A theme park based around the work of legendary Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli will open on November 1st in Nagakute, Japan, the company’s official Twitter account has announced. (theverge.com)

A Japanese university entrance examinee reportedly sent images of test questions to university students who may have answered them during the exam. (NHK)

Tokyo Haneda Airport has welcomed the ‘Culture Gate to Japan’ project, formed of multiple artists and creators who have created works based on the various aspects of Japanese culture. (internationalairportreview.com)

The average unit price of new condominiums in Tokyo and its vicinity in 2021 hit a record high of 62.60 million yen ($550,000), surpassing the previous high recorded in 1990 during an asset-inflated bubble, a research institute said Tuesday. (Kyodo)

The maker of Japan’s Umaibo corn puff is raising prices for the first time, in a shock for fans of the “miracle” snack beloved for decades for its crunch and Y10 ($0.09) price tag. (Japan Times)

A Japanese high court Tuesday ordered 3.3 million yen (nearly $29,000) in damages to a female reporter in a high-profile rape case that sparked the #MeToo movement in the country. (laprensalatina.com)

As Japan continues to impose strict entry restrictions, foreigners who have prepared to work there are being left outside ever longer, patiently waiting without losing hope, though frustrations over Tokyo's border controls are growing. (Nikkei)

The Japanese operator of the popular video-sharing app TikTok was discovered to have paid influencers to post videos on Twitter without informing the audience about the sponsored content, a practice that may have violated industry rules against stealth marketing. (Nikkei)

Tokyo reported record high 12,813 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, as the central government prepared to put 18 more prefectures on virus quasi-emergency measures amid the rapid spread of the omicron variant. (Japan Times)

Japan will likely expand a quasi-state of emergency to over 30 of the country's 47 prefectures to curb the rapid spread of coronavirus infections after 18 prefectures asked to be included under the measure, senior government officials said Monday. (Nikkei)

Japan's daily coronavirus infections topped 50,000 for the second day in a row on Sunday, as surging cases at schools and workplaces prompted more people to seek tests at community clinics. (NHK)

We take a look at the kabuki performances at the Tokyo Kabuki-za this last October, including the plays Shihei no Nana Warai, Koheiji Gaiden, Shōchikubai Yushima no Kakegaku, Niwaka Jishi, Tachi Nusubito and Kisen, by actors such as Matsumoto Hakuō II, Ichikawa Ennosuke IV, Onoe Kikugorō VII and Onoe Ukon II. (Kabuki In-Depth)

Japan Airlines operates A350 in major domestic routes in Japan. They offer comfortable seats, large windows and aircraft cameras. ( Solo Travel Japan)

Police on Saturday arrested a 24-year-old woman and two men aged 29 and 24 over the murder of an 82-year-old man who was found stabbed to death in a love hotel in Tokyo on Friday night. (Japan Today)

The new US Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, arrived in Tokyo on Sunday. (NHK)

While it has been said that pearls are the queen of gems and the gem of queens, the latest fashion trends in Japan are showing the precious jewels are also fit for kings. (Nikkei)

Demonstrations against Japan’s tight border restrictions on nonresident foreign nationals, implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19, have been staged in several countries, with people urging the government to reconsider the measures they say are not based on science. (Japan Times)

Today, we made Traditional Japanese New Year's Soup called Ozouni. The taste of soup depends on region to region, so I'm showing two kind of soup. (Kimono Mom)

Japan on Friday acted to contain a record surge in COVID-19 cases with a return to curbs that have however shown diminishing results, while a laggard vaccine booster programme leaves many people vulnerable to breakthrough infections. (Reuters)

Former House of Councillors lawmaker Anri Kawai was taken to a hospital in Tokyo by an ambulance after overdosing on sleeping pills on Thursday, police sources said Friday. (Japan Times)

Today we are (Finally) doing our walk through Japan's Craziest store; Village Vanguard and we have it all to ourselves! (Tokyo Lens Explore)

Today we are going to be riding the Sunrise Izumo Sleeper Train to head out to the Snowy landscapes of Japan. (Solo Solo Travel)

Airlines that had canceled U.S. flights over concerns about interference from 5G wireless signals are returning to their usual schedules after AT&T and Verizon Communications agreed to delay the start of service near airports. (Nikkei)

The Japanese government has decided to declare a quasi-state of emergency for 13 additional prefectures, including Tokyo, over a surge in coronavirus infections. The declaration will be in place from Friday through February 13. (NHK)

The number of foreign visitors to Japan fell by 94 percent in 2021 compared with a year earlier as entry restrictions remained in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. (NHK)