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Japan’s suicides fall to lowest recorded number ever, but one demographic hits all-time high

Statistics show overall situation is improving, but some at-risk individuals need more help than ever.Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has released the preliminary results of its annual study of suicides in Japan, with a mix of heartening and heartbreaking statistics.Let’s start with the good news. During 2025, the number of suicides in Japan dropped to 19,097. Not only do the 1,223 fewer suicides represent a six-percent decrease from the previous year, this is the first time for Ja

Japanese man gets drunk and falls asleep on Tokyo streets, then gets robbed by foreign national

They say no one sleeps in Tokyo’s nightlife districts, and here’s a good reason not too.On a night last December in Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood, a man had been out drinking, and, as is often the case after too much imbibing, found himself feeling rather drowsy. So when he got to Dogenzaka, he lay down and got some sleep.Dogenzaka, though, is not the name of a hotel or apartment complex. It’s not even the name of a coffin meditation salon, or any other sort of place where people are intended to

Morning-after pill finally available in Japan without a prescription, must be taken at pharmacy

After 15 years of needing a doctor’s permission, women and teens in Japan can now buy emergency contraceptives over the counter, but still with some strings attached.It’s always important to remember that cultural differences aren’t always cut along straight lines. For example, “love hotels,” hotels where amorous couples can rent a room by the hour, have been a thing in Japan for so long that even your grandparents might have fond memories of taking advantage of the convenient copulation spaces.

Is Starbucks Japan’s new extra-expensive Valentine’s Day espresso Frappuccino worth the price?

Starbucks is getting into Godiva territory with the price of its newest chocolate dessert drink, but is the quality there?Cheap prices have never really been the appeal of Starbucks. They are, after all, the chain that did more than any other to broadly popularize the idea among the mainstream masses that it’s worth paying extra for coffee of a quality that encourages sipping and savoring it in a relaxing, stylish interior space.And yet, there’s definitely some sticker shock involved with Starbu

Japan’s got a subscription service for pillows with or without plastic tubes inside

Why own a comfy pillow when you can lease one?How long have you had your current pillow? Some of us might not even be able to answer that question because it’s been so long. That’s the case for our writer Ahiruneko, who, at best guess, would say he’s been using the same one for about 20 years.▼ Ahiruneko’s current pillowFeeling it was about time for a change, he looked into getting a new one. That’s when he stumbled upon The Pillow, a subscription service where you pay 1,480 yen (US$10) pe

New Studio Ghibli stamps leave an impression on your stationery…and your heart

Dress up notebooks and sticky notes with memorable anime scenes from Japan.Ever since Studio Ghibli began making movies, fans have long been yearning for ways to incorporate the magic from the films in their everyday lives. Now, there’s a new way to do just that, thanks to a range of “Irodori Hanko” (“Colour Stamps“) being released by Ghibli specialty retail chain Donguri Kyowakoku.▼ There are five to collect in the lineup, each featuring a special scene from a Ghib

Japan cherry blossom forecast update moves up sakura dates for many parts of the country

Forecast shows you might need to move your cherry blossom plans in Japan up by a few days.We’ve got close to two months left to go until cherry blossom season starts in Japan, but we’re already keeping our eyes on the sakura. That’s because in addition to being some of Japan’s most beautiful flowers, the sakura only bloom for a short time, so knowing when this year’s batch will first appear is a key piece of information for floral fans making plans to go see them.The first sakura forecast for 20

And now, we eat a bear paw we bought in Japan’s Chiba Prefecture【Taste test】

Bear with Seiji as he cooks up some high-quality, high-rarity meat.When talking about food in Japanese, it’s not uncommon for people, in conversational settings, to simply say “meat” instead of referring to any one particular kind. Maybe it has something to do with syllable counts and word lengths, as it’s quicker to just say the Japanese word for “meat,” niku, instead of the ones for “beef,” “chicken,” or “pork” (gyuniku, toriniku, and butaniku, respectively).In any case, it’s not startling or

Bacha Coffee opens in Japan…but is it worth the hype?

We line up to try one of the most unusual, and expensive, coffee experiences in Tokyo. Back in December, a new flagship store opened in Tokyo’s posh Ginza district, and it’s been drawing huge crowds ever since. Called Bacha Coffee, this new arrival is the first flagship store in Japan for one of the world’s largest specialty coffee brands, boasting a 115-year history that can be traced back to Marrakech, Morocco.Our reporter and self-proclaimed coffee lover, Mr Sato, decided to

Denny’s new Japanese parfait looks totally different depending on what angle you look at it from

Pictured: A towering, sensibly sized dessert.Tragically, “There’s always room for dessert” is more an idealistic philosophy than an actual measurement of stomach capacity. As such, there may be times when your taste buds and heart are longing for you to treat yourself to a giant parfait, but you know you won’t be able to eat the whole thing.Now you could, of course, order a small parfait…but do you really want to do that? Half the fun of ordering a parfait is the excitement of seeing that

Spirited Away adds a dash of Ghibli beauty to hanafuda flower cards【Photos】

Characters and creatures from the anime masterpiece step into the world of Japan’s traditional card game.Hanafuda, once you break it down into its linguistic parts, is a fairly straightforward term. Hana is Japanese for “flower,” and fuda means “cards,” so hanafuda are playing cards with pictures of flowers on them.There are a total of 48 cards in the deck, divided up into 12 groups of four, each representing a month of the year and bearing illustrations of flowers or other plant life associated

A spotlight on Japanese singles figure skating: Sliding onto the World Stage【Pt. I】

In this two-part series just in time for the 2026 Winter Olympics, we’re taking a look at Japanese skaters who have shaped the sport past and present.With Milano Cortina 2026(February 6-22) rapidly approaching, we thought we’d take a moment to spotlight the indelible mark that Japanese figure skaters have left on the oldest winter Olympic sport, which dates back to the 1908 London Olympics. In this two-part series, we’ll briefly explore key figures in recent Japanese skating hi

Anime isn’t like reality: Japanese police arrest man holding three knives, one in his mouth

Leave the three-blade techniques to One Piece’s Zoro.What’s the appropriate number of knives to be holding? It’s a question for which the answer really depends on the circumstances. If, for instance, you’re in the process of shampooing your hair or playing basketball, you probably don’t want to be holding any knives. However, there are a lot of activities for which having one knife is perfectly appropriate, such as if you’re cooking a meal or whittling woodwork. Two knives? Things are getting qu

Escape from downtown Tokyo! How far from the city center can you get by rental bike in 8 hours?

We get on rental bikes in the heart of Japan’s biggest city and ride until we run out of daylight.Japan’s Hello Cycling bicycle rental network offers a handy service. Using the Hello Cycling app, you can search for available bikes near you, get an unlock code, and be pedaling on your way in mere seconds, with payment made through your credit card or other cashless means such as the PayPay app.Something that really makes Hello Cycling handy is that after renting a bike, you can return it at any o

Chinese government tells citizens to not travel to Japan during Chinese New Year

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Japan has too many criminals and earthquakes to be safe for Chinese people.In Japan, the Year of the Horse has been underway since January 1, since the country doesn’t observe the lunar calendar. Even still, many people in Japan are aware that on this year Chinese New Year falls on February 17, because as one of China’s longest vacation periods, it brings with it some of the largest crowds of Chinese tourists to Japan.At least, that’s what usually happens

Have the berry best vacay at one of these five strawberry-picking experiences in Japan

If you’re in a jam about what to do this winter, you may want to pick something sweet.While I tend to associate strawberry picking with the early summer in my corner of the world, strawberries in Japan are often associated with the winter months, thanks to the abundance of climate-controlled greenhouses and the use of the fruit on desserts like the ubiquitous strawberry shortcake Christmas cakes. Japanese-developed cultivars are also steadily gaining international recognition, with the pre

Japan has a new bar just for people thinking about quitting their jobs, and the drinks are free

Tenshoku Sodan Bar seeks to fill a need that’s not served by the traditional job-hunting process.Go for a walk around most major train stations in Japan, and you’ll see a lot of bars. There are izakaya, pubs with a wide assortment of small side dishes to munch on as you drink. There are wine bars, whiskey bars, and sake bars, and if you venture farther into the back alleys, hostess bars too.But if you’re thirsty and strolling around Yokohama Station, you’ll find an especially unique watering hol

Studio Ghibli turns My Neighbour Totoro characters into bag charms for everyday adventures

Totoro and the Catbus add warm and fuzzy anime charm to winter in Japan.There are plenty of ways to show your love for Studio Ghibli films and characters. You could, for instance, take a walk in Totoro’s real-world forest in Japan, or send cute envelopes between friends. Or, you could strap your love onto a bag and sling it over your shoulder, with a couple of bag charms from My Neighbour Totoro.These charms have an indelible charm, thanks to a mix of Sagara, chain, and machine stitch embr

Starbucks Japan releases a new Valentine’s Day Frappuccino…with a special dipping waffle cookie

Billed as “the ultimate Valentine’s Day treat”, this new release is more than a drink – it’s an exclusive experience.Valentine’s season is in full swing at Starbucks in Japan, where we’ve been feeling the love through exclusive drinkware and the limited-edition, red-tinged Cacao & Strawberry Mousse Frappuccino. Now, we’re being seduced with a delicious new romantic suitor, the Cacao Espresso Affogato Frappuccino, which is said to be “the ultima

If you haven’t tried an antenna shop in Japan, you’re missing out

We found one antenna that gets a ten, uh…A unique kind of shopping experience in Japan can be found at its “antenna shops.” These are stores run by governments in other prefectures, as a way to show off particularly good products that can be found there, especially when it comes to food, and give local producers a chance to get footholds in other markets.When in Tokyo, you can find an antenna shop for nearly every prefecture in Japan within a one-kilometer radius of Tokyo Station. Our writer Tas