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Japan has only one airport named after a samurai, so let’s check out Kochi Ryoma【Photos】
Local legend Sakamoto Ryoma was all about modernizing Japan.Most airports in Japan simply borrow their names from the surrounding geography. The city that Narita Airport is in, for example, is also called Narita, and Kansai International Airport sits right in the middle of the country’s Kansai region.But there’s one, and only one, airport in Japan that gets its name from a person, and a samurai at that: Kochi Ryoma Airport. Yes, it is located in Kochi Prefecture, the southwest quarter of the isl
Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service returns to theaters with first-ever IMAX screenings and remaster
Latest proof that Studio Ghibli anime has become prestige international cinema arrives this spring.Among the many things that make Ghibli special is that they’re one of Japan’s only animation studios to work almost exclusively within the field of theatrical anime. Aside from a few quickly forgotten forays into TV specials, Ghibli anime were designed to be seen on the big screen in order to fully convey both the grand and subtle details of the animators’ intricately crafted worlds and expressive
Family Mart’s Shibuya Cat Street shop hosts first-ever rescue cat photo exhibition for Cat Day
In addition to selling delectable cat-themed sweets, the convenience store chain wants to increase cat adoptions and pet food donations.Family Mart has celebrated Japan’s Cat Day (February 22) since 2022 with all kinds of adorable, feline-themed snacks and a tongue-in-cheek name change to “Family Nyart” (nya meaning “meow” in Japanese). The now-annual campaign has proven to be a major success, with Nekonomics (neko is “cat”)–the term for revenue dr
Development of Puyo Puyo puzzle game for use in nursing homes underway
Make your golden years your red, green, and blue years.Puyo Puyo is a beloved puzzle game that can be casually enjoyed by people of all ages, as well as in highly competitive eSports. In it, players must arrange falling rows of slimes and match their colors to earn points and keep the screen clear. ▼ If you feel that sounds like a bit of a Tetris rip-off, know that the two have settled their differences.Puyo Puyo is especially popular in Japan and is now setting its sights on helping the aging p
Survey finds that one in five high schoolers don’t know who music legend Masaharu Fukuyama is
We simply cannot accept the results and now feel compelled to rectify this grievous generational lack of knowledge among the youth of Japan.As far as legendary solo singer-songwriters of Japan go, perhaps no one is higher on the list than Masaharu Fukuyama (福山 雅治), nicknamed Masha, who turned 57 years old earlier this month. Known for his myriad of accolades in the entertainment industry including his prolific acting career, Fukuyama is THE celebrity of choice that the vast majority of middle-ag
Saitama is home to the best strawberries in Japan that you’ve probably never even heard of
Central prefecture quietly becomes the strawberry capital of Japan.It’s strawberry season again in Japan, but for people like our writer Tasuku Egawa that doesn’t mean a whole lot aside from some interesting baked goods at Family Mart. However, for people like his friend, who is a devout strawberry follower and has not only traveled across the country to sample different varieties but also taken an exam to become a licensed strawberry sommelier, it is the best time of year.One day, while listeni
Highest Starbucks in Japan set to open this spring in the Tokyo sky
New cafe will offer beautiful views of the city, Mt. Fuji, and cherry blossoms.In Japanese, the word for expensive is takai. So when Starbucks Japan announced that they’ll soon be opening the most takai branch of the chain in all Japan, I thought it was kind of an odd thing to bragging about, though, given the fact that they also recently announced an expansion of their location-based pricing system, maybe not the biggest surprise.In a happy twist for cafe fans, though, the company was actually
Skyscraper sized Pokémon cards to appear in Tokyo all year long in Tocho projection mapping event
Tokyo’s 242.9-meter (797-foot) city hall will be lit up with Pokémon cards starting this spring.There aren’t many better examples of how sometimes big things come in small packages than Pokémon cards. They may just be little pieces of paper, but they’ve brought joy to millions of fans around the world, bridging generations, sparking imagination, and serving as goodwill ambassadors for Japanese pop culture.So starting this spring, they’ll be getting displays with dimensions more in line with thei
Adorable Totoro acorn key holders come with a special guest hidden inside[Photos]
Donguri Kyowakoku lives up to its name with this Ghibli gear.Generally speaking, businesses tend to chose straightforward names for themselves. When you see a sign that says Mr. Donut, you know exactly what that place is selling, and you likewise don’t need to be a master detective to figure out that if you walk into Tokyo’s “Coffin Meditation Space,” yep, they’ll have coffins inside for you to lie down and relax in.A notable exception to this pattern, though, is Donguri Kyowakoku. The chain’s n
Yakuzen ramen restaurant in Tokyo is very different to a yakuza ramen restaurant
This tonkotsu ramen has medicinal benefits that can boost your energy after a long day of sightseeing.Have you ever heard of yakuzen? Not to be confused with yakuza, yakuzen literally translates as “medicinal meal“, and is made up of the kanji 薬 (“yaku” or “medicine“) and 膳 (“zen”, which refers to a meal, traditionally served on on a tray).The concept behind yakuzen is food as medicine, and you’ll see it being used to describe meals that cont
Osaka establishes first designated smoking area in Dotonbori canal district to fight “overtourism”
Street food hot spot wants to be cleaner, but it might just be pushing the smoke down the street.A new facility opened last Thursday in Dotombori, the Osaka canal district that’s the biggest tourism draw in the heart of central Japan’s largest city. It isn’t a new restaurant, shopping center, or manzai comedy venue, though. Instead, it’s a designated smoking area.Last year, the Osaka Minami-Dotonbori Overtourism Countermeasures Promotion Council came to the conclusion that public service announc
Tokyo Skytree turns pink for the cherry blossom season
Japan’s tallest tower transforms into a cherry blossom-viewing spot, complete with pink projections and themed drinks.As the cherry blossom-loving crowds prepare to descend upon Japan’s plethora of sakura-viewing spots this springtime, the blossoms are ascending to the sky in a special seasonal event called “The Sakura Skytree: Meeting the Cherry Blossoms in the Sky”. Held between February 26 and April 14, Japan’s tallest structure, Tokyo Skytree, is set to be adorned with pale pink petals
Hey, 2020s kids! The ’90s have a sticker picture message waiting for you in Tokyo
30th anniversary celebration looks to link Heisei and Reiwa eras with shared love for purikura.Life was different before everyone had a smartphone in their pocket. If you were meeting up with people, you had to be on time, since you couldn’t just fire off a text to tell them to wait for you because you were running late. If you were grabbing something to eat, you had to check how to get to the restaurant beforehand, because you couldn’t just pull up a GPS-enabled map. And if you and your friends
Burning through cash just to throw things away tops list of headaches when moving house in Japan
Spring relocations in Japan can drain your budget faster than expected, and garbage disposal fees are the biggest surprise.For many people when they think of spring in Japan, the first thing that comes to mind is rows of cherry blossom trees in full bloom lining the riverbanks of the country’s towns and cities. However, for the working residents of Japan, spring also heralds a procession of cardboard boxes.From late February through early April, the country enters into moving mode as new jobs an
Last chance coming up for amazing east Japan for all-you-can-ride Shinkansen-inclusive train pass
Get your Kyun Pass while you can.Ever since Japan Railways Group, a.k.a. JR, raised the price for its nationwide rail pass, a lot of the luster has been lost for what used to be widely considered Japan’s best tourism transit deal. But even if the nationwide pass has priced itself out of consideration for many travelers, there are still great bargains available for those looking for a more geographically focused trip in Japan, thanks to some great regional rail pass bargains, with the pass we’re
566 million yen in gold bars donated to Japanese city’s water bureau
Osaka Municipal Water Bureau suddenly becomes quite a bit closer to being flush with funds.Ironically, it’s hard to imagine a drier type of website than “municipal water bureau.” Browse through the one for the city of Osaka, for example and you’ll see announcements such as “Seminar held to exchange information on overseas expansion in water and environmental sectors” and “Second expert meeting held to discuss improving water supply sustainability.” Important stuff, to be sure, but not exactly co
Starbucks Japan complexly raises prices, will now charge for takeout bags
Ecological goals and economic concerns mean no more free bags and more by-location price variations.There’s been a lot for Japanese Starbucks fans to be happy about over the last few days, as the chain rolled out its new sakura beverages and drinkware. But while those additions to Starbucks’ menu and merch catalog are putting smiles on many people’s face, there are some less crowd-pleasing ones going into effect too.Starting with the one that has a silver lining, as of February 18 Starbucks Japa
Shibuya Station’s Hachiko Gate and Yamanote Line stairway locations change next month
Minor changes to majorly congested Tokyo train station are good to know before you go.Shibuya Station is one of the most crowded stations in Tokyo, and arguably the most chaotic too. Part of that is simply due to the huge number of people that pass through it every day. Another factor is that, as one of Tokyo’s most vibrant and social media snapshot-able neighborhoods, Shibuya attracts not just locals who know their way around the place, but also out-of-town and out-of-country visitors who might
Japan’s new “Cunte” contact lenses aren’t pronounced like you’re probably thinking they are
Cunte Jelly Trick and other lenses’ names might be too clever for their own good.In many ways, Japan has a very playful attitude about language. The Japanese language is richly expressive, with all sorts of nuanced vocabulary and colorful onomatopoeia. There’s a great enthusiasm for foreign loanwords, especially when trying to lend an air of stylish modernism or trendy fun, and when it comes to thinking up names for brands or products, ones that might not seem obvious at first, but have some sor
Starbucks Japan adds new sakura Frappuccino and cherry blossom drinks to the menu
Limited-edition spring drinks make their way to Starbucks, but are they worth buying? With February now coming to an end, spring is about to start, and with it comes sakura (cherry blossom) season in Japan. Here to get us in the mood for the blooms is Starbucks, with the release of not one, not two, but three cherry blossom drinks, all based around the theme of “saku yo” (“bloom!”), which captures the beauty and excitement of the pre-blossom season.Our resident Starbucks