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Tera Cafe brings chic Buddhism to Daikanyama
Buddhism is making a comeback (if it ever went away), in unusual places. From Buddhist bars — the most famous of which is Vowz in Yotsuya — to the “monk delivery service” available on Amazon since last...
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Tokyo Cheapo’s Tips for Avoiding the Golden Week Crowd in Tokyo
This article by Tiffany first appeared on Tokyo Cheapo. Golden Week refers to a cluster of holidays from late April to early May: Showa Day (April 29), referring to the previous emperor’s birthday;...
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Rakuten launches new drone delivery service for golf courses
Japan continues to negotiate its evolving relationship with drones: fun consumer toys, provider of exciting new services, or dangerous tools for potential terrorists? For the upcoming G7 summit in...
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Milbox Touch adds tactile controls to virtual reality headset viewer
We’ve been closely following the development of consumer virtual reality in Japan. This year alone we have already seen a great crossover of digital and analog technology with the Mask of Anubis VR...
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Sky Magic, a Mount Fuji drone and shamisen spectacle
Last week we wrote about Rakuten’s new drone delivery service for golf courses. And now comes another great example of how people in Japan are showing us what drones can do. Hopefully the government is...
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Issey Miyake fashion exhibition has augmented reality flyer
Celebrating 45 years of the work of fashion designer, the rather too obviously titled “Miyake Issey Exhibition: The Work of Miyake Issey” at the National Art Center, Tokyo runs until June 13th. Like...
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Pre-painted toenail art stockings hailed as new street fashion trend
One of the things we enjoy doing at Japan Trends is not only observing actual news and trends, but also how trends are reported and generated by the media, both Japanese and international. What is the...
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Man or Machine? The state of Japanese robots today
The Financial Times has taken an interest in Japanese robotics and produced an interesting video highlighting recent developments. In particular, it examines the line that divides the socially...
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Star Wars Hanten: traditional Japanese coats with A New Hope, Master Yoda...
Japanese fashion brand Trove has created a series of what it calls Wa-Robe items (“wa” meaning Japanese). The most exciting of these are three Star Wars Hanten, coming in designs featuring Master Yoda...
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Barack Obama to visit Hiroshima
Barack Obama will visit Hiroshima in May, it was officially confirmed by the White House. This will make Obama the first sitting president to visit the city where the first nuclear weapon was used....
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Tokyo Olympic bid probed over mystery payment
Dogged by problems since preparations began, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics now face another potential scandal. The Guardian has revealed a mysterious payment made to a Singaporean bank account linked to a...
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Japanese travel agency H.I.S. cancels campaign matching female students with...
Japan has a troubled relationship with feminism to put it mildly. Remember Bijin Uketsuke, the “beautiful receptionist” app? Or the jeers Ayaka Shiomura had to endure in the Tokyo Assembly from her...
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Adultery dominates Japanese television and show business
The return to Japanese TV screens last week of the 32-year-old unmarried TV “talent” Becky was a major event for the entertainment industry. Her homecoming after weeks of exile attracted 24% of the...
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Beer Hour Stadium Foamy Head Dispenser serves a taste of baseball games in Japan
If you have ever attended a baseball or other sports event in Japan, you will likely have spotted the “beer girls“, also known as uriko. These happy-go-lucky ladies can be seen lugging large kegs of...
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Sexism prevails in Japan in beer commercials and song lyrics
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has made a political song and dance out of his apparent efforts to create a “a society in which women shine”. However, it seems not everyone got the memo that female...
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New Japanese Democratic Party logo revealed, but is it plagiarism?
On May 19th, Katsuya Okada unveiled the new logo of the newly formed political party, the Minshinto. The Democratic Party, as it is called in English, was formed out of the merger of two other...
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Sakuraman: wearable device offering on-demand, year-round cherry blossom viewing
After dazzling Tokyo with his Running Christmas Tree last year, everyone’s favorite gadget-creating foreigner is back with another inventive, gaudy device. Joseph Tame’s latest project is Sakuraman, a...
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Tokyo governor Yoichi Masuzoe Famicom video game ironic after expenses scandal
The governor of Tokyo, Yoichi Masuzoe, is currently caught up in an expenses scandal that has been unfolding for the past few weeks in the pages of the press. Masuzoe — a former scholar and the most...
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Dragon Quest celebrates anniversary with massive chalkboard art in Shinjuku...
It’s the gift that keeps on giving: Tokyo’s station billboard promotions. We continue to see interesting examples, especially in Shinjuku, from the “huggable” to the “scratchable”. Many of these...
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Tokyo government launches campaign for young voters
This summer there will be an Upper House election in Japan and for the first time, those aged 18 and 19 can vote. To raise awareness of this new enfranchisement, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has...
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