Japanese company offers paid leave to grieve if employee’s favorite idol member leaves their group
It can be unfortunately uncommon to read headlines about some Japanese companies not offering much in the way of relief when it comes to working…
Idols
Singing Songs of Rebellion: Meet 7 of Japan’s Alternative Idols
Creatively unique or offensively different? No matter how you see them, these groups are constantly changing what it means to be a modern-day idol in…
Nana Asano: The Heisei-Born 21-year-old who yearns for the Showa Era
As an enthusiast of vintage-inspired fashion, past decades, and a fan of Japan’s ‘bubble period’ and Showa myself, I tend to watch anything related to…
Artist creates stunningly realistic miniature of a Japanese idol fan’s room
There seems to be a real enthusiasm for incredibly realistic miniature worlds and dioramas in Japan, with artists creating beautiful goldfish ponds and even a…
Japanese Idol Group Charges Extra For Fans Not Wearing Masks Due To Cornoavirus
Idol groups in Japan, and particularly underground idols (chika idols, 地下アイドル) offer a service to fans referred to as “cheki”. They’re essentially Polaroid/print-out camera shots…
In Idol-Obsessed Japan, Polygamists And Centenarians Are Burning Up Pop Charts
“What’s that? Turn it up!” There is always that song, or that group, that gets your feet tapping. Everyone knows it when they hear it….
Stalker Fan Locates Japanese Idol’s Home By Zooming In On Her Eyes, Scouting Scenery In Reflection
On the night of September 1st 21-year-old Ena Matsuoka, a member of the Japanese idol group Tenshi Tsukinukeni Yomi, was attacked by a obsessive fan…
An Interview With Akarin and Kanipan Of Maid Pop Unit @17
As we reported earlier this month, we attended a special public recording at the @home cafe in Akihabara of @17 no Gokitaku Shimasenka? あっとせぶんてぃーんのご帰宅しませんか? (@17’s…
Japanese Chain Releases Fried Chicken That Tastes Like The Hair Of An Idol Girl
If you keep a tab on some of the stranger flavored foods that get released in Japan, you may be familiar with the work of…
Idolmaster’s New AR Feature Lets You Take Interactive Anime Idol Girls With You…Everywhere
The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls: Starlight Stage, made by Cygames and Bandai Namco Studios for the Mobage mobile social network platform, is a free-to-play simulation game…
Japanese AI Automatically Generates Faces of Idols Who Don’t Exist
According to their announcement on June 19th, 2018, Kyoto-based IT startup DataGrid Inc., which specializes in creative applications of AI, as well as developing or…
Where BTS Visited in Tokyo: Must Visit Restaurants and Attractions for ARMY
BTS recently celebrated the anniversary of their debut in Japan. Since that time four years ago, the world’s favourite K-pop group have been in and…
Japanese “Human Uber” Lets Users Attend Events Via Another Person’s Body
A lot of interest in technological fields in Japan lately has stemmed from the integration of augmented reality, virtual reality, and the use of avatars–whether…
A Japanese Chain Is Selling Fried Chicken That Tastes, Smells Like “The Soles of an Idol Girl’s Feet”
You might remember when Japanese karaage (Japanese style fried chicken) chain Tenka Torimasu launched a promotional event to attract idol fans by releasing a special…
Japan Now Has An Idol Unit For The Game of Go
In the last five years, the complex and challenging game of Go (also known as igo in Japanese) has made strides internationally, with the American…