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Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Dec 29, 2017

Here comes the sun: Recommended hatsuhinode spots

The first sunrise of the new year represents a chance for a new beginning and so it's hardly surprising that some once viewed the first rays of the sun on Jan. 1 with special reverence. It was believed to be the moment that Toshigami, god of the new year, descends from heaven and bestows happiness on...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 20, 2017

Sexism sucks, but blame capitalism more

Most tragic cases of human underachievement are the direct result of economic discrimination.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Dec 19, 2017

Japan's theater world increasingly shed its insularities in 2017

Never mind those North Korean missiles that provide politicians with heaven-sent pretexts to posture. These days, everyone's talking about a boozy party held by Mongolian sumo wrestlers that turned violent reportedly because of a generational dispute over the arcane traditions of Japan's highly regimented...
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Nov 26, 2017

Diana Garnet sings the praises of anime

It has become one of the most common questions I'm asked after talks at anime conventions in the United States: How can I get a job in the Japanese pop culture industry — not here, but in Japan?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Nov 22, 2017

CBS News, PBS, Bloomberg sack Charlie Rose and drop shows after sex harassment allegations

CBS News and other networks said on Tuesday they had fired Charlie Rose, one of the most prominent American interviewers, the day after the Washington Post reported the television host had sexually harassed eight women.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Nov 9, 2017

Former SMAP stars find freedom online

When a wrecking ball fell on and destroyed a car, I was hooked on a 72-hour live stream starring three former members of pop group SMAP.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / A MATTER OF HEALTH
Sep 27, 2017

Role-playing video game helps fight against depression for counselor-shy Japanese

It's a role-playing video game that, like many of its kind, allows users to choose and customize their own avatars, including a hairstyle and clothing. Set in a medieval fantasy world, users build up power as their characters travel across "provinces," overcoming obstacles and challenges along the way....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage / Backstage Pass
Sep 21, 2017

Theaters in Japan are increasingly looking at longer runs for their productions

As I turned the pages of a free magazine in London this summer, a picture of a beaming woman clutching a signed CD and program for the West End musical "Kinky Boots" caught my eye. She was a 27-year-old named Emily who'd seen the show 199 times in the past two years without ever being the least bit bored....
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Sep 17, 2017

Sports conference offers companies chance to help improve Japan's stadiums and arenas

We have witnessed Japanese athletes develop into global stars over the past 10, 20 years. But the country still has a long way to go in order to stand on an equal footing with the world's most advanced sports facilities.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 18, 2017

Blasts from the past: Japan's gaming classics get a retro revival

Nothing sells like nostalgia.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jul 11, 2017

Bad news for Japan's retailers as Chinese tourists cut back on buying

They're still coming in droves — but no longer buying in spades.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jun 29, 2017

Broadway, the West End and ... Yurakucho? Alternative Theatre aims to create a new type of tourist attraction in Tokyo

The neighborhood surrounding Yurakucho Station isn't exactly starved for things to do. The Ginza is an area of intense competition for Tokyoites' leisure time, hosting countless bars, eateries and shops, as well as theaters dedicated to traditional kabuki and the famed all-female Takarazuka Revue.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 8, 2017

China closes 60 celebrity gossip social media accounts

China's cyberspace authorities have ordered internet companies to close 60 popular celebrity gossip social media accounts in the latest in a series of crackdowns on independent media.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 27, 2017

Britain's real-life 'Iron Man' has high hopes for jet suit

The British inventor of an "Iron Man"-style jet suit has lofty hopes that his project, which started out as fun experiment, could become a practical tool for industries ranging from entertainment to the military.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 25, 2017

Revival-seeking rural Japan feels left out as casino plans favor major cities

Tokyo, Osaka and Yokohama are emerging as likely candidates for casino resorts under the government's new bidding framework, triggering criticism from smaller cities that say it undermines Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's goal of reviving rural areas.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Apr 22, 2017

Uncharted waters: exploring the untapped potential of Tokyo's waterways

If the color of the taxi I have boarded is anything to go by, I could be in New York or Chicago, maybe even Kolkata. Instead, this particular yellow cab is ferrying me around Tokyo and rather than vying for lane space with trucks, buses and passenger vehicles, it's chugging along some of the little-traversed...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 19, 2017

Eco-blockbuster 'Deepwater Horizon' bypasses a bigger issue

With "Deepwater Horizon," Hollywood attempts the difficult maneuver of having its cake and eating it too. It's certainly possible to make a rabble-rousing liberal issue movie, and it's even easier to make any sort of film that involves lots of CGI explosions, but it's rare that a filmmaker gets the chance...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Mar 12, 2017

Noise outfit Endon takes a hard look at itself in the mirror

The term "noise music" has come to define a variety of artists and sounds, from guitar feedback to drones to white noise. Japan is certainly no stranger to the concept, birthing formidable pioneers of the genre such as Merzbow, Hijokaidan and Incapacitants over the years. However, singer Taichi Nagura...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Mar 11, 2017

'Japandemonium Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopedias of Toriyama Sekien': Excavating Edo's ancient memes with the power of 'yokai'

Beginning with 2008's "Yokai Attack!," translators Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt have been on a quest to bring an aspect of Japanese culture that has lurked in the shadows to the world at large.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 31, 2017

Sony to take writedown of ¥112 billion as movie business founders

Sony Corp. said it will take a ¥112 billion ($1 billion) writedown in its movie business after reviewing the future profitability of its operations.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 28, 2017

Publishing pioneer Kikuko Ireton introduced the world to Japanese film

Kikuko Ireton, who co-founded "Movie/TV Marketing," a pioneering English-language trade journal about the domestic film industry, died in Tokyo on Thursday from complications of pneumonia.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 27, 2017

India snake charmers struggle to survive as tradition slowly dies out

Buti Nath flips the lid of a basket and a cobra slowly emerges. The deadly reptile begins to sway as Buti plays his gourd flute.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 24, 2017

'La La Land' leads Oscars race with 14 Academy Award nominations

“La La Land,” Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.’s film about star-crossed lovers trying to make it in the entertainment industry, was nominated for 14 Academy Awards, including best picture, tying for the most ever.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 20, 2017

'Your Name.' to be released with English subtitles

Makoto Shinkai's animated film "Your Name." continues to win over audiences in Asia, and now has its sights set on dominating North America, too.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 16, 2017

China shoppers ended 2016 on spending spree but headwinds seen brewing

Chinese consumers flocked to malls, restaurants and cinemas ahead of the year's biggest holiday season, highlighting the consumption power transforming the economy.

Longform

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