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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
Jan 22, 2017
G.Rina balances bubble-era kitsch with modern song construction on 'Live & Learn'
Nostalgia for the 1980s typically takes one of two forms in contemporary Japanese music. Artists either embrace laid-back, acid jazz-leaning pop, or they double down on the washed-out fuzz of old VHS tapes. G.Rina finds a balance on "Live & Learn," her first major label release. Ignore the keytars she...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 22, 2017
DJ Okawari brings us back to chill on 'Compass'
It has been six years since Shizuoka-based DJ Okawari last released an album, but his timing in releasing new collection "Compass" couldn't be better.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 22, 2017
For Tracy Hyde polishes its indie aesthetics on 'Film Bleu'
For Tracy Hyde's "Film Bleu" presents an elegant way for an indie-pop band to exist in a different realm. The group has been around since 2012, started by guitarist Azusa Suga merging twee-ish rock with strokes of electronica.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Jan 20, 2017
Chocolate and 'yakisoba' just can't work out their differences
Here's a sure-fire way to make sure your Valentine's Day crush never replies to you: Tell them you'll cook them some chocolate yakisoba (fried noodles). This isn't even an appealing combo on paper, but the folks behind this ungodly mutation know enough knuckleheads like me will buy it for the novelty....
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Jan 15, 2017
Turning YouTube into yen: Can vloggers become the new foreign correspondents?
In 2015, Sharla of the YouTube channel Sharla In Japan found herself juggling two careers. Since 2011, the Canadian-born creator had been making videos about her life here to a quickly growing audience. But actually making them was tough, as she also had a day job.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 15, 2017
Paellas aim to redefine the sound of 'now'
Fitting into the sound of the moment while still standing apart from it can be a tricky thing to do. Paellas guitarist Satoshi Anan says he wanted the feeling of "now" to come out on his band's newest album, "Pressure."
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Jan 13, 2017
Baskin-Robbins caters to strawberry lovers with new winter sundae
Lovers of fresh strawberries, rejoice. Until early March, Baskin-Robbins stores across Japan are offering a new Fresh Strawberry Sundae, which goes all in on the juicy red berry.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Jan 6, 2017
Artisanal chocolates have hit Japan's convenience stores
Craft beer, move over. It's time for artisanal "bean-to-bar" chocolate to take the spotlight at Japan's convenience stores. Sweets-maker Meiji has recently rolled out a series of chocolate bars called The Chocolate, proudly displaying the high cacao percentage and including graphs on the packaging proving...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Dec 30, 2016
A sweet treat for the Year of the Rooster
Dessert chain Cozy Corner is celebrating 2017 with a small cake resembling the Chinese Zodiac animal of the next 12 months, the chicken. It's a sweet, photogenic addition to any New Year's parties or family gatherings you might be attending in the next few days. This fowl delight (¥540) features a...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Dec 23, 2016
Celebrate Christmas with a rich snowman
Seven-Eleven won't be offering its limited-edition Christmas desserts for much longer. After Dec. 25, the convenience-store chain's specialty treats will be replaced, inevitably, by the next limited dessert.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Dec 18, 2016
Japan's pop music scene saw a power struggle in 2016
Media, both domestic and overseas, spent a lot of time focused on the streaming services arriving in Japan in 2016. Months of "Can these platforms thrive in CD-loving Japan?" speculation reached a climax in September, when global market leader Spotify finally debuted here. There was a big press conference,...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Dec 16, 2016
Cold Stone Creamery's intimidating velvet cheesecake
The big piece of red velvet cake on top of Cold Stone Creamery's Snowy Velvet Cheesecake looks a little intimidating. Staring at your waffle-cone bowl (¥530 for the basic size), you might wonder how you're going to get through it to reach the cheesecake-flavored ice cream and raspberries below.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Dec 9, 2016
Fitness chain Rizap takes a chance on low-calorie snacks
Fitness chain Rizap has gone from one success to the next since it began in 2010, expanding its business into new areas such as golf training and English education. It has also recently begun producing food that can be purchased at convenience stores nationwide.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Dec 2, 2016
Christmas-themed baked goods have finally hit Tokyo
Christmas has been threatening to descend on Tokyo since the moment Halloween ended. Now the holidays are wholly here and bakery chain Hokuo is among the first to roll out seasonally appropriate treats, with a line of sweets embracing the Yuletide glee. Let's keep it simple, though, and focus on the...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 27, 2016
Electronic twists set apart Cicada's 'Formula' from its peers
Cicada "Formula" (Para De Casa)
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Nov 25, 2016
The rich taste of Hokkaido's blue cheese — in a bag of potato chips
The Lawson convenience-store chain is celebrating Hokkaido this winter by focusing on one of the highlights of the northern island's cheese industry. For a limited time, the chain is stocking potato chips flavored with blue cheese from Hanabatake Bokujo, a well-known dairy producer from the far north....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 20, 2016
Toyomu imagines life after Kanye
American rapper Kanye West's seventh album, "The Life Of Pablo," felt inescapable when it emerged this past February. But that wasn't the case in Japan. Streaming music service Tidal — which initially had exclusive rights to "Pablo" — isn't available here.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 20, 2016
The hushed ambience of Ex Confusion
As the summer of 2014 came to a close, Atsuhito Omori found himself in a good position. The Nara-based artist who records ambient music as Ex Confusion had released an album titled "Flow" through buzzed-about New York label Orchid Tapes. Artistically, however, things weren't clicking.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 19, 2016
Yoshino Yoshikawa switches up his 'kawaii' sound on 'Event Horizon'
The Japanese word for cute, "kawaii," has been popping up more and more in the English lexicon in recent years. From the popularity of Hello Kitty to singer Gwen Stefani's new kawaii-filled cartoon "Kuu Kuu Harajuku" being cute means making money, and it's no different in the world of music.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Nov 18, 2016
Vegan muffins on the far side of Tokyo
Far from Tokyo's dessert meccas of Harajuku and Omotesando, new bakery NY Muffin opened near Shin-Nakano Station in September. It sells a selection of vegan muffins — with no eggs, butter or milk. However, the shop doesn't make things easy for customers: besides the out-of-the-way location, it is...
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.
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.
Ruling coalition and DPP strike last-minute deal over economic policy
DPP policy chief Makoto Mahaguchi speaks at the party's policy gathering in Tokyo on Wednesday.
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.

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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