Japan Central!

[Slowhand]

Pokanime Planet Arrives as Another Japanese-Themed Tourist Attraction in 2022

Sep 25th 2022
20,000 cosplayers and anime fans gather at the Pokanime Planet event in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia

How hard is it to break Japanese tiles like a karate pro?

2022-09-25T05:00:00Z
This Tokyo store lets you write a wish on a tile to help make your dreams come true.

Amazon’s unmanned ‘just walk out’ store Amazon Fresh leaves us feeling like criminals

2022-09-25T13:00:00Z
Amazon’s innovative ‘no checkout required’ supermarket leaves our reporter feeling uneasy.

Nana Mizuki’s Saitama Super Arena Two-day Concert to Feature Her Hero/Heroine Songs

September 25, 2022 8:13pm CDT
Mizuki: “I want to bring down their spirits in my live concerts.”

Lawson announces new human-controlled digital avatars at store registers starting this fall

2022-09-26T03:30:00Z
One of Japan’s top convenience store chains plans to introduce digital avatars at over 200 stores in the next three years.

[LadyOfWicca]

Tenkawa Village in Nara: The Sacred Location of ‘Shugendo’

2022-09-25T15:00:00Z

Japan’s new convenience store bar serves whisky made to pair with karaage fried chicken

2022-09-25T15:00:00Z

Japanese rest stop’s restroom setup has parents clamoring for it to be set up everywhere

2022-09-25T15:00:00Z

The roller slide of terror: Treetop fun ride for kids is a terrifying experience for adult butts

2022-09-26T06:00:00Z
When the only thing to save your buttocks from catching fire is a piece of cardboard.

Boys Be… Manga Artist Hiroyuki Tamakoshi Reports Cancer Diagnosis

posted on 2022-09-26 02:46 EDT by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Tamakoshi started 4 months of chemotherapy last week

Japanese police to introduce video function to emergency 110 calls

2022-09-26T13:00:00Z
A welcome update to an essential service.

Japan’s Raincoat Man arrested for stealing 360 women’s raincoats, “As exciting as lingerie”【Vids】

2022-09-26T14:00:00Z
Raincoat man’s reign of terror has ended.

Turning a crazy cheap country Japanese house into a home — Step 6: Outdoor bathing【SoraHouse】

2022-09-26T15:30:00Z
Every countryside home needs a riverside rotenburo, but will it be the tub of dreams?

So long, CDs – Japan’s Geo chain will no longer purchase used compact discs

2022-09-26T16:00:00Z
Decision starts the countdown to the chain’s end of selling used CDs too.

Voice Actor Takahiro Sakurai Confirms His Marital Status to Press

posted on 2022-09-26 12:45 EDT by Kim Morrissy
Sakurai responded “Yes” when asked Bunshun asked if he was married to a former voice actress

Evangelion Composer Shiro Sagisu Directs Genshin Impact Concert

posted on 2022-09-26 15:45 EDT by Kim Morrissy
Genshin Impact YouTube channel streams free online concert on October 2

Emiri Kato & Kaori Fukuhara’s Legendary VA unit Kato*Fuku Resumes Activities after 6 Years

September 26, 2022 7:48pm CDT
Details will be unveiled in a live-streaming program on October 1

Slowpoke takes center stage at special collaborative festival at Takamatsu Airport this October

2022-09-27T01:00:00Z
The official Udon Prefecture ambassador takes part in special events at the airport where you can also win fabulous prizes.

VA Unit Run Girls, Run! to Hold Their Final Concert on March 25, 2023

September 26, 2022 9:35pm CDT
The unit will end their activities on March 31, 2023

[Slowhand]

Idol singer from Keyakizaka46 says she’s now working as a Tokyo bar hostess

2022-09-27T13:00:00Z
”This is a type of work I’ve really been longing to do.”

Shiratani Unsuikyo: The breathtaking anime setting where Princess Mononoke was born

2022-09-27T15:15:00Z
Ancient cedar trees that inspired Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli team are just one reason why this forest in Yakushima is so magical.

Watch a modern day samurai and sword master slice 160 km/h baseball with ease

2022-09-26T15:00:00Z

Rent-A-Girlfriend Ruka VA Nao Toyama Releases New Music Video “OVER!!”

September 27, 2022 11:20pm CDT
Her 3rd full album “Welcome to MY WONDERLAND” hits Japanese stores today

[LadyOfWicca]

Japanese miniature artist unveils the small world that exists within…their bathroom wall tiles

2022-09-27T15:00:00Z

First try at Ditto felt art kit results in terrifyingly adorable Pokémon transformation

2022-09-27T15:00:00Z

Corgi butt and face dumplings the Japanese sweets that are just too cute to eat

2022-09-27T15:00:00Z

LiSA, ClariS, QUEENDOM and More to Perform in NHK World Japan’s Songs of Tokyo Music Festival

September 28, 2022 5:24am CDT
The event will be broadcast on NHK World Japan starting November 5

English-speaking-only bar opens in Osaka and Tokyo, yellow cards for those who don’t follow rules

2022-09-28T13:00:00Z
Bar Sick! is only open to English speakers

Play this Nintendo game with your partner before you decide to marry them, Japanese Twitter says

2022-09-28T15:00:00Z
Some pre-marital fraternal violence can reveal your chances of spousal happiness.

Testing our luck – Can visiting Japan’s power spots improve the omikuji temple fortune you draw?

2022-09-29T01:20:00Z
After a month of visiting auspicious sites, Seiji’s luck levels should be maxed out, right?

Brazilian Libertarian Politician Uses Anime Parodies in His Campaign Advertising

posted on 2022-09-28 22:00 EDT by Kim Morrissy
Kim Kataguiri parodies Kaguya-sama, Bleach in recent campaign videos

We go to an old, hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant to eat Indonesian fried rice

2022-09-29T03:15:00Z
Yes, even we wondered, “Why?”

[Slowhand]

BEASTARS Mangaka Paru Itagaki Meets and Illustrates Italian Rock Band Måneskin

September 29, 2022 6:00am CDT
“MAMMAMIA” indeed!

Eren and Co. Scout Out How to Get People to Give Blood in Attack on Titan Red Cross Collab

September 29, 2022 6:11am CDT
A new visual of the Scout Regiment in striking white and red was released

Fly-through video of Sailor Moon Museum exhibit shows what’s waiting for fans in Tokyo【Video】

2022-09-29T13:00:00Z
Exhibit enters its second phase, which will still be open when Japan reopens to international tourism.

Four bikers dressed as Spider-Man arrested in Saga City

2022-09-29T15:00:00Z
With bitchin’ bikes come bitchin’ responsibility.

Tokyo National Museum to Include Gundam in ‘Future National Treasures’ Exhibit

posted on 2022-09-29 16:45 EDT by Joanna Cayanan
Exhibit runs from November 2 to January 29

172 2.5-Dimensional Musicals Performed in 2021, Up 262% in Attendance

September 29, 2022 9:35pm CDT
Numbers are approaching the level before the outbreak of COVID-19

Tokyo Metro adds platform display showing where least crowded parts of the next train will be

2022-09-30T01:00:00Z
Test program could help Tokyo commuters go from crazy crowded commutes to simply very crowded commutes.

The cool secret hidden in Tokyo Metro pillars at Ginza station

2022-09-30T02:00:00Z
Subtle design details make the station and its passengers feel much more calm and pleasant.

[LadyOfWicca]

British Antique Museum opens in Japan with authentic Sherlock Holmes study exhibit

2022-09-29T15:00:00Z

Komi-san has become an ambassador for hair care products!

2022-09-29T15:00:00Z

Can you enjoy a day at Tokyo’s Kokugikan sumo stadium if you know nothing about the sport?【Pics】

2022-09-30T05:00:00Z
Our sumo beginner gets a lesson from a kimono-clad veteran.

Ramen and dekotora come together at this restaurant in Japan

2022-09-30T09:00:00Z
Korakuen Iekei Ramen Truck Yaro Since 2021 celebrates Japan’s culture of decorated trucks.

Voice Actress/Singer Seena Hoshiki Goes on Hiatus Due to Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

posted on 2022-09-30 10:32 EDT by Alex Mateo
Hoshiki plays Riamu Yumemi in The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls

KFC’s Colonel Sanders Poses with Evangelion’s Asuka

posted on 2022-09-30 12:45 EDT by Kim Morrissy
KFC’s Spanish Twitter account is at it again with the anime memes

Can you use the fluctuating exchange rate and Japan’s weak yen to make some money? We find out

2022-09-30T18:00:00Z
Our wannabe Wolf of Wall Street attempts to strike it rich with the volatile exchange rates.

Japanese mom’s don’t-touch-my-baby-stroller sign stirs up debate【Video】

2022-10-01T01:00:00Z
A whole lot of cultural values clash when neighborhood seniors don’t keep their hands to themselves around baby.

Japanese artist’s amazing “kirin ball” seamlessly assembles 60 mythical beasts

2022-09-29T15:00:00Z

Believe it or not, these aren’t anime drawings–they’re stunning Gundam models

2022-09-29T15:00:00Z

[Slowhand]

How to make a hot pudding drink with Japanese purin【SoraKitchen】

2022-10-03T01:00:00Z
Official recipe from Glico is so good it should replace hot cocoa.

[Slowhand]

Gunma’s yaki manju, unknown to most Japanese people, are the best manju we’ve ever had

2022-10-03T05:00:00Z
Our sweet-loving reporter falls in love with a delicacy that’s been enjoyed by the people of Gunma for hundreds of years.

New customers can’t stop blushing at curry shop with surprisingly affectionate service in Japan

2022-10-02T15:00:00Z

Ninja vs. samurai night battle to take place at Japanese castle ruins, 100 combatants needed

2022-10-03T15:00:00Z
Applications now open to do battle for glory and prizes when night falls on one of Japan’s most famous ninja towns.

We visit a Muji in South Korea to search for some uniquely Korean products

2022-10-04T01:00:00Z
Will the South Korean version of Muji have anything on sale that you can’t get anywhere else?

When is the best time to see Japan’s amazing fall color leaves?

2022-10-04T03:00:00Z
Th best part of autumn in Japan is right around the corner, and here’s the latest forecast of best koyo dates for across the country.

[Slowhand]

Kadokawa Chair Tsuguhiko Kadokawa to Resign Amid Indictment on Charges of Bribery

posted on 2022-10-04 03:13 EDT by Crystalyn Hodgkins
Tsuguhiko Kadokawa was arrested on September 14 on suspicion of bribery for Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Minori Suzuki Announces Her Long-Awaited Third Album

Oct 4th 2022

The golden escalator hidden at a Tokyo train station

2022-10-04T05:00:00Z
“Celebrity escalator” looks set to become one of the most Instagrammable spots in the city.

Ayana Taketatsu Celebrates Her 10th Anniversary with Memorial Song “Endless Symphony” MV

October 04, 2022 7:40pm CDT
“I can think that I am here now after accumulating many memories.”

McDonald’s Japan to begin providing wood utensils and paper straws nationwide

2022-10-03T15:00:00Z

Elementary school boy paints his room, turning it into an ocean paradise

2022-10-03T15:00:00Z

Thoughtful stranger kindly trolls neighbor who mixed up their garbage day

2022-10-03T15:00:00Z

[LadyOfWicca]

SPYxFAMILY’s Anya finds the perfect use for oddly shaped digital billboard in Shibuya Station

2022-10-04T15:00:00Z

The cutest bird in Japan turned into angry anime-style rice balls

2022-10-04T15:00:00Z

Kadokawa Chair, Vice-Chair Resign After Alleged Olympic Sponsorship Bribery

posted on 2022-10-05 06:34 EDT
Media conglomerate sets up committee to investigate matter, propose changes

Turning a crazy cheap country Japanese house into a home — Step 7: Climbing mountains【SoraHouse】

2022-10-05T06:00:00Z
What will we discover when we hike up the mountain behind the SoraHouse?

Japan Cartoonists’ Association Launches Online Charity Auction To Support Ukraine

posted on 2022-10-05 11:45 EDT by Choo Sum Lee

Watch Kaori Ishihara’s Shining Performance in Her Latest Live DVD/Blu-ray “Starcast” Digest

October 05, 2022 9:42pm CDT
The voice of Tiese Schtrinen (Sword Art Online), Yuzuha Mishima (Higehiro)

Manga artist was harassed for eating alone at ramen shops until she found a safe haven

2022-10-04T15:00:00Z

[LadyOfWicca]

Buff Japanese dad’s way of offering shopping help wins wife’s praise, has netizens taking notes

2022-10-05T15:00:00Z

Store clerk in Japan cracks up foreign customers with unusual English explanation of “squid”

2022-10-05T15:00:00Z

Bomb squad in Japan summoned to take care of…abandoned briefcase full of adult toys

2022-10-06T14:00:00Z
Discharge happened long before investigators were on-scene.

Tokyo’s world-famous Kappabashi restaurant supply street’s annual festival is going on right now

2022-10-06T17:30:00Z
If you need just about any kind of cookware or tableware, you can find it here.

A visit to one of Japan’s motorcycle Shinto shrines

2022-10-07T01:30:00Z
You don’t have to be a motorcycle enthusiast to visit here, but it helps.

Japanese convenience store lives up to name with wonderful help for the hearing-impaired

2022-10-05T15:00:00Z

[LadyOfWicca]

Japanese husband’s massive Mont Blanc failure has netizens in stitches

2022-10-06T15:00:00Z

Hololive Vtuber Shirakami Fubuki appointed “lifesaving supporter” by Japan AED Foundation

2022-10-06T15:00:00Z

“Aikido high school girl” shows off amazing self-defense moves in instructional videos

2022-10-06T15:00:00Z

Anime, Movie and TV Music Producer Hiroyuki Sawano’s New Group Naqt Vane Release ‘Break Free (English Ver.)’, with lyrics in English

Oct 7th 2022

New Visuals Released for Miyavi’s Upcoming Anime Song Cover Album

Oct 7th 2022

ZOMBIE LAND SAGA’s Franchouchou Announces First 3D Virtual Concert

October 07, 2022 10:05am CDT
Franchouchou ~Live & Illusion!!~ will take place later this month

Voice Actor Soma Saito to Release His 3rd EP “Yin/Yang” on December 7

October 07, 2022 7:36pm CDT
Digital album “Secret Tracks” will also be available on November 7

How to eat Japan’s super long noodles【Taste test】

2022-10-08T01:00:00Z
Devil’s Club noodles are over half the length of an average human, so how the heck do you eat them?

Turning a crazy cheap country Japanese house into a home — Step 8: Roof Removal【SoraHouse】

2022-10-08T03:00:00Z
When the professionals get involved, hours of work takes mere minutes.

[Slowhand]

Nagasaki man lifts his apartment toilet lid to find terrifying surprise inside

2022-10-08T06:00:00Z
I’m sure no one ever wants to see this in their at-home toilet…or any toilet, for that matter.

We make meat-stuffed matsutake mushrooms and learn something important about luxury food

2022-10-08T07:00:00Z
A bargain deal on expensive ingredients makes our reporter think twice about her ideas of cooking.

Dog shows up inside commuter train headed for Tokyo【Video】

2022-10-08T13:00:00Z
Everybody takes the train in Japan, it seems.

A convenience store made of ice is being built in Japan

2022-10-08T16:00:00Z
The ice Seicomart is a convenience store that could only be built in this part of Japan.

[Slowhand]

Traditional Japanese cuisine gets an out of this world treatment — we try Japanese Space Food

2022-10-09T05:00:00Z
Take your taste buds on an intergalactic trip with these space-friendly foods!

BEASTARS Author Paru Itagaki Illustrates Chara’s “PRIVATE BEACH” for EGAKU -draw the song- Web Series

October 09, 2022 8:26am CDT
Series that combines music and manga art is currently in its second season on Youtube

Japan’s Three Most Disappointing Tourist Sites: Sapporo Clock Tower

2022-10-09T15:15:00Z
Why does this top tourist spot fall short of so many people’s expectations?

The All Japan Club Association hopes wooden club makes long-awaited comeback

2022-10-09T18:00:00Z
Clubs aren’t just for cavemen and goblins anymore!

Heaven Burns Red Concert Delayed Due to Konomi Suzuki’s COVID-19 Diagnosis

posted on 2022-10-09 22:27 EDT by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Concert was slated for Monday

Gundam’s Yoshikazu Yasuhiko Receives Japanese Government’s Film Lifetime Achievement Award

posted on 2022-10-09 23:12 EDT by Joanna Cayanan
Director of photography Minoru Tamura also honored

Bears serve environmentally friendly coffee and treats via a hole in the wall at new Tokyo cafe

2022-10-10T03:00:00Z
Tokyo’s newest cafe is adorable, Instagram-worthy and environmentally conscious.

[Slowhand]

150 Pokémon will be hiding in major Japanese train stations this fall, waiting for fans to find them

2022-10-10T05:00:00Z
Gen-1 Pokémon help mark 150-year milestone for trains in Japan.

Shiga woman defrauded 4.4M yen by man asking for money to fly down from the ISS and marry her

2022-10-10T15:15:00Z
Ground control to major fraud…

Uzaki-chan Anime Joins Forces with Japan’s Biggest eSports Park

posted on 2022-10-10 14:45 EDT by Kim Morrissy
Series also launches TikTok account

Showtaro Morikubo Shows Off His Cool Singer/Guitarist Side in New MV “HEADACHE”

October 10, 2022 6:59pm CDT
His 4th full album “X-FADE” hits stores on November 30

A visit to Subnade: Downtown Tokyo’s survivor subterranean shopping center【Photos】

2022-10-11T01:00:00Z
Exploring beneath the streets of the skyscraper district.

[LadyOfWicca]

Photo of crab restaurant looks “like a scene from a horror movie”

2022-10-10T15:00:00Z

Don’t touch these “berries,” they’re not what you may think

2022-10-10T15:00:00Z

Challenge Yourself to a 5-Course Bike Rally Sponsored by Yowamushi Pedal

October 11, 2022 8:27am CDT
The sports anime is teaming up with JR East to offer challenges and prizes

Win a room or bed on an overnight boat from Nagoya in ferry’s Boat Gacha campaign

2022-10-11T13:00:00Z
Feeling lucky and adventurous?

Golden Japanese toilet appears at “multi-millionaire” izakaya in Tokyo

2022-10-11T15:00:00Z
Everything in this restaurant is covered in gold.

Our reporter illustrates their first experience attending a fan photo event with an oshi

2022-10-11T17:30:00Z
Taking a photo with a big celebrity crush results in high anxiety but also boosts something else unexpectedly for our writer.

Japanese luxury campsite’s newest amenity: Zombies and other monsters【Photos】

2022-10-12T03:00:00Z
The crisp mountain air isn’t the only reason guests might be feeling chills in Nagano.

[AnimePoster]

@Slowhand

Pokémon help mark 150-year milestone for trains in Japan

They should call their train stations the ( out of the Pokémon names ) like " Pikachu’s Train-er Station lol

[LadyOfWicca]

Japanese celebrity known for fabulous fashion rocks Makima from Chainsaw Man cosplay

2022-10-11T15:00:00Z

Halloween Horror Nights returns to Universal Studios Japan with Resident Evil maze

2022-10-11T15:00:00Z

Rock Band Galileo Galilei to Return After 7 Years

posted on 2022-10-12 00:02 EDT by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Band goes on tour in mid-2023

Turning a crazy cheap country Japanese house into a home — Step 9: Chestnuts【SoraHouse】

2022-10-12T06:00:00Z
Are roadside chestnuts really safe to eat?

Enjoy a weekend trip to Thailand for less than $50? We show you how【Photos】

2022-10-12T13:00:00Z
Our penny-pinching reporter shows you how to travel on a tight budget and still have an amazing trip.

Ghibli Park Unveils New Photos of 3 Areas Opening on November 1

posted on 2022-10-12 11:00 EDT by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Videos/photos show recreations from My Neighbor Totoro, Whisper of the Heart, The Cat Returns

Ghibli Park benches spark debate in Japan

2022-10-12T15:00:00Z
One person’s cute anime flourish is another person’s hostile design.

We find a hidden gyoza eatery in Utsunomiya and discover the local way of eating them

2022-10-13T01:00:00Z
A gyoza eatery behind a closed game arcade in the basement of a Mega Don Quijote–that doesn’t sound spooky at all…

A Japanese sailor uniform that’s easy for boys to wear stirs up interest in Japan [Interview]

2022-10-11T15:00:00Z

[Slowhand]

Human skull found in Universal Studios Japan bushes

2022-10-13T05:15:00Z
Police search turns up other bones too.

Terrifying orange in Japanese orchard “a dead ringer for Venom”

2022-10-12T15:00:00Z

Daughter’s transforming Jack-o’-Lantern is just too terrifying for Halloween night

2022-10-12T15:00:00Z

Photographer’s shot of “The Big Dipper floating on a lake” has many in love with Hokkaido scenery

2022-10-12T15:00:00Z

Hololive English-Affiliated YouTuber Mori Calliope 1st Major Album Global Pre-Orders Open at Animate International

Oct 13th 2022

Gig Report - Wienners Invite Dempagumi.inc for the Grand Finale of the Band’s Japan Tour

Oct 13th 2022

The Tomato Devil from Chainsaw Man is now a terrifyingly realistic caprese salad

2022-10-12T15:00:00Z

‘Kitakyushu Anime Songs Piano Live 2022’ Featuring Popular Pianists from Social Media and YouTube to be Held Sunday, December 11

Oct 13th 2022
Performances by Animenz, Manamaru, Miyaken, and May’n General Tickets to go on Sale From Thursday, October 13

Wataru Hatano Releases New Music Video with An Epic World View, “TORUS”

October 13, 2022 9:32pm CDT
The lyrics of “No Man Is an Island” were written by fellow voice actor Soma Saito

[LadyOfWicca]

Photo of praying mantis looks like scene from a Japanese monster flick

2022-10-13T15:00:00Z

Dragon Maid Lucoa VA Minami Takahashi Takes Hiatus From Work to Let Her Throat Heal

October 14, 2022 1:11am CDT
Takahashi had been undergoing treatment to help her throat

We took a chance on a die-roll ticket to Amarube and had a nice little adventure

2022-10-14T05:00:00Z
If you’re also thinking of going to this small railway town in Hyogo Prefecture, here are some tips!

Travelling to Japan soon? Beware the “Three Small Hells” awaiting tourists upon arrival

2022-10-14T15:30:00Z
Japan may have opened its borders, but there are still some requirements that might trip you up when visiting.

Japan may finally abolish law that bans women only from remarrying soon after divorce

2022-10-15T01:00:00Z
Change would also revise “presumed legitimacy” child custody law for the first time since Japan created a modern legal system.

Spy x Family Cosplay Gives Twilight and the Thorn Princess a Top-Secret Mission

2022-10-15T01:00:00Z
An incredible new cosplay showcases just how intimidating Yor and Loid Forger can really be (and just how amazing of a killer team they would make).

Eerie Chainsaw Man Cosplay Depicts Terrifying Real-Life Denji

2022-10-15T01:00:00Z
Denji, the protagonist of the new anime Chainsaw Man, is brought to life in a dark and bloody cosplay that captures the tone of the show perfectly.

Japan Keeps Up Yen Warnings, Declines to Say If Intervened

2022-10-14T05:58:00Z
Yen swings in volatile session after US inflation surprise