Search - entertainment

 
 
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Sep 16, 2018

Free the kids from the concrete jungle

Tokyo may be one of the most populous cities in the world, but it is also just a few hours by train from family friendly hiking trails
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Sep 15, 2018

Second-place Frontale thrash Consadole, move closer to top of table

Kawasaki Frontale's weekend began as so many recent weekends have: with the team staring up at what appeared to be an insurmountable point gap between it and runaway J. League leaders Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 12, 2018

Namie Amuro: Celebrating J-pop's first queen

For millions of Japanese music fans in the 1990s, Namie Amuro wasn't just the Heisei Era's defining pop star, she was someone they grew up with.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 8, 2018

Japan gaming industry group to bolster educational activities in bid to prevent kids from becoming addicted

Association plans to introduce parents to apps and other tools that restrict the amount of time their child can play video games
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Sep 5, 2018

No L.A. sex charges for Kevin Spacey, Steven Seagal, Anthony Anderson

The Los Angeles District Attorney's office said Tuesday it would not prosecute actor Kevin Spacey on a 1992 sexual assault accusation because it fell outside the California statute of limitations.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Sep 2, 2018

Yudai Nitta making most of chance at Asian Games

For veteran track cyclist Yudai Nitta, the experience of competing at the Olympics can't be traded for anything.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Aug 30, 2018

Journey for Japan's hoop team to end with game for 7th place

The Japan men's national basketball team's bizarre, unprecedented journey at the Asian Games is nearly — and finally — coming to an end.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Aug 30, 2018

It'll take more than Ayumi Hamasaki to help streaming services in Japan

Ayumi Hamasaki has seen better days as a J-pop superstar, but she still carries some clout. So it should have been noteworthy that her newest release, the five-song "Trouble," would arrive on streaming services a bit earlier than in stores. That's a win for fledgling in-Japan operations such as Spotify...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 28, 2018

Startup takes stress out of fed-up workers' exit plans

There was the 24-year-old insurance saleswoman who got sick of being yelled at when she couldn't reach her quota. Then there's the exhausted designer who clocked 160 hours of monthly overtime. And the ramen noodle shop employee who suffered stress to the point of developing depression.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 28, 2018

An end to Australia's democratic pantomime?

In Australia's prosperous parliamentary democracy, no prime minister has served a full term since 2007. Why?
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Aug 26, 2018

Lexus: A driving force for the 'experiential' store?

Do creative projects, like 'experiential stores' really bring such intangible benefits as increasing brand awareness among the golden goose target of millennials?
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / ON: GAMES
Aug 26, 2018

Are you ready for September?

The upcoming month brings with it the 'Marvel's Spider-Man' PS4 game and console release, an all-women SNK game and the expo for all gamers — Tokyo Game Show.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Aug 26, 2018

'Super Mario' creator says gaming industry should put steady subscriptions ahead of in-game charges

The legendary video game designer who created "Super Mario" and "Donkey Kong" has a word of advice for today's industry: Stop nickel-and-diming users.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Aug 25, 2018

Making the cut in Japan's film industry

Film producer Yukie Kito talks about making movies, her favorite actor and how the entertainment industry in Japan differs to that in the U.S.
Reader Mail
Aug 24, 2018

Learning how to learn from Japan

I was recently in Tokyo to attend a digital analytics conference organized by Web Analytics Consultants Association (WACA) and was amazed at the mindset and attitude among many of the 400-strong conference attendees.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 22, 2018

'Ponoc Short Films Theatre, Vol. 1: Modest Heroes': An anime studio's modest break with norms

"Modest Heroes" studio Ponoc was founded by producer Yoshiaki Nishimura, formerly of Ghibli, just as that legendary anime studio decided to cool its jets back in 2014. Ponoc's debut feature, last year's "Mary and the Witch's Flower," established it as a kind of Ghibli 2, a place where Ghibli alums could...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 21, 2018

Lessons from the 30 years of the Heisei Era

Policy discussions during the Heisei Era had the characteristics of being molded by the opinions exchanged on TV news and variety shows.
Japan Times
JAPAN / View from Osaka
Aug 18, 2018

Osaka leaders revel as casinos bid for attention

When the Diet passed a law governing the operation of integrated casino resorts last month, public celebrations were few. Media polls showed strong public opposition to casinos, with respondents citing worries about problem gamblers and more crime.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 17, 2018

'Game over' in China as Beijing halts approvals of video game licenses

China's regulators have frozen approvals of game licenses amid a government shake-up, according to people familiar with the matter, throwing the world's biggest gaming market into disarray.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Aug 15, 2018

Dramatist Hideto Iwai connects with his audiences in ways he never could have imagined by being honest about his own life experiences

When he was 16, Hideto Iwai was perplexed as to why everyone around him unquestioningly jumped onto society's student-to-salaryman conveyor belt. So, he broke free, dropping out of high school and picking up casual jobs where he could find them.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Aug 11, 2018

Unsolved mysteries: Japanese fans of the occult are engaged in a never-ending search for the truth

Whether it's tales of hauntings, spirits or paranormal phenomena, Yuki Yoshida loves a good scare.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Aug 10, 2018

Taking the path once trodden by Ian Fleming and James Bond

In 1962, Ian Fleming, the author of James Bond, visited Japan. His journey here, and the characters he met, would go on to inspire 007's adventures in 'You Only Live Twice.' But in 2018, how possible is it to retrace the author's footsteps across Japan?
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design / ON: DESIGN
Aug 5, 2018

From balancing games to playing with poop

Inspired by the 2018 Good Toy Awards winners, announced in May by the NPO Japan Good Toy Association, this month's On: Design takes a look at a few aesthetically pleasing items to help keep the kids entertained over the summer holidays.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Aug 2, 2018

Next-level luxury in helicopter ride, spa package

Swissotel Nankai Osaka is pulling out all the stops to celebrate its 15th anniversary. In addition to hosting a variety of commemorative promotional events, the hotel has crafted two luxurious accommodation plans that will be available from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 31, 2018

More hip-hop, more J-pop and a typhoon: Fuji Rock 2018 was full of new energy

Nothing encapsulated the strangeness of this year's Fuji Rock Festival than the spectacle that unfurled on the main Green Stage on Saturday night. After delivering what was already one of the silliest sets of the weekend, EDM producer Skrillex returned for his encore, accompanied by a surprise guest...

Longform

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