According to the Sankei News, tatto artist Taiki Masuda (30) was acquitted by the High Court of Osaka on Nov. 14 for practicing his art without a medical license. Presiding judge Masaki Nishida explained in his ruling that “The act of tattooing does not constitute a medical procedure. Therefore, it is not appropriate to prohibit the practice according to the Medical Practitioners’ Law.” The High Court ruling effectively overturned an earlier ruling made by the Lower Court charging Masuda with violating said law and asking him to pay a fine of 150,000 JPY. Taiki Masuda (Left) speaking at a press conference following the ruling in his favor by the High…

Fans of the legendary post-apocalyptic manga and anime Fist of the North Star who happen to be in Japan between now and Monday, November 19th have an opportunity to buy something very special. All 49 pages of Chapter One: “A Cry from the Heart” are being made into individual T-shirts, including the first four color pages. © Buronson, © Tetsuo Hara | © PR Times, Inc. For example, here is the opening page with the line: “In 199X the world was covered with atomic fires.” © Buronson, © Tetsuo Hara | © PR Times, Inc. Or the page where we are first introduced to Kenshiro’s trademark attack, the Hokuto Hyakuretsu…

(by Arielle Busetto, JAPAN Forward) You might imagine my slight amazement when I found out that a comedy dance crew by the name of s**t kingz agreed to an interview. What was in store for me? I shouldn’t have worried. I was greeted by four easy-going, cheerful Japanese guys who seemed to be very excited to be touring the country. Photo by Takanori Tsukiji | © JAPAN Forward As we sat down, tea in hand, I tried to figure out what this crew was all about. Before they started talking about their activities, I needed to ask: where does the name come from? “It comes from the Japanese word shikkin,…

It would seem Japanese people have a knack for creating incredibly detailed works of art in miniature form. We’ve already seen artists creating sculptures on the tip of a pencil, artists creating miniature Zen gardens and miniature sushi food samples. From time to time, these works are showcased on Twitter through hashtags which gather momentum. The most recent example was a hashtag ハンドメイド界隈のテンション上げてく為に自分のイチオシ作品画像を貼ろう which translates to “let’s post images of our favorite works to get people psyched in the field of handmade [art]” Miniature Kiriko Glasses Miniature artist megu (@meguxmini) participated in the hashtag campaign, promoting her own minuscule yet detailed reproductions of traditional Kiriko style glasses. Kiriko, or Satsuma…

Japan is a country with a population of about 130 million people and about 300,000 different family names. You’ve probably heard of the common ones like Takahashi or Watanabe, but have you ever come across a rare name with a strange meaning? In contrast to other Asian countries like China and Korea, whose family names come from ancient clans and noble families, Japanese family names mostly date from the 19th century, after the Meiji restoration. When it was decreed that everyone should have a surname, people were given free rein to decide their own names, resulting in a wide range of monikers. Despite the name free-for-all, it seems most people…

Introduction to the Toei Animation Museum On July 28th, the new Toei Animation Museum opened its doors to the public. Located in the Oizumi area of Nerima Ward, Tokyo, on the first floor of the world-famous Toei Animation‘s New Oizumi Studio building, the museum allows visitors to learn about the various steps of creating anime through a series of interactive displays, view video clips and read about Toei Anime works from across the decades on a giant interactive screen and enjoy photo opportunities with cutouts and life-sized figures of famous Toei Animation characters. The temporary exhibit space currently features the popular Precure anime series. There’s also a museum shop where…

Kyoko Date DK-96 Do you remember Kyoko Date? As the world’s very first “virtual idol,” she created quite a sensation back in 1996. Produced by Yoshitaka Hori, the future president of entertainment company HoriPro, Kyoko Date DK-96 was a 3D CG character lovingly crafted polygon by polygon. Registered and marketed like the other idols at HoriPro, her activities included CD sales, radio and even television appearances which used motion capture technology, still very new at the time. © HoriPro, Inc. / © PR Times, Inc. Although her career was relatively short-lived, she paved the way for other 3D CG idols, virtual idols such as Hatsune Miku and the current wave…

Just when we thought we had seen the ultimate in Japanese summer feline fashion with cat-motif yukata, it turns out there is a purrfect pair for it in the form of cat-shaped traditional Japanese sandals, allowing cat-lovers to show off their fondness for kitties in style. Source: PR Times The three-piece series of cute cat sandals come courtesy of Nara-based geta (traditional Japanese elevated sandals) and footwear maker Narageta, and are called the Nyarageta–a pun combining the maker’s name with the Japanese word for “meow” (“Nya”). Narageta produces a variety of geta designs, combining traditional aesthetics and technique with modern technology for foot comfort and mobility. The Nyarageta are said…

Aqua Nanami is on a mission to promote cosplay culture to the world and she has the skills to make it happen. A vivacious, multi-talented entertainer, she is active as a cosplayer with remarkable range, an MC and personality on television shows and a singer with experience performing in Japan and abroad. She’s also conversant in English, Chinese, and currently learning more languages. Her passion for cosplay has not only motivated her, she firmly believes it has transformed her and uplifted her spirits, which comes through in almost every photo she’s in. Coming up Aqua Nanami will be a main guest at the upcoming Mount Fuji Cosplay World Conference on…

Shibuya: Leave the kids at home and go at your own risk Shibuya always seems to grab all the attention when it comes to Halloween in Japan. As we have reported before, until recently, the crowds thronging to Shibuya at this time of year, although at times drunk and rowdy, have mostly been busy parading in their costumes, talking to other costumed revelers and partying all night, with the only foul note being trash in the streets and the occasional fight. However, this year, the festivities in Shibuya were marred by crime as a small truck was overturned by a crowd, a ramen shop ticket vending machine was vandalized, and…

by Robert Whiting, via JAPAN forward It is something my wife and I look forward to: every morning we walk along the glimmering waterfront at the north end of Tokyo Bay and inspect progress on the newly-opened Toyosu Fish Market in the shadow of the Rainbow Bridge and the 2020 Olympic Village under construction on the opposite side of the water. There and all over town you can feel the buzz. This city is on a roll. There is no place on earth either of us would rather be, and we have both been in a lot of different places. In the spring of 2009, we moved to a new…

Whether she’s cosplaying, modeling or spinning anime song remixes behind the DJ booth, Tsunko’s vitality and the diversity of her activities distinguishes her among other top cosplayers in Japan. She shows a remarkable variety in her work, not afraid to cosplay across a wide range of character types and personalities, whether male or female. We think you’ll agree with us that she is a cosplayer to watch. Interview grape Japan (gJ): When did you start cosplaying and what inspired you to begin? Tsunko: I think I began cosplaying four years ago at the Winter Comic Market. A good friend of mine asked me: “Why don’t you try cosplaying?” That’s how…

The calendar hasn’t even reached Halloween and the leaves have yet to turn their most beautiful crimson and orange colors in Kyoto or Tokyo but for winter sports enthusiasts, enjoying the peak of autumn can wait. As usual, the earliest skiing of the season happened before Halloween this year at the humorously named Yeti Winter Resort situated at the second station of Mount Fuji. © Sankei News / © YouTube The Yeti Winter Resort offers skiers and snowboarders who join them on the opening day free access to their slopes under one condition: they need to come in cosplay. So, on October 19th, the slopes and the ski lifts were…

Introduction In June 2018, Japanese entertainment giant HoriPro Inc. announced the creation of HoriPro International, a new company wholly owned by HoriPro, with the goal of aggressively expanding overseas with a focus on Asia. Aiming for the “creation of world-class specialists,” HoriPro International manages voice actors and music artists with international potential. May’n, Azusa Tadokoro, Ami Wajima, Machico, DJ YURIA, and cosplayer Liyuu are some of the more famous members in the current lineup. At the helm of HoriPro International is visionary leader Yoshitaka Hori, President & CEO of HoriPro Inc. A vital contributor to the HoriPro Group ever since he joined in 1993, Mr. Hori has been president since…

With her beautifully tanned skin, toned body and her visually striking original cosplays of Egyptian deities, dark elves and other dark-skinned characters, Japanese cosplayer non (@monhannoero ) easily stands out from the crowd. You can’t miss her when she attends cosplay events and her table at cosplay ROM doujin events is often one of the most crowded in the room. View this post on Instagram 明日はコミケがんばるぞい💪💪💪🔥 寒いけど、衣装ばすてと！😂 #cosplaygirl #cosplay #cosplayers #comicmarket nonさん(@non_nonsummerjack)がシェアした投稿 – 2017年12月月28日午前1時46分PST In addition to her cosplay activities, she also produces original animal ear wigs and beautifully realized photo books. WONDERFUL WONDER Earlier this year, she brought together a veritable A-list including model, cosplayer, DJ, talent and fashion…