During the Asobinotes Online Fes held on Sunday, June 28th, Bandai Namco Entertainment’s fledgling sound entertainment label Asobinotes announced an exciting new project called “Den-On-Bu.”…

It’s not uncommon for Japan to be described as some kind of utopia. The temptation is certainly understandable. Violent crime is exceptionally rare here, the…

Although Japan is largely considered homogeneous, minority groups do exist. Twenty-five thousand residents are considered Ainu, an East Asian ethnic group indigenous to the northern…

Robots and Japan are practically synonymous. The Japanese government and some of its biggest corporations see the 21st century as one of ‘human co-existence with…

John O’Donoghue, for JAPAN Forward Where are you from? This is a question often asked of foreign residents in Japan. While it can get repetitive,…

Are you planning to pop the big question to your girlfriend? Do you dread the prospect of meeting your father-in-law for the first time? If…

Japan seems like it may be poised for an economic downturn. Moody’s Analytics recently noted that Japan, alongside Singapore, would likely be one of the…

A few days ago I was cycling down the River Arakawa when I came to Ojima Komatsugawa park. Being on a spur of land that…

One of the most important and most celebrated events happening in Japan during the summertime is Tanabata 七夕. This iconic event is celebrated on July…

At crowded public places in Japan, you are likely to see signs warning against aruki sumaho. Translated as “texting while walking,” the postings warn pedestrians…

Anyone who lives in a house with shoji, or traditional sliding paper doors, knows that the paper portions require replacement from time to time due…

Currently on Japanese Twitter, there is a trending hashtag of “＃あなたの狂った体験を聞かせて” (Tell us about a crazy experience you had). Let us introduce Ayaomi Hogi’s (@hogiayaomi)…

It is an obvious, perennial question, one that must pop into the head of every visitor within 24 hours of touching down at Narita, and…

From @home to at-home If you’ve ever visited Akihabara, or if you’ve been following grape Japan for a while, then you’ve probably heard of “at-home…

As fans probably know by now, the popular acting-themed manga Act-Age is being adapted to the stage in 2022 by Horipro International. The play will…