Japan and KFC have long had an unusual history. From its Christmas tradition as a replacement for turkey dinners to its reputation as a high quality restaurant chain. Quite the opposite of what we think of in North America when…
Tsukimi/Otsukimi (月見/お月見), also known as Jugoya (fifteenth night), is a traditional Japanese moon-viewing festival that takes place every autumn to celebrate and gaze upon the beauty of the full moon. This centuries-old tradition is still observed today on the 15th…
Have you ever stumbled upon this cute LINE sticker character with the black hoodie just being cute? Her name is Kurumi-chan. She’s actually one of many faces of a cute but concerning fashion subculture called Menhera (Short for mental health).…
Ever wondered if the nerd eating chicken tendies stereotype existed outside of the anglosphere? It does. And in Japan, they’re called “chigyu” (チー牛) or “chi-gyu” named after the abbreviation for cheese gyudon. But why? What ties this rather ordinary beef…
It’s the 7th of June, you know what that means! Oh you don’t? Well let me fill you in. Grab a cup of tea, sit back, and let’s dive into the tragic love story that is Tanabata. Have you ever…
Tucked away in Japan’s Suita, Osaka is a creepy looking marvel that’s both whimsical and profound, strange yet evocative. It’s called Taiyo no To (太陽の塔) or the Tower of the Sun. For those who haven’t had the pleasure (and perhaps…
Have you yearned to add spice to your ordinary life? Just like adding some chill flakes to your usual pasta recipe. Hasn’t such a thought aroused a feeling within yourself to want more? Don’t you want to make your inner…
If you get a chance to walk around the area in the middle of Tokyo’s Nakano ward, there’s a distinct triangular building that stands out from the buildings around it. It’s a former hotel and concert venue that’s been an…
When it comes to unique trends and quirky phenomena, nothing hits quite like the phrase “oh Japan”. If you’re familiar with the unusual trends and customs that we routinely discover from the eastern kingdom, you’ll love how silly this wall…
Scrolling through IG, I came across a post by livinginjapan mentioning that up in Hokkaido, there’s a traditional six-story Japanese castle you can buy for 10M yen or $64k USD at the current exchange rate. That’s a hair above 10k…
