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July 16, 2024
 

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Patrick St. Michel
Patrick St. Michel is a Tokyo-based writer with a focus on Japanese music. He runs the blog Make Believe Melodies, which has focused on Japanese independent music since 2009. Besides The Japan Times, he also contributes to MTV 81 and The Atlantic.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Jan 5, 2019
Now that's a spicy yakisoba: Nissin starts the new year with a new noodle dish
Yakisoba (fried noodles) stand as one of the final frontiers in innovation at the nation's convenience stores, and food company Nissin is helping lift the easy-to-make snack to new heights, highlighted this season by a spicy take on the salaryman staple.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Dec 29, 2018
Start your new year diets after these cupcakes are off the shelves
Let's put 2018 behind us and bring on 2019! It can't be worse, right? The best way to start the new year is by indulging in some special limited-edition sweets celebrating the forthcoming Year of the Boar. While it might not be the cutest animal in the world, it has inspired some creative desserts.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Dec 29, 2018
Social media and online outlets led charge for change in 2018
A reflection of how the internet functioned in Japan in 2018 can be seen in a recent incident at Shinjuku Station.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Dec 22, 2018
Celebrities use social media to counter criticism online in 2018
Celebrities are just like the rest of us: They eat, sleep and would probably be better off if they reduced the time they spend on their social media.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Dec 22, 2018
A convenience store Christmas: Individual treats for everyone on the nice list
Who says you have to share? This year Japan's major convenience stores are rolling out some tasty options for those looking to snack on their own.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / A Weekend In
Dec 21, 2018
A weekend in Seoul: Relaxing on the cheap
Everyone needs a break from the stress-percolator that is Tokyo. But heading off to a different sprawling metropolis for some peace of mind might not seem the most obvious play. Sometimes, though, heading to a new metropolis and surrounding yourself with new sights, smells and sounds can prove the refreshing...
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Dec 19, 2018
TV in 2018: Progressive voices and the enduring charm of ‘Terrace House’
In the English-speaking world, Japanese TV in 2018 was celebrated for how boring it could get. But it was anything but domestically, where viewers questioned norms and helped nudge forward programs with progressive politics.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Dec 18, 2018
Music in 2018: Saying goodbye to Heisei with 'U.S.A.'
...
Japan Times
CULTURE
Dec 18, 2018
YouTube in 2018: Controversy, contributors and (allegedly) child-friendly content
YouTube in Japan had an identity crisis in 2018. The video-sharing site only grew in importance this year, as the top creators associated with the platform achieved acceptance by the country's mainstream media gatekeepers while famous names migrated over.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Dec 15, 2018
Just like real yakisoba, this Cold Stone look-alike ice cream has a lot going for it
Inspired by the anime series 'Fate/Extra Last Encore,' Cold Stone Creamery Japan is offering an exclusive yakisoba look-alike ice cream at six store locations nationwide.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Dec 15, 2018
SoftBank finds a week is a long time in social media terms
It’s fair to say that commercial enterprises have sometimes struggled to co-exist with social media.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle
Dec 13, 2018
Mitsuki Kimura and her film award without the film
Year-end awards season is in full swing, which means a lot of looking back on the past 12 months. Part of the fun of best-of lists and 2018-in-a-minute thinkpieces is arguing about placement and positioning: Did X really deserve to get so much love? Was Y not actually bloated and overrated?
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Dec 8, 2018
Lawson's Godiva chocolates are classy, sweet and provide some winter warmth
Lawson's latest collaboration is with chocolate maker Godiva, and together they have launched a limited-edition set of chocolate sweets.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Dec 6, 2018
Bridges built by the power of K-pop and J-pop
This year hasn't been a particularly warm one for the relationship between Japan and South Korea. Ongoing tension stemming from Japan's colonization of its neighbor up to the end of World War II — and efforts to complicate what happened during this period — have bubbled up once again, affecting everything...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOKS ABOUT JAPAN
Dec 1, 2018
Seiichi Yamamoto's 'Ginga': Musings from an underground music legend
Seiichi Yamamoto's 'Ginga,' originally released in Japanese in 2009 and translated into English by Kato David Hopkins this year, compiles highlights from Yamamoto's column for Guitar Magazine.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Dec 1, 2018
Gotta catch 'em all: Mister Donut's launches two Pokemon-themed donuts
Mister Donut is offering two special Pokemon-themed creations, a banana-chocolate-flavored Pikachu and a strawberry white chocolate one shaped like a red-and-white Pokeball.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Nov 28, 2018
Second Harvest Japan: Helping those in need can make you feel like part of the community
Ahead of a fundraiser for the Tokyo-based food bank, CEO Charles McJilton explains why a 'food safety net' is a must for Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Nov 24, 2018
Kaparu's victory in 2018 mascot awards gives Saitama a reason to shine
The Yuru-kyara (Promotional Mascot) Grand Prix in Japan has become one of the internet’s most anticipated events of the year. The 2018 edition lived up to expectations, and even featured a little voting drama. In the end, the city of Shiki’s Kaparu captured the crown.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 17, 2018
Mariya Takeuchi: The pop genius behind 2018's surprise online smash hit from Japan
On the 40th anniversary of singer-songwriter Mariya Takeuchi's debut, The Japan Times sits down with the musician responsible for such classics as 'Sutekina Holiday,' 'September' and the track that has taken the internet by storm, 'Plastic Love.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Nov 17, 2018
Chocolate or cheese? With Fujiya's new Look chocolate, you don't have to choose
On Nov. 13, sweets maker Fujiya released two new flavors of its venerable Look brand of chocolate: a smoked almond and a cheddar and Camembert cheese variety.
Who needs AI when you have Hatsune Miku?
Over the first six months of 2024, a handful of songs using Vocaloid singer Hatsune Miku’s voice have enjoyed widespread attention, underlining a global interest in the character and the technology she represents.
Bloodied Trump survives assassination attempt at political rally
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is surrounded and evacuated by Secret Service agents at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. Trump was rushed off stage at the rally after shots rang out.
Shooter came within inches of killing Trump, but left few clues as to why
An aerial view shows the stage where Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump had been standing during an assassination attempt the day before, and the roof of a nearby building where a gunman was shot dead by law enforcement, in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Sunday.
Yen’s woes seem too big for even a BOJ hike this month to solve
The Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
After Trump shooting, U.S. presidential race might take a violent turn
United States Secret Service Counter Snipers stand guard on a rooftop during a campaign rally for U.S. President Donald Trump in Avoca, Pennsylvania, in 2020.
No AC this summer? No problem (for me).
Think air conditioning is a requirement for a Tokyo summer? Think again.
She’s paying ¥1 million to help behind the scenes at the Paris Olympics
Mai Tarumi, who previously volunteered at the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, has a travel budget of ¥1 million for her trip to volunteer at the Paris Games.

Podcast

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.
Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Longform

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
By Tomoko Otake

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