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The adorable, delicious joy of the Totoro cream puff gift box[Taste test]

Turns out Studio Ghibli’s forest spirit is also a magical dessert.I don’t really have any close acquaintances who live in my neighborhood here in Japan. Sure, I’ve got plenty of friends, professional colleagues, in-laws, and even a brother whose family is occasionally in the country as part of the expanded Baseel family’s adventures in Asia, but no one who lives so close to my apartment that they’re going to pop in for a visit without letting me know ahead of time.So when someone appears at the

Tokyo cops arrest foreigner for suspected visa violation, don’t know what new residence cards look like

Seems like the people doing on-the-street immigration checks should know what immigration documents look like, doesn’t it?As we’ve talked about before, police officers in Japan sometimes engage ins something called shokumu shitsumon. Though it literally translates to “type of employment questioning,” in actuality shokumu shitsumon is a police tactic in which officers will stop someone on the street and ask them to show their ID and answer questions such as what they’re doing in the neighborhood.

South Asia unites to accelerate action on ending violence against children

Nepal, June 25 -- The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Government of Sri Lanka, UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA), the World Health Organization Regional Offices ...

Starbucks Japan reopens Shinkansen platform store after redesigning it for speed

Japan’s only Starbucks on a bullet train platform now has faster ways for passengers to get their coffee before boarding.Starbucks Japan has announced the reopening of its Shinkansen platform store at JR Shin-Yokohama Station on 24 June, following a temporary closure for renovations that began at the end of April.Operated by JR Central Retailing Plus, the store first opened in November last year as a new style of Starbucks based around a “Brewed to Go” concept. Designed to deliver a premium coff

Nintendo’s Animal Crossing crosses over to Baskin-Robbins Japan with special ice cream and merch

Nook Inc. takes part in delicious new business venture.Baskin-Robbins Japan’sDragon Quest promotion is down to its last few days, with the series’ Slime mascot set to shuffle off to Yoshinoya soon. Sweets fans don’t need to feel too bad about this, though, as some other adorable characters will be taking up temporary residence at Baskin-Robbins thanks to a collaboration with Nintendo’s Animal Crossing!Baskin-Robbins has teamed up with Nintendo before, but this is their first-ever Animal Crossing

Married Japanese man must pay 4.6 million yen after faking being single and impregnating partner

Falsifying a relationship status can land you with a massive bill.Romance is a beautiful thing: two strangers creating a bond that will tie them together for a lifetime of love and joy. Sadly, not every relationship endures, whether it be due to simply having different goals in life or being subjected to your partner’s dishonesty. In Japan, romantic deception can result in more than just tears, actually landing you in a civil court and facing a huge lawsuit, and a recent case demonstrates just h

Japanese theme park adding Immersive Death Game with a “bomb collar” you have to wear

Little kids are not allowed to play the death game inspired by Alice in Borderland at one of Japan’s favorite theme parks.Many would say that Japan’s Huis Ten Bosch theme park, located in Nagasaki Prefecture, is more about the atmosphere than the attractions. Inspired by the Dutch royal palace of the same name, Huis Ten Bosch doesn’t have any roller coasters, and it’s instead better known for its elegant architecture, beautiful flowers, and picturesque canals, some of which can be seen in the ph

Over a billion yen in smuggled gold found inside sex dolls by Japanese investigators

Unexpected objects found inserted into these love dolls.At the risk of being graphic, the whole point of love dolls is to insert things into them. However, the authorities in Japan were displeased when they came across a shipment of imported love dolls that had already been stuffed with something: smuggled gold.On June 22, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police announced the arrest of a group of six men and women on smuggling charges. The group is accused of arranging for the shipment of sex dolls from C

Family Mart Japan installs red-eyed “Monster Wolf” to keep bears away from convenience store

The giant wolf emits loud warning sounds and shouts out phrases like, “What are you looking at? Do you really think you can beat me?”Japanese convenience store chain Family Mart has introduced a wolf-shaped wildlife deterrent device at one of its stores in Kiryu, GunmaPrefecture, as part of efforts to prevent bear encounters.The device, called “Monster Wolf”, was installed beside the Family Mart Hinoya Kurohone Store on 24 June, marking the first time the technology has been tested at a convenie

TKG Debate: What’s the best way to eat Japan’s beloved raw egg comfort dish?

Even Japanese locals can’t agree on how to make this simple meal.Every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., our Japanese-language reporters go live on YouTube, and during last week’s stream, an unexpected debate broke out over how to eat one of Japan’s best-loved simple meals, TKG. Short for tamago kake gohan, which literally translates as “egg over rice”, this dish is as easy to make as it sounds – simply add raw egg to a bowl of rice and you’re ready to eat.As it turns out, though, there’s some debat

Totoro Soot Sprites are here to help keep your organized as adorable paper clips[Photos]

Sure, they may be messy in the anime, but these Ghibli Soot Sprites will help you keep your real-world paperwork tidy.It’s honestly impressive how iconic and universally recognized the standard paper clip design is. Not only will just about anyone immediately be able to mentally picture what you’re talking about if you say “paper clip shape,” there’s probably no other set of words that would reliably work as a description of that style of twisted wire.But just because that shape is iconic doesn’

Will we eat the gyoza or our words at this all-you-can-eat dumpling challenge?

One of our writers seeks to redeem himself at this all-you-can-eat gyoza deal for 2,000 yen (US$12.40).Just two months ago, our Japanese-language reporters P.K. Sanjun and Ahiruneko challenged themselves to see if Mister Donut’s 2,000-yen all-you-can-eat donut buffet deal was worth it or not. While both of them came out ahead, Ahiruneko was seriously close to being KO’d with a food coma. Enough time has passed since then that the pair were ready to take on a new challenge with all-yo

7-Eleven Japan now has Seven Cafe tea machines…but can they convert a coffee drinker?

Convenience store tea is having a moment this summer.In 2013, 7-Eleven Japan debuted its new “Seven Cafe” system of freshly made beverages, starting with a rollout of coffee machines that soon became a hit with customers around the nation. After becoming synonymous with freshly brewed coffee, the chain expanded its options with smoothie machines, and now, following up on a promise to install tea machines in around 2,000 stores by February 2026, the chain has its sights set on bringing tea drinke

Dragon Quest’s next quest is a journey to Yoshinoya for awesome Slime toy meals[Photos]

These are some Slimes we’d be happy to see while we’re eating.A huge part of Yoshinoya’s success is that while it’s a low-priced place to get a hot meal, eating there doesn’t feel “cheap.” The food is tasty, the portions are good, and the restaurants are clean. News of an upcoming infestation of Slimes at Yoshinoya might sound like a betrayal of the last point, but fear not, because these are Dragon Quest Slimes!Yes, the venerable RPG franchise is teaming up with the king of gyudon/beef bowls, i

Japan’s Yellow Shinkansen to be retired, last chances to ride it come with eye-popping prices

Usually impossible for travelers to ride, Doctor Yellow is no ordinary bullet train, and it won’t be around much longer.As the fastest and most technologically advanced trains in Japan, there’s always something special about spotting a Shinkansen. Certain bullet trains, though, are especially special, and arguably none more so than the yellow Shinkansen, Doctor Yellow.Sadly, though, the good doctor is going to be retiring soon, and operator Japan Railways is keeping the exact date of its final r

“Alcohol is the best medicine” removed from Japanese government website

A few beers a day keeps the doctor away, because you forgot your appointment.Japan has long been a country that has embraced alcohol consumption. After-work drinking was considered mandatory at almost every company not too long ago, and you can still find vending machines in some parts distributing beers and alcopops with the utmost convenience.Also, up until only a few months ago, you could go to the website of Japan’s National Tax Agency (NTA) and read “alcohol is the best medicine” in their I

7-Eleven Japan’s new sweets burger is a mouthwatering philosophical debate

Does this qualify as a new addition to the convenience store’s lineup of sweets sandwiches, or should it be considered something different?“Is a hamburger a sandwich?” is one of the most important philosophical debates that modern society grapples with. Though it’s yet to be definitively settled one way or another, time does march on, though, and now we find ourselves faced with a new question, one indirectly posed by 7-Eleven Japan.Is a sweets burger a sweets sandwich?Prompting this pondering i

Private Shinkansen Supreme Class Cabin pricing, start date, and details announced by Japan Railways

Profound luxury for travelers with deep pockets is coming later this year.Back at the start of the year, Japan Railways/JR announced that come the fall, it’ll be adding private booths to the Shinkansen bullet train network. As we get closer to the launch of the new service, JR Central and JR West have now revealed a slew of new details, including pricing and when reservations will open.The private booths will be called Supreme Class Cabins, and will be available on select bullet trains on the co

Hatsune Miku successfully wraps Miku Expo 2026 North America tour with 100,000 attendees

Almost 20 years after her debut, the Vocaloid virtual idol still has plenty of power to draw fans and transcend language barriers around the world.Virtual idol Hatsune Miku is showing no signs of slowing down after successfully wrapping up Miku Expo 2026 North America, her first American tour in two years. From April 12 through May 19, Miku, along with fellow Vocaloid singers Kagamine Rin, Kagamine Len, Megurine Luka, Meiko, and Kaito, held 19 performances in 15 cities, dazzling 100,000 concertg

Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer

Late-night high-speed service allows passengers to travel while they sleep, making better use of time and cutting hotel costs.Japan’s Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) has just announced plans to introduce an overnight high-speed train service on the Tokaido Shinkansen line this August, offering passengers the chance to travel between Tokyo and Osaka while sleeping on board.The special service, called the “Tokaido Lumière Express”, is scheduled to depart Tokyo Station at 10 p.m. on 8 Au