In central Japan, near Mikawa Bay, the Toyohashi Gion Festival—during which local men set off large handheld fireworks as part of a Shinto ritual—has taken place annually for more than 350 years. Acc…

posted by  banzaitokyo | 7 years ago | 0 comments

More classy output from What Japan Thinks, with this look at that moment of relief from the daily stresses of life, with the focus on stuff that comes out of or off the body.

I can very much identify…

posted by  banzaitokyo | 7 years ago | 0 comments

Sipping sake from a giant silver cup gives the drink a special taste, Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament champion Mitakeumi said Monday.

A day after being crowned champion for the first time in his career,…

posted by  banzaitokyo | 7 years ago | 0 comments

Statistics from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs show that there are 705,183 women on long-term overseas stays, compared to 646,787 men. Women have outnumbered men in this respect since 1999, suggesti…

posted by  banzaitokyo | 7 years ago | 0 comments

The mercury hit 41.1 degrees Celsius (106 Fahrenheit) in Kumagaya, a city in Saitama prefecture that is about 65 kilometres (40 miles) northwest of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

That b…

posted by  banzaitokyo | 7 years ago | 0 comments

Iconic anime studio Toei Animation is opening a new museum later this month. It’s located in Tokyo and called Toei Animation Museum.

Toei, of course, is responsible for the One Piece, Dragon Ball, Ga…

posted by  banzaitokyo | 7 years ago | 0 comments

“How do I double click?” “What is a cell in a spreadsheet?”

Mashiko Ishii often hears that her fellow lecturers at Uchida Human Resources Development Center become confused when they are asked such b…

posted by  banzaitokyo | 7 years ago | 0 comments

“Oita Oita Oita, Onsen onsen onsen.” This tiny prefecture in Kyushu not too far from Fukuoka is said to be the onsen capital of Japan. I had been previously fascinated by Beppu, its biggest city, and…

posted by  banzaitokyo | 7 years ago | 0 comments

In a country where, for generations, a man’s job has taken priority over family life, a push to shift cultural gender roles is underway as the government struggles with a stubbornly low birth rate

posted by  banzaitokyo | 7 years ago | 0 comments

Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing (Didi) has officially launched its taxi-hailing business in Japan as part of a previously announced joint venture with SoftBank.

posted by  banzaitokyo | 7 years ago | 0 comments