Often used in lieu of signatures, hanko (personalized seals displaying one’s name) are a necessary means of identification to stamp official documents in everything from…

Hanko culture in the digital age While a growing number of banks and government bodies now allow customers to handle their business digitally and do…

Train gropers in Japan One of the most unfortunate aspects of using the train or subway in Japan, especially in crowded urban centers, is the…

Hanko For Non-Japanese Whether it’s done out of necessity or just for fun, it’s not unusual for foreign residents or even non-Japanese visitors to make…

We all know seals are adorable, but it looks like seals know they’re adorable too. The staff at Mombetsu Land in Hokkaido Prefecture recently handed…

This man was just hanging out on his boat when an unexpected friend suddenly jumped aboard to join him. “Anybody looking for a seal? I…

At an aquarium in Yokohama called “Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise” lives a seal who sleeps in such a cute way. Photos of this seal taking…

What started out as a dive in the waters off the Isle of Scilly turned into a chance encounter with a friendly seal for Gary…

In Japan, when there are some left-over rice, they are very often wrapped inside a plastic wrap and put into freezer for later use. A…