Animate Girls Festival 2026 First Visit Guide
Plan AGF in Ikebukuro on November 7–8: main-hall tickets versus stage viewing, face-photo requirements, prices and a Japanese fan’s experience.
The archive
Art & Culture
Browse art & culture in the Akihabara archive.
2k540 Crafts Beneath the Railway in Akihabara
Explore 2k540 through its makers, materials and workshops, with Japanese perspectives, current shop examples and practical access from Akihabara.
Art Week Tokyo 2026: From Zines to Sculpture
Explore Art Week Tokyo through zines and sculpture: two contrasting galleries, November 4–8 dates, November 6–8 free buses and verified venue hours.
Tokyo Game Dungeon 14: What a Demo Can Teach Its Maker
Visit Tokyo Game Dungeon 14 on October 31, 2026: admission choices, the October 25 early-entry deadline and Japanese creators’ lessons from playtesting.
Nuikatsu Explained: Why Fans Take Plushies Out
What is nuikatsu? Explore Japan’s plush-companion hobby through Japanese fan experiences, creative choices and practical tips for a first outing.
Roppongi Art Night 2026: Choose Your Night of Art
Plan Roppongi Art Night on October 31–November 1: free installations, overnight performances, English tours and Japanese perspectives on looking at art.
Ikebukuro Halloween 2026: A First-Timer’s Cosplay Guide
Choose how to enjoy Ikebukuro Halloween 2026: watching, cosplay or photography, with checked ticket rules and Japanese participants’ experiences.
Shojo Manga Infinity in Tokyo: Three Artists, Original Pages
Meet Moto Hagio, Ryoko Yamagishi and Waki Yamato through Tokyo’s Shojo Manga Infinity exhibition: original artwork, Japanese perspectives and visitor details.
DREAMSCAPE #5: Discovering Indie Games in Tokyo
Explore Tokyo’s DREAMSCAPE #5 on October 24, 2026: art, puzzle and action games, Japanese participant perspectives, tickets and a practical way to browse.
Doujin Music Explained: Japan’s Creator-Run Music Scene
Understand Japanese doujin music, circles and music markets through creator and listener perspectives, with a first-timer guide to M3 Autumn 2026.
Machi★Asobi 2026: Tokushima’s Town-Wide Anime Festival
Explore Tokushima’s town-wide anime festival through its October 2026 programme and Japanese fan perspectives. Main festival dates have passed.
Japan’s Cheering Screenings: Why Fans Go and What to Expect
Discover Japan’s cheering screenings, why fans join in, what Japanese viewers love or dislike, and how to enjoy your first visit without knowing every call.
Kirby’s Adventure – 1993 Developer Interview
—How did you come up with the idea for the adorable character of Kirby? Sakurai: Just after I joined Nintendo, they were accepting game design plans for “a game that anyone could enjoy.” That go…
Mozu Studios creates impressive tiny rooms full of details
led by a young japanese artist, mozu studios creates incredible tiny rooms that are full of details. the initiative started as a class project where mozu did a tiny replica of his own room which took…
Art Student’s 407-Piece Hand-Carved Wooden Clock Literally Writes The Time
Suzuki Kango is a 22-year-old senior student in product design from Zao City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, close to Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture, where the university is located. After h…
Mile-Long Wooden Xylophone Plays Bach in Japanese Forest
While music and design may not seem to go hand in hand at first glance, a giant mile-long xylophone certainly fits the bill for both. After all, it’s likely the only instrument on the planet tha…
Stump Chair by Satoshi Itasaka
Designer Satoshi Itasaka has created Stump Chair, a highly durable, functioning chair made entirely from excess fabric from the fast fashion industry. This excess fabric is typically disposed of at b…
“Morisada’s Sketches”: A One-Man Encyclopedia of Edo-Period Cultural Differences
Japan’s long-running rivalry between the west of the country, including the old capital of Kyoto, and the new capital of Edo (now Tokyo) in the east has fostered regional cultural differences. K…
Aomori Art and Archeology
Aomori’s artistry thrived all the way back in the Jomon period (13,000–300 BC). This era was named for the cord markings on its pottery, a decorative practice that would develop into intricate variat…
Design Art Tokyo kicks off this week, transforming the city into an open air museum
Beginning this Friday, October 23, 2020, the annual Design Art Tokyo descends upon the city, transforming retailers and cafes and all sorts of venues into galleries. For 12 days, Tokyo becomes an ope…
Seasonal Winds of Change Blow Through the Colorful Paintings of Ayune Shojima
Japanese painter Ayune Shojima creates colorful oil paintings filled with flora and fauna that seemingly overflow from the canvas. In her new series titled “Circle of Wind,” Shojima illustrates the s…
Kenzo Takada remembered for style that meant 'freedom for the woman’s body'
The fashion world has paid tribute to the Japanese designer Kenzo Takada, who has died aged 81 after contracting Covid-19 in France, describing him as a man of “energy, kindness and talent” whos…