English dialogue lines are cinematically cool and cute[Photos]

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 w

Starbucks Japan teams up with Converse Tokyo for a new limited-edition collection in honour of Tanabata

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 punishment

Sanrio collaborates with Sesame Street for adorable merch and sweets in Japan[Photos]

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 Sesame

Studio Ghibli brings Totoro Soot Sprites out of the anime shadows for a new bag and pouch collection

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 started

Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country

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 ma

Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir

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 make

7-Eleven Japan has a lot of famous food, but its new burrito needs to be on your radar

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 & Ch

Studio Ghibli adds a new Jiji mini bag to its anime merchandise shop in Japan

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 BagMade f

Mos Burger opens fancy burger shop and bar in Ginza, Tokyo

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 section

Japanese overnight sightseeing train returns for summer with ramen stops and ocean views

This train turns the journey from Kyoto into a holiday highlight. One of Japan’s most unique sightseeing trains is about to return for another summer season, with the West Express Ginga set to begin operations on its Kii Peninsula route from 3 July.Operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West), the train runs between Kyoto and Shingu and offers a range of special onboard and station-based experiences. Designed as a rolling showcase of the region, the service combines coastal views with

Japan’s Mocchurin donuts declared too popular to exist by creator Mister Donut, will disappear soon

Mister Donut saw all the Mocchurin that it had made, and they were very good…too good, in fact.Sadly, not every attempted innovation in the world of sweets pans out. Sometimes, would-be mad geniuses turn out to simply be madmen, and humanity shuns their too-bold-for-their-own-good creations such as spaghetti-flavored popsicles and cakes with bits of tuna in them.As Japan’s favorite donut chain for the past few decades, though, Mister Donut has a very good track record when it comes to maki

Studio Ghibli mini towels add anime flair to a Japanese cultural tradition

Beloved Ghibli characters want to hold your hand and welcome you into the Japanese world of mini towels.If you’ve ever been to a restroom in Japan that doesn’t have an automatic hand dryer, then you might have seen a local reach into their pocket or handbag and pull out a little square towel to wipe their hands. This is one of Japan’s lesser-known cultural quirks, as people grow up carrying these mini towels to wipe their hands in such situations, and it’s so ingrained in the culture that you’ll