Body Shop Japan have really proved they know what women want in their latest campaign. The campaign entitled Princess Moisture and the Three Wizards, sees the three main ingredients of their vegetarian-friendly product anthropomorphized as attractive sorcerers. The top-selling item, camomile cleansing butter, is designed to stave off winter dryness thanks to the three moisturizing heroes, camomile, olive oil and shea butter. These kind wizards deliver moisture and love to flaky skin. The fairytale theme of the campaign would not be complete without a story which they detail in the press release: Welcome to the Sumptuous Forest. For you, who arrived here, wandering in search of moisture, we cast a…

If you enjoy traditional Japanese music, you may be a fan of NHK World Blends, a fascinating program that helps introduce classical Japanese instruments and musical performers by playing popular modern songs on traditional Japanese instruments. One of the show’s appeals is rediscovering an appreciation for songs by hearing gorgeous renditions of them accented by the gentle touch of shakuhachi (traditional Japanese bamboo flute), koto, and shamisen. One such standout is a cover of “Back in Black” by rock giants AC/DC on traditional Japanese instruments, featuring the returning Yoshimi Tsujimoto, a talented veteran player of the shakuhachi. A notable addition to this performance is the shime-daiko, a taiko drum used…

Akasaka, a commercial and residential district in Tokyo’s Minato ward, isn’t known as a hotspot for wildlife. However, the area surrounding a roadside tree was thrown into chaos when a rogue raccoon was seen climbing into it. This video from NHK News shows the moment he is eventually captured by animal control. But he nearly escapes a few times, eliciting screams from onlookers. 東京 港区赤坂のビル街にある街路樹にアライグマか騒然とする中、午後10時45分ごろに捕獲されました#nhk_news #nhk_video #あらいぐま pic.twitter.com/RQC1kcqe7b — NHKニュース (@nhk_news) 17 October 2018 Comments from Japanese Twitter users lamented the rough treatment of such an adorable creature, but many others retorted that as cute as raccoons are, they can be vicious and are a danger to the public. While…

The BT21 Cafe is coming back to Japan with a revamped menu representing each of the 8 adorable characters. The temporary eateries will appear in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. BT21 is the result of a collaboration between messaging app LINE and South Korean boyband BTS, one character was designed by each of the seven members and another character, representing the group’s fans, finished the lineup. The cafe will also have brand new merchandise on sale for superfans to pick up. It seems that since the cafe is coming to Nagoya for the first time, their menu will not be the new one, but the menu that appeared in Tokyo and…

Japanese Style Flavour Kit Kats Aside from the usual milk and dark chocolate that you can pick up in most countries, even in Japanese supermarkets you can pick up interesting and unique Kit Kat flavours, often inspired by traditional Japanese ingredients. Green Tea (Matcha) Source: PR Times Possibly one of the most popular Japanese souvenirs is this bright green and slightly bitter treat. Cherry Blossom (Sakura) View this post on Instagram いちごみるう🍓💕さん(@yuuki_lp_mog)がシェアした投稿 – 2017年 2月月15日午後10時22分PST Only found during spring, this Kit Kat celebrates Japan’s favourite season. They come back every year in a slightly different incarnation. Let’s see what they come up with next year! Sakura Matcha Source: PR Times…

On October 15th, 2018, Philips Japan held a press conference and trial presentation of its Shaver S9000 Prestige, a precision shaver boasting the world’s closest electric shave while maintaining a high level of comfort. The conference began with Philips Japan CEO Hiroyuki Tsutsumi began tracing the company’s history in Japan since 1953, and explaining how an emphasis on leading in fields of healthcare and health technology has helped foster a constant need for innovation within the company. This has evidently translated well into the field of men’s grooming, with the Shaver S9000 Prestige being touted as a technological achievement that makes an uncompromising effort toward precision and skin comfort, resulting…

You may have seen lamps which fold open like a book, but have you ever seen a book with light glowing from the actual letters on the pages? Uka Ohashi 大橋雨下 (@uten_lullaby), a Japanese experimental novelist currently studying design at an art university, created this beautiful book by cutting out the shapes of full pages of Japanese text with a laser cutter, then binding them in a book with an LED light strip attached to its spine, thus allowing the warm, yellow light to shine through. With permission from @uten_lullaby The result is almost magical, like a spellbook with glowing letters as often seen in anime set in fantasy worlds….

In the past, we’ve seen talented artists take to Twitter to show off impressive papercraft artwork, including the beautiful and intricate traditional Japanese art of kirie. Japanese university student and papercraft art enthusiast @02ESyRaez4VhR2l (Haruki), however, may be setting the standard for creativity when it comes to inspirational sources. Haruki reconstructed an empty can of Pringles into a lively figure of the Pringles mascot! プリングルズの空箱で工作しました！#papercraft#packingart pic.twitter.com/l8Wx38MXt0 — 晴季 (@02ESyRaez4VhR2l) 2018年10月16日 If you’re not aware, the Pringles mascot is actually named Julius Pringles, and while we really don’t know much about his character, Haruki seems to have captured him as quite the classy potato chips gentleman. 側面から pic.twitter.com/Y9QYCbC04g — 晴季 (@02ESyRaez4VhR2l)…

For years Japan has dominated the league table for world life expectancy. The streak triggered much research into the reasons behind this, so others could hopefully snatch some of that longevity for themselves. According to the Independent, a study in 2016 found it’s largely down to the Japanese diet. Source: Grape Japan ‘[The Japanese] eat diets high in certain carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits as well as fish and meat. Such foods make for a diet low in saturated fats, processed foods and high in carbohydrates gained from both rice and vegetables.’ Other reasons brought up by studies and articles on the subject include a hygiene-conscious culture, an accessible health service and…

Osamu Tezuka is known as the God of Manga in Japan, and for good reason. The creator of classics such as Astro Boy, Phoenix, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack, his works and characters are respected all over the world. So, when Japanese video game developer Compile Heart announced it was working with Tezuka Productions and Sony’s ForwardWorks on a smartphone game which took Osamu Tezuka’s beloved characters and turned them into bishojo style cute girls, Japanese Twitter users were quick to react, not all of them favorably. © PR Times, Inc. / © Tezuka Productions / © ForwardWorks Corp. / © Compile Heart Inc. Eshigami no Kizuna 絵師神の絆…

In an effort to solve problems related to storage costs and delivery inefficiency, Japanese casual wear designer and retailer UNIQLO has implemented an overhaul resulting in increased automation of its Ariake warehouse. As Quartz reports, 90% of the Tokyo-based warehouse’s workforce has been replaced by robots, and a look inside it both inspiring and somewhat unnerving. As Spoon & Tamago observes, the only human interaction that can be seen comes toward the end of the automated process, with a worker placing the product into its package. The heavy focus on automation is part of a partnership with Daifuku that may result in the full automation of UNIQULO warehouses in the…

Now that Japan is fully on board with all the spooky delights of Halloween, we’re starting to see some crossovers that we never expected. Some of Japan’s homegrown specialties are getting creepy makeovers to appeal to Halloween merry-makers. One example is this pumpkin potage ramen which is very seasonally appropriate from Tonkotsu Ramen Nanashi, a chain restaurant found in Tokyo and Kanagawa. It seems the initial aim of this ramen wasn’t to frighten the heck out of us, but to create a ramen bursting with vegetables, and by extension plenty of nutrients, to appeal to younger people and women. Each bowl contains one third of a kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), which…

Is it possible for “aibo,” the robotic dog, to live in symbiosis with a real canine? Sony announced in July the results of an experiment, conducted under the supervision of zoologist Tadaaki Imaizumi, where canine behavior was analyzed. Source: Sankei Shimbun According to the results, the dogs showed signs of consideration towards aibo, and in many cases they recognized aibo as a “living creature.” The experiment was conducted in two steps. First, the researchers observed how 13 dogs of different ages and breeds reacted when coming into initial contact with aibo. Source: Sankei Shimbun Nine out of the 13 approached aibo and took a sniff. Of the nine, six went…

By Takuro Inoue, HAPPY DAYZ PRODUCTIONS The autumn leaves can only be seen for a short period of time. As a single day’s difference can change the color of the foliage, it is necessary to constantly monitor the progress of the weather and coloring of the leaves. It is the busiest time of year in terms of filming. While the burning red of the autumnal leaves is magnificent, the far-reaching view of the autumnal grass in locations such as Oze National Park are wonderful in evoking the wabi-sabi aesthetic. Japan’s mountains change appearance according to the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In the city, the summer heat lingers…

Shirakawa-Go, a mountain settlement in Gifu prefecture, was once considered an unexplored region. The treacherous mountains and snowfall restricted outside interaction, preserving the unique cultural practices and lifestyles. Source: Gassho Travel Shirakawa-go, A Magical Snowscape The village was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its historical farmhouses, some of which are over 250 years old. The striking sloped thatched roofs are called ‘gasshozukuri’, which means ‘constructed like hands in prayer’, in reference to the similarity to Buddhist monks’ hands while praying. These roofs can withstand the weight of the heavy snowfall expected each year. Another feature which gives the houses the cosy-looking winter atmosphere, is that the windows…