A Nagoya-based geiko association paid a courtesy visit to Aichi Governor Omura on February 4th and expressed its desire to perform at the opening ceremony of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games set to begin in September.
Baki and the strongest Underground Arena fighters face a threat of historical proportions: the resurrected Musashi Miyamoto, Japan's greatest samurai. (Netflix Anime)
Japanese startup ALE announced on February 4 that it will conduct its third demonstration experiment to generate artificial shooting stars in 2028, positioning the project as a step toward eventual commercialization rather than a one-off spectacle.
A Thai girl who was 12 at the time arrived in Japan in June last year and was introduced by her mother to a massage parlor in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward, where she was illegally made to work and provide sexual services, with Thai police officials indicating that six people, both Japanese and Thai, are suspected of being involved.
Once a thriving canal, Kyoto’s Takase River, which flows through the Kiyamachi entertainment district in central Kyoto, has completed a long-running restoration project after 15 years, reviving a waterway that prospered during the Edo period as a key link between the city center and Fushimi.
Nintendo said its consolidated results for the April–December 2025 period showed sales of 1.9058 trillion yen, nearly double the level of a year earlier, as sales of its new home video game console, the Nintendo Switch 2, which went on sale in June 2025, remained strong.
A traditional “fukumame” bean-tossing event was held on February 1st at Tsutenkaku Tower in Osaka’s Naniwa Ward, ahead of the Setsubun festival, drawing crowds eager to invite good fortune a little early.
This week, we dive into the January show at the Shochiku-za theatre in Osaka, the last New Year production to be held at this venue, and perhaps the very last in the city for the time being. (Kabuki In-Depth)
A street piano is often described as a “street-corner stage” where anyone can become a star, and behind the casual performances lie stories of lives, memories and unexpected connections.
The “SAMURAI” exhibition, which opens at the British Museum in London next month, traces the roles, traditions, and rise and fall of the warrior class through around 280 objects, including a suit of armor presented by the Tokugawa family to Queen Victoria in 1860.
The arrest of the head of Japan’s largest sex industry scout group just five days after a public warrant was issued has cast fresh light on the shadowy business of so-called “sex industry scouts,” a system believed to have generated more than 44 billion yen and allegedly involved ties to organized crime.
When people hear the phrase “exchanging contact details,” many still think, “Phone numbers are old-fashioned—LINE is the norm,” but even that assumption may now be outdated, as a surprising new survey suggests a major shift among Generation Z.
A Japanese-developed humanoid AI robot known as “cinnamon 1,” standing about 170 centimeters tall and weighing roughly 70 kilograms, has drawn attention as a next-generation “physical AI” robot designed to understand real-world environments and act within them.
Jazz composer Miho Hazama has been nominated for Best Instrumental Composition at the 68th Grammy Awards, widely regarded as the most prestigious honor in the U.S. music industry, for her piece “Live Life This Day: Movement I.”
The Kobe Luminarie light festival, now in its 31st year, was illuminated ahead of its public opening on January 30 with a special preview inviting people with disabilities to enjoy the display in a relaxed setting.
A pop-up store themed around the Pocket Monsters franchise opened at the Natural History Museum, underscoring the growing global popularity of Japanese culture, which is also leaving its mark on the English language.
A professor at the University of Tokyo’s graduate school has been arrested on suspicion of receiving entertainment in connection with a joint research project, with investigators revealing that spending on some days reached as much as 850,000 yen.
A man wearing a black hood emerged from a police station on January 27th, identified as Hiroaki Obata, 40, chairman of Japan’s largest scout group, “Natural,” who had been on the run for nearly a year before being arrested on January 26th on Amami Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, according to police.
Veteran athlete Kaido (CV: Kenjiro Tsuda) recounts his career journey to Togashi. But can he really escape reality...? See how this scene came together, from script to screen!
Der Winter lädt dazu ein, das Tempo zu drosseln und Freizeit bewusster zu gestalten.
A Noh performance created to support recovery from the Noto Peninsula earthquake was staged in Tokyo on January 25th after an unusual crowdfunding campaign led by a member of Japan’s Imperial family raised more than 13 million yen in donations over three months.
A major domestic event aimed at linking Japan’s anime industry with tourism was held in Naha and Tomigusuku, drawing large crowds of anime fans from both inside and outside Okinawa Prefecture.
Today, we have a look at the January performances at the Kabuki-za in Tokyo! (Kabuki In-Depth)
A restaurant in Tokyo’s Shibuya district is drawing attention for an unusual rule: customers aged 40 and over are turned away, even on weekdays when the venue is packed with young diners.