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Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Feb 22, 2019

Morioka: Crafts, poetry and Tohoku’s bleak nature

Though Kenji Miyazawa was little-known in his lifetime, since his death he has been heralded as one of the most important Japanese poets of the early 20th century and one of Iwate Prefecture's most treasured sons. Miyazawa lived in and around Morioka for much of his life and, even now, there remain whispers of him throughout the city.
Japan Times
Feb 22, 2019

Real-time Multi-language Translation “kotozna chat”
Adds new service “Kotozna Group Chat”

Tokyo, Japan – Kotozna, Inc (formerly known as Jaqool, Inc) adds group conversation capabilities with its new service “Kotozna Group Chat” to its roster of tools for kotozna chat, a multi-lingual real-time translation service for inbound travelers using social media platforms.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Feb 21, 2019

Warm up with a hearty meal from the Alps

Warm up with a hearty meal from the Alps
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Feb 20, 2019

Same gripes, different country: Japan ain't the only place with squat toilets and table charges

It's not easy being an expat. While most of us choose to live in Japan of our own volition, there are still times when we're frustrated with the way things work — or don't work — and the Community page often serves as an outlet for our gripes.
Japan Times
Feb 20, 2019

Jinseki International School, a European Style Boarding School for Young Children Scheduled to Open in Japan in 2020 with Michael Rob Gray, Headmaster of Le Rosey (Switzerland)

A Boarding School Education for children
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Feb 18, 2019

World's masterpieces cast in Shigaraki ceramic at museum in Shikoku

The Otsuka Museum of Art in Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, drew a lot of attention last year when popular singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu held his first live TV performance there on Dec. 31 for NHK's year-end "Kohaku Uta Gassen" ("Red and White Song Battle") music contest.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Feb 17, 2019

Fukushima town works to revive herb vital to its frozen rice cake delicacy

A breeze rustles through leaves of oyamabokuchi plants on a farm in Katsurao, a village in Fukushima Prefecture.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Okinawa
Feb 17, 2019

Okinawan fishermen reel in two live oarfish, eat portion of one

Two rare deep-sea oarfish caught in fixed nets off Toya port on the southwest side of Okinawa stunned the local fishing community last month for simply being alive.
JAPAN / Society
Feb 16, 2019

Embracing a buraku heritage: Examining changing attitudes toward a social minority

When Chie Takaiwa struck up the courage to reveal a family secret to her colleague some years ago, she was met by an unexpected response.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Feb 16, 2019

Temptation from the fried-foods section

We're almost seven weeks into the new year — how are those resolutions going? Still going strong? Good for you! Now get out of here and let the rest of us bask in our failures. To anyone who has given up on eating healthy, walk with me into the fried-food section of your local convenience store.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / HOOP SCOOP
Feb 15, 2019

Longtime Timberwolves fan Mitsuaki Ono seeks to foster Japan relations with Minnesota

Like countless sports fans, Mitsuaki Ono can pinpoint a formative period in his life that cemented his fandom.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 14, 2019

Airbus to stop making A380, world's largest passenger jet

Airbus SE has decided to stop making the A380 double-decker after a dozen years in service, burying a prestige project that won the hearts of passengers and politicians but never the broad support of airlines that instead preferred smaller, more fuel-efficient aircraft.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Feb 13, 2019

Episode 7: Kim-Trump — what's next?

On this week's episode, Japan Times staff writer Jesse Johnson discusses what the next meeting of the U.S. and North Korea might mean for Japan, and features editor Shaun McKenna talks us through some of Japan's biggest summer music festivals. Hosted by Oscar Boyd.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 13, 2019

Olympic and Paralympic venues on track to be completed in time for summer test events

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic venues are on course to be completed in time for test events to be held there later this year, games organizers said Tuesday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Feb 12, 2019

'Gather: Gift'

Feb. 16-March 16
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Feb 12, 2019

Nagoya firm Jtekt develops gnarly skateboard bearings ahead of sport's Tokyo Olympic debut

Jtekt Corp., a Nagoya-based parts manufacturer affiliated with Toyota Motor Corp., has developed an upgraded version of Ninja, the brand name for its bearings used for skateboards, ahead of skateboarding making its Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Feb 11, 2019

U.S. destroyers sail in disputed South China Sea as trade tensions simmer

The U.S. sent two warships close by islands claimed by Beijing in the disputed South China Sea on Monday, the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet said, as American negotiators arrived in the Chinese capital for talks aimed at resolving a trade spat between the two powers.
Japan Times
SATOYAMA CONSORTIUM
Feb 10, 2019

Farming industry sees insightful progress

Apure Inc. in Hokkaido grows 28 varieties of chemical-free vegetables at its facility. Weather and temperature are not an issue because everything is planted inside two greenhouses. Apure's vegetables do not even need soil to grow as they are cultivated hydroponically.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Feb 9, 2019

Say 'I love you' a different way with Kourakuen's chocolate ramen

This Valentine's Day offering from ramen chain Kourakuen features a soy sauce-based ramen with a hefty dose of chocolate.
Japan Times
Feb 8, 2019

Yamaha Motor Receives Global "iF Design Award" for Sixth Year Running - MOTOROiD Honored in All Global Top Three Design Competitions -

IWATA, February 8, 2019 - Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 7272) announced today that its MOTOROiD concept and largest outboard motor, the F425A, have both received the internationally-prestigious "iF Design Award 2019."
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Feb 7, 2019

Where will fans go after Arashi?

Fans of Arashi still haven't come to terms with the news that the J-pop group will go on a hiatus at the end of 2020, bringing a close, at least temporarily, to one of the 21st century's most popular Japanese acts.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Feb 6, 2019

'City Hunter The Movie: Shinjuku Private Eyes': Dated gags in modern-day Tokyo

It's back. "City Hunter," the Tsukasa Hojo-penned manga about a crime-solving "sweeper" for hire named Ryo Saeba (Akira Kamiya) was pretty much an anime institution in the 1980s, adapted into a string of anime series and films starting in 1987. It even spawned a live-action version in Hong Kong starring...
Feb 6, 2019

Three Banks of the Yamaguchi Financial Group Commence Handling of Testamentary Substitute Trust “Gift to the Family”

Signing of operating agreement with ORIX Bank to act as agents for trust agreements
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / Regional voices: Chubu
Feb 4, 2019

Zen Buddhist priest touched by kindness in Nepal offers shelter to those seeking refuge in Japan

One day in January, in a quiet Zen temple on a hill in Nagoya's Tenpaku Ward, a priest offered a Nigerian visitor okaki (rice crackers).
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / The Big Questions
Feb 3, 2019

Adventurous choices lead to broadcasting in Japan

Peter Barakan is a familiar and comforting presence to many. People around the nation look forward to his radio programs, where he acts as a sound sommelier of sorts, serving up an eclectic dose of music.
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
MORE SPORTS
Feb 2, 2019

Upstart Rams take aim at historic Patriots

A sixth Lombardi Trophy would further cement the legacy of the New England Patriots, and specifically Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, but the upstart Los Angeles Rams are chasing history of their own in Super Bowl LIII on Sunday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech / ANALYSIS
Feb 1, 2019

Despite shipping 9.4 million consoles in quarter, Nintendo struggling to expand Switch's appeal

Nintendo Co. cut its outlook for annual Switch shipments, the strongest sign yet that the hybrid console is struggling to attract a wider swath of users and become a worthy successor to the Wii.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 1, 2019

Airbus A380 under threat as Emirates weighs rejigged order focused on A350, sources say

Dubai's Emirates is exploring switching some orders for the world's largest jetliner, the Airbus A380, to the smaller A350 in a move raising new doubts about the future of Europe's superjumbo, people familiar with the matter said.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 31, 2019

The Future Eve gets experimental with prog rock pioneer Robert Wyatt

Progressive rock and experimental music personality Robert Wyatt said goodbye to the music world in 2014 when he announced his retirement with the cryptic statement, "there is a pride in (stopping), I don't want (the music) to go off." That didn't mean that something pre-dating his retirement wouldn't...

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.