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November 22, 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
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Feb 3, 2019
An idol's fans have the power to make change in Japan
Being a fan of any entertainer in 2019 can be a challenge, as scandals both old and new make blindly supporting artists an impossible task. That might be doubly true for Japanese idol-pop acts, who inhabit a corner of the country's entertainment industry made up predominantly of young women, which has...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Feb 2, 2019
FamilyMart's popular melon bread ice cream doesn't skip on the melon or the butter
FamilyMart has brought a new and improved version of its immensely popular melonpan (melon bread) ice cream back to store shelves — get one while they're still in stock!
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Feb 2, 2019
Tiramisu copyright furor highlights the internet's importance
Allegations of copyright infringement have undermined a high-profile attempt to sell a renowned coffee-flavored Italian dessert in Tokyo.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle
Jan 31, 2019
'Bohemian Rhapsody': Queen film won't bite the dust just yet
The Queen biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody" is still doing big business in Japan, long after its November release. The movie recently crossed the ¥10 billion mark here, and its impact stretches well beyond box-office stats. Songs from the British band have taken up residence on streaming charts, while affection...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 29, 2019
Arashi's hiatus spurs heartbreak, but hopes for a 2020 Olympic farewell
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics creep ever closer and one of the biggest arguments that remains is which musical performers will feature in the event's opening ceremony. Up until now, debate over who should represent Japan on the international stage has been raging.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Jan 26, 2019
Mister Donut takes a stab at classy with its decadent Chocolate Collection
In its new range, Mister Donut collaborates with pastry chef Toshihiko Yoroizuka to develop fancy takes on the chain's ring doughnuts, and a pair of decadent cake-like creations.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Jan 26, 2019
Clamor grows for Heisei Era memories online as abdication approaches
A lot of people online appear to be feeling anxious ahead of the Emperor’s abdication. Some simply don’t like change, and this upcoming transition represents the biggest change their lives have ever known.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 23, 2019
88rising's quest to find a Japanese hip-hop sensation
Japanese music hasn't made many inroads into Western markets this decade. Save for some brief viral flashes and niche success, the country's artists have mostly been overlooked. However, Sean Miyashiro, founder of media company 88rising, thinks Japan still holds one big advantage.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Jan 19, 2019
This winter's convenience store steam buns are anything but boring
Nothing can make a cold winter day feel a little better than a piping-hot steam bun from the convenience store, and two recent offerings from Lawson and FamilyMart have delivered on both novelty and taste.
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / Wide Angle
Jan 17, 2019
Marie Kondo's new TV series cleans up
Marie Kondo is the type of person you wouldn't initially expect lots of people to go crazy over. In the cleaning consultant and best-selling author's new Netflix show, "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo," she simply lays out the basics of her "KonMari" method of organizing homes — guided by the idea of finding...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jan 13, 2019
Sort out your digital diet and keep your sanity in 2019
Judging by the New Year's resolutions I'm hearing so far this year, the internet was a real source of frustration for a lot of people in 2018.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Jan 12, 2019
Maezawa's offer of prize money for retweets sets Twitter abuzz
Yusaku Maezawa has accomplished an awful lot in his life. He has founded a number of successful companies, including online fashion retailer Zozotown. He’s worth billions of dollars. He’s secured a trip to space to address one of humanity’s biggest problems — a lack of art inspired by being...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Jan 12, 2019
Simplicity rules in Starbucks' seasonal sesame creations
Starbucks Japan's "Japan Wonder Project" offers a nice snapshot of the nation's soft-power campaigns in general. This campaign, which has been going on for over a year now, celebrates Japanese flavors. The range is mostly consumed, though, by Japanese people, already familiar with the local tastes. It's...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 10, 2019
Perfume goes back to dance basics ahead of Coachella debut
Perfume keeps finding new opportunities more than 15 years into its career. This spring, the electro-pop trio embarks on its latest international tour, with stops in Asia and North America, but the real development comes at the very end of that jaunt when the group plays the Coachella Valley Music and...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Jan 5, 2019
Survey on commuting gripes in Japan spurs wider societal complaints
Nothing unites Tokyoites together quite like complaining about daily commuting by train. And it’s a worthy gripe — morning and evening rides practically dispose of the idea of personal space altogether. Being packed tightly with other people also exposes us to all sorts of oddball and annoying behavior,...
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.
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Russia launched intercontinental ballistic missile during attack on Ukraine, Kyiv says
A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is launched during a test from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in Northern Arkhangelsk region of Russia, in this still image captured from video released on Oct. 29.
Ishiba aggravates his own political failures with diplomatic faux pas
Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba is greeted at the APEC summit in Lima by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. The Japanese leader was criticized for remaining seated while meeting several world leaders at the event.
Japan's 3.31 million visitors in October set monthly record
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in December 2023. Famous autumn leaf colors contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe and North America, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.
Japanese expats in Asia find community through rugby
The Taiwan Fivewoods celebrate their victory at the 2023 Asian Japanese Rugby Cup in December of last year.
In Fukushima, a weekend of prose, poetry and translation
Aomori-based writer JJ Carter presented on tabletop gaming as creative inspiration for building characters and narratives.
For Dr. Nakamats, aging is just experience in action
Though he didn't win the recent gubernatorial election in Tokyo, the 96-year-old Dr. Nakamats' run was seen as inspirational in Japan's aging society.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

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