Godzilla shoes just one of designer’s fantastical creations
One Japanese creation that grabbed attention at the Oscars wasn’t a movie: It was the kitsch shoes that seemed to be clenched in Godzilla’s claw. Read more
Focus on Japan
The latest news, trends and photo galleries from Japan by Japan News and Yomiuri Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper founded in 1874.
Japanese government creating manga preservation system
The Cultural Affairs Agency is examining the conditions of original drawings by leading manga artists in Japan and researching methods for preserving them. Read more
Traditional pottery town evolves with changing times
Pottery artisan Genji Shimizu, 78, creates each piece of his kyusu (teapots) one by one in a fluid motion that wastes no energy. Read more
Increasing number of people are game for gibier cuisine
Gibier cuisine, which features game meat from such animals as deer and wild boar, is rising in popularity. Read more
Dinosaur mural celebrates Japan’s fossil finds
A giant mural of dinosaurs is on display near Fukui Station, where a new high speed train, the Hokuriku Shinkansen, is set to stop beginning Saturday. Read more
Bad news is relative in Japan
The economy is now in recession after barely growing for decades. The population continues to shrink, with births last year plunging to a nadir. Read more
Artist creates mouthwatering works of wood
A fluffy castella cake, fatty tuna nigiri sushi and takoyaki (octopus dumplings) with rich sauce — they look so good that you might be tempted to eat them. But they are actually works of art carved from wood. Read more
66-pound radish wins annual contest
A 66-pound Sakurajima daikon (radish) took a top award at an annual contest held in late January at the foot of the vegetable’s namesake volcano, Mount Sakurajima, in Kagoshima City. Read more
Say ‘Cheese’ and ‘I do’
Amid recovering demand for tourism, a bridal company in Matsue, Shimane prefecture, is planning wedding photography tours for foreign tourists in Japan. Read more
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Beauty products now allowed for male inmates
The Justice Ministry is allowing male inmates to purchase or be given beauty items and a few other products that traditionally have been allowed only for female inmates. Read more
Artist portrays everyday wonders
Flowers blossoming like pink chiffon, luscious berries and fluttering goldfish make for the delicate but defiant beauty that’s signature Mika Ninagawa. Read more
Japanese visitors to Hawaii are trickling back
The full recovery of visitor arrivals from Japan, one of Hawaii’s most coveted source markets, continues to fall short, and a complete return to 2019 levels could take until 2026. Read more
Open-air boat ride in chilly weather is still cozy
Kotatsu boats are back for the winter in Yanagawa, Fukuoka prefecture, where visitors can take in the canal waterfront while warming their feet. Read more
Traditional kotatsu evolving to meet modern-day needs
Contemporary lifestyles in Japan are reflected in new types of kotatsu, traditional tables with internal heating that are often draped with a futon (quilt) to retain warmth. Read more
At trendy cafes, customers cuddle pigs
First there were cafes that allowed pets. Then came cat cafes, where lattes took second place to feline interaction. The latest craze in Japan: The pig cafe. Read more
Interest in Japan’s traditional cuisine has grown globally
More than 10 years have passed since washoku — Japanese cuisine — was registered as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in December 2013. Read more
Express train tuned up to reduce motion sickness
The Yakumo express trains, notorious for plaguing passengers with motion sickness due to their considerable tilt on curved tracks, will launch a new type of car this spring to improve the ride. Read more
Designer wraps kimono styles into current fashion trends
Maria Kawahara, a kimono designer, believes that the traditional garment can be worn more freely — with a belt, for instance, if one doesn’t have an obi, or even with boots or high heels instead of zori (traditional thong sandals). Read more
‘Baby dragons’ get ready for big year
A sea horse aquaculture farm in Minami-Kyushu, Kagoshima prefecture, is attracting tourists ahead of the Year of the Dragon because the Japanese word for sea horse is “tatsu no otoshigo,” which means “spawned baby dragon.” Read more
The poet and the painter: Museum in Japan brings them together
Donald Keene, who introduced the charms of Japanese literature to the world, in his later years published a book about Watanabe Kazan (1793-1841). Read more
Restaurant repays kindness with okonomiyaki
The appetizing smell and sizzling sound of an okonomiyaki savory pancake being prepared on a hot griddle, or teppan, can make anyone’s mouth water. Read more
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