- Watch Snoopy movies at home during the Golden Week.
- The New York Food Film Festival 2020 has been cancelled amid coronavirus fears.
- Bob Dylan is coming to Japan
- McDonald’s Japan welcomes 2020 spring with new strawberry frappes
- All-you-can-eat strawberry desserts in 100 minutes.
- “Japan’s Cuisine, Nature, and Wisdom”- Exploring the Past and Future of Japanese Cuisine at the National Museum of Nature and Science
- The World of Shoen Uemura’s paintings of beautiful women
- Treasures from Budapest
- Strawberry and Chocolate Fair at Ikea Japan
- Your Guide to Tokyo’s Fun Ice Skating Rinks
- Yokohama lights up 500,000 leds this year.
- Future and the Arts: AI, Robotics, Cities, Life - How Humanity Will Live Tomorrow
- Egg & Spuma’s Halloween Offering is A Cute Witch Burger
- Strictly Come Drawing
- Kuishinbo Butter Festival
- Japan’s red fall foliage festival
All posts by Ted Tanaka
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The three reasons Japan has fewer death cases than Europe and the U.S.
Japan was expecting an explosive spread in coronavirus infection but it hasn’t happened. The number of COVID-19 cases and deaths reported todate remains to be the lowest among the G7 countries. Japan’s case got many people puzzled...
- Posted May 19, 2020
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Japan’s stimulus package that could help those facing financial difficulties.
On April 30, the Diet has officially cleared a supplementary budget bill in response to the economic impacts of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Japan has allocated a budget of ¥12.8 trillion as assistance to people and businesses...
- Posted May 4, 2020
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Schmatz’s German style craft beer can now be ordered online.
Even though spring has sprung, the coronavirus situation isn’t giving beer drinkers a permission to think freely of sunshine, outdoors and SCHMATZ. Schmatz Beer Dining has temporarily closed 30 of its stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area...
- Posted April 30, 2020
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The new contact-tracing app might not work in Japan. Here’s why that’s a problem.
On Friday, April 10, tech giants Apple and Google announced that a new infection-tracing app is scheduled to be rolled out in mid May. The new app will alert the user if they’ve come into contact with...
- Posted April 13, 2020
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New study finds virus travels up to 4 meters, twice what the current distance guidelines say.
In the midst of the fear and anxiety surrounding the mysterious killer virus, each day seems to bring news that’s different from the day before. A new study of air samples from hospital wards with COVID-19 patients...
- Posted April 11, 2020
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International Lego robotics competition in May cancelled.
The First Lego League, an international Lego robotics competition to be held in Japan scheduled in May, has been canceled on Monday over Coronavirus concerns. The FIRST LEGO League competition is participated in by teams of children...
- Posted March 6, 2020
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Toilet paper rolls are disappearing from restrooms in convenience stores.
Public toilets in Japan are the envy of many people around the world. They are clean, sanitized and frequently stocked with toilet paper. Tokyo is perhaps one of the few cities where you can walk into a...
- Posted March 2, 2020
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Only foreigners can keep their maiden name after marriage.
Marriage is not just about “I dos”. There is one important issue couples have to sort out: “What do we do with our family name?” Article 750 of Japan’s Civil Code requires couples to have the same...
- Posted February 27, 2020
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Italian dad: “This is not China vs World, this is humanity vs coronavirus.”
If there is one thing the coronavirus outbreak has exposed, it’s the rising anti-Asian sentiment. A string of incidents have been reported in the news ranging from a Chinese being turned away by a restaurant owner in...
- Posted February 25, 2020
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“Japan’s Cuisine, Nature, and Wisdom”- Exploring the Past and Future of Japanese Cuisine at the National Museum of Nature and Science
In 2013, Washoku or traditional Japanese cuisine has been added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage raising the country’s global recognition. In a rare special exhibition, Ueno National Museum of Nature and Science puts the spotlight on 250...
- Posted February 4, 2020
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Meet Origin, GM and Honda’s self-driving car
Two multinational automakers, America’s General Motors and Japan’s Honda recently unveiled its new self-driving six-seat electric vehicle. It has doors that slide rather than swing open. It has no steering wheel, brake or accelerator pedals, windshield wipers...
- Posted January 27, 2020
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These fun games are preparing kids into their AI-driven future and parents are loving them.Starting April 2020, Computer programming will be a compulsory subject in Japan’s primary school curriculum. Children in the fifth grade will be taught the basics of coding. Is your child ready? Whether your child is in the...
- Posted December 24, 2019
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Teen found dead after phone under pillow explodes
Alua Asetkyzy, a 14-year-old teenager from Bastobe, Kazakhstan, left her smartphone under the pillow plugged into a nearby electric socket and fell asleep listening to music. Then the phone’s battery burst, seriously injuring the girl resulting in...
- Posted October 24, 2019
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There’s a new Panda Express in ChibaAfter the success of Panda Express’s first food court style eatery in Japan at Lazona Kawasaki Plaza, the American style Chinese food chain is adding another store in Chiba on May 25. 35-year old Panda...
- Posted May 23, 2018
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Fatburger offers custom burgers at its newly opened storeA new American hamburger joint from Los Angeles founded by a woman entrepreneur, Lovie Yancey, sets up its first Japan store in Shibuya on April 28. Starting as a 3-stool sandwich stand in L.A.’s Western Avenue,...
- Posted April 28, 2018
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Japan puts the spotlight on the works of Hayao Miyazaki at a new theme park
Aichi prefecture has announced the opening in 2022 of a new theme park in Nagoya dedicated to the anime films of Japan’s famous celebrity Hayao Miyazaki. 77-year old Hayao Miyazaki is the prominent director and artist behind...
- Posted April 25, 2018
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Hatsumode: Shrines that bring you good luck in the New Year
Just as Christians go to midnight mass on Christmas eve, the Japanese ring in the new year with a first visit to a Shinto shrine, an age-old tradition called Hatsumode. The visit happens on the first 3...
- Posted December 27, 2017
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Japan’s Internet Download Speed Has Just Gone Faster Than Last YearInternet speed-test company OOKLA reports internet download speeds for world’s broadband and mobile connections grew more than 30 percent in 2017. In just one year, Japan’s broadband download speed jumped to 73.51 mbps in 2017, a 20.7%...
- Posted December 17, 2017
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Japanese couples sleep in separate beds, seldom kiss each other but many are happy in their marriages, says new survey.
One in three marriages in Japan leads to divorce. Many have cast doubt on the notion that unhappy marriage is likely the result of the absence of intimacy in Japanese couples. A recent survey shows that the...
- Posted November 21, 2017
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Everyday is a bargain at OK supermarket.
I have been making a mental list of interesting names of shops I find in Tokyo: ‘Eye Rashes’, an eyelash extension salon, ‘Assort’ hairdressers, and a new one I’ve added to the list - a supermarket called...
- Posted November 15, 2017
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Ninja wannabes take a certification test in Japan
In Japan, if you want to be a certified NINJA, you need to take a test. On October 22, Sunday, 200 Ninja wannabes will be taking a certification test at the Koga Ryu School of Ninjutsu...
- Posted October 19, 2017
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What to look out for when buying a mom bike in Tokyo
When it comes to Tokyo living, the most important purchase for most families is a bicycle. Buying a bicycle requires knowing what to look out for says Liz, a 28-year old Tokyo mom who was disappointed when...
- Posted October 4, 2017
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What is the best debit card in Japan for foreigners?A debit card is a card on which the price is immediately deducted from the bank account when paying for goods or services. It is issued by a financial institution with a deposit account, and it can...
- Posted August 21, 2017
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‘Ganbatte’ is not the same as ‘Good Luck’
Japanese parents believe that having their children focus on hard work is the ticket to academic success rather than an inherent ability. Where some cultures say ‘good luck’, the Japanese put emphasis on effort. Thus, the ubiquitous...
- Posted August 11, 2017
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Do you want to cut your communication costs? Here are the best deals in Japan now.The lure of purchasing a new handset in installments bundled with voice calls and data plan through major mobile phone carriers in Japan may sound attractive at first. But, if you do the math, you actually pay...
- Posted August 3, 2017
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Former Software Engineer Ditches IT Job for a home-based business.“JOB STRESS WAS KILLING ME” Right after college, Indian mum Ashitha Sreejesh was hired by an American multinational company as a Software Engineer.The work involved grueling night and weekend shifts with frequent overtime in between. “All I...
- Posted July 27, 2017
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Japan’s Fishermen Sells Wake Up Call ServiceBusy brains keep deep sleepers from waking up. If an alarm clock doesn’t work for you and have trouble jumping out of bed in the morning, fret not, Japan’s fishermen have your back. Yes - fishermen. The...
- Posted July 9, 2017
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Nintendo Super Famicom is back in a smaller version.Japan’s video game company Nintendo, has announced today the return of its classic Super Famicom box in a version smaller than the first video game system played by families in the 90s. Aptly named “Nintendo Classic Mini:...
- Posted June 27, 2017
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The new questionnaire US visa applicants all over the world need to know
Are you traveling to the US this summer and need a US visa? According to Reuters, the Trump administration has approved a new questionnaire for those who need a visa to enter the United States. The new...
- Posted June 3, 2017
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How are bonuses calculated in Japan?
In Japan, most companies pay twice-a-year bonuses to its full time employees. The summer bonus or Kaki Shoyo is paid in June or July and Toki Shoyo or Winter bonus is paid in December. Giving of bonuses...
- Posted June 1, 2017
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License now required for people renting out properties to people through an online marketplace.
When you rent out your property or motor vehicle to visitors through an online marketplace, there is a risk owners have to take in case occupants cause some damage to the rented property. Occupants too can be...
- Posted June 1, 2017
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Toshiba’s new ‘Ultra fine bubble’ washer gets rid of stubborn laundry stains once and for all
Many top washing machine brands are reliable but none of them has Ultra fine bubble. Zaboon Ultra Fine Bubble is Toshiba’s latest fully automatic washer/dryer to be released in early July. WHAT DOES ULTRA FINE BUBBLE...
- Posted May 31, 2017
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Booking your summer vacation online? Be vigilant with credit card fraud.
Summer is here and most families may be shopping online for cheap air tickets and hotel accommodation. While e-commerce has become the norm for many, Japanese people are still concerned about the security of online shopping because...
- Posted May 26, 2017
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Vintage photos of Samurai in the 19th century
These are beautiful vintage photographs of Samurais taken between 1863 and 1900 in Japan. In the 19th century, people who took photos were called camera artists, not photographers as we know today. Camera artists believed that a...
- Posted May 23, 2017
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Ice cream that does NATTO melt
Parents can now say adieu to dripping ice cream cones because scientists at Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee in Scotland have finally cracked the code to creating a firmer, slower-melting ice cream by using a special protein...
- Posted May 22, 2017
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Japan’s next generation bicycle tires don’t need air
When conventional tires’ pressure drop after about a certain distance travelled, it is normal for bikes to become sluggish and less responsive. The good news is with Bridgestone Cycle’s next generation ‘air-free’ nirinsha, (Japanese word for two-wheelers) ...
- Posted May 16, 2017
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What the Japanese law says about paying for goods and services in coins
Almost everyone in Japan pays in cash at convenience stores.You might be surprised by how many coins in spare change one can accumulate every single day. I have a bucketful of stashed one-yen coins collecting dust at...
- Posted May 13, 2017
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Internet puzzled: Japanese engineers can’t solve Junior High school math equation
Kobe University and Doshisha University research group found out many engineers at major companies can not solve a fundamental mathematical equation used for junior high school entrance examination tests in Japan. In the 1980’s, the percentage of...
- Posted May 3, 2017
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A visit to Sony ExploraScience
As a working dad in Tokyo, it’s not unusual that I want to spend all of my weekends with my two boys. I decided to take them to Sony ExploraScience at Aqua City in Odaiba. We drove...
- Posted May 2, 2017
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Japan’s new luxury train will leave travelers spellbound
Beginning today, rich travelers who have money to burn will be able to experience true luxury while traveling around the country via the Train Suite Shiki-Shima , JR Higashi’s version of the Majaraja Express, except that, its...
- Posted May 2, 2017
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Adorable dad and daughter review Oreo’s new flavor
Thirty years ago when NABISCO’s snack icon OREO first arrived in Japan, it had to undergo minor tweaks : less sugar and creamier filling to suit the Japanese taste. Japan got it right because after 3 decades,...
- Posted May 1, 2017
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New glider bikes for kids 2-5 years old
Kicker Avance, a new two-wheeled pedal-less bike by Asahi designed for children ages 2-5 years old is what every parent needs to make his child’s transition to a regular kids bike easy. It rides like a regular...
- Posted April 26, 2017
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Best passport in the world 2017: Germany shares top spot with an Asian country. Hint: It’s not Japan.
Global Financial Advisory firm Arton Capital recently revealed the most powerful passports in the entire world this year. Although Germany remains to be on top of the list, it is joined for the first time this year...
- Posted April 15, 2017
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UK based Japanese artist puts heart to artKazuhito Takadoi may not be a household name in Japan but art aficionados in Europe pay a high price for his brand of art. Takadoi studied Garden Art and Design at Leeds Metropolitan University in the U.K....
- Posted April 12, 2017
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If you drink tap water in Japan, here’s something you need to know.
According to posters distributed by Japan Water Works Association (Nihon Suidou Kyokai), Japan is one of only 15 (out of 196) countries in the world with potable tap water. (Source: Global Water Supply and Sanitation Assessment 2000...
- Posted April 6, 2017
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A bilingual toy that helps your child think and learn about colors
Every time the chameleon’s brush scans a palette of paint around him, the chameleon’s body lights up and changes to the same color. It also says the name of the color in Japanese and English which can...
- Posted March 29, 2017
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Float Over to Huis Ten Bosch As You Sleep
Over at Hollanda Mura or Huis Ten Bosch, Japan’s Dutch Village and Theme Park in Nagasaki, a floating capsule that drifts along the surrounding scenic spots while you sleep, is the park’s newest attraction. The two-level floating...
- Posted March 10, 2017
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Hawaii’s ‘Mochiko’ chicken comes to town
Teddy’s Bigger Burger, Hawaii’s popular burger chain with stores in Tokyo, has just added Mochiko Fried Chicken on its menu. Just as popular as Teddy’s 100% U.S. beef, large burgers, Mochiko Fried Chicken is well loved by...
- Posted March 9, 2017
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A look at a Japanese Daycare Center
There are many things that work in Japan that won’t work in other countries. One of them is the ability of children to be independent and go about their day-to-day tasks with no parent or guardian in...
- Posted March 4, 2017
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Tattoo-friendly Onsen resorts
Going to an onsen is Japan’s favorite escape from the humdrum of busy Tokyo life. Get naked, rinse and relax in these atmospheric and therapeutic onsen resorts. Got a tattoo? These places don’t mind. Shirakaba Resort Ikenohei...
- Posted March 1, 2017