Sales at convenience stores in Japan in 2021 rose 0.6% from the previous year to Y10.3 trillion on a same-store basis, marking the first growth in two years, the Japan Franchise Association said Thursday. (Japan Times)

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)

A suitcase containing human body parts was found in a vacant lot at a disused golf course in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, on Wednesday. (Japan Today)

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

Japan's health ministry has approved a plan to expand its coronavirus vaccine rollout program to include children aged 5 to 11. (NHK)

Japan's consumer prices rose last month for the fourth month in a row, mainly on the back of higher energy costs. (NHK)

Bullying at school, or "ijime", is a persistent problem in Japan. In 2020, there were 612,000 recorded cases at schools across the country – more than three times the number a decade ago. (france24.com)

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

Universal Studios Japan collaborate with Monster Hunter. I ate Monster Hunter street foods, Great Roast and Poogie Peach Churritos. (japanesestuffchannel)

A heavy snow warning was issued in the morning in Kyoto city, and snow makeup was applied to the area around Gion, which is rarely seen. (VIRTUAL KYOTO)

Police in Shiraoka, Saitama Prefecture, are investigating the death of a 15-year-old boy who was found unconscious his bedroom at home, and later died in hospital. (Japan Today)

In this video we cover the first 70 years of the history of kabuki, from Izumo no Okuni's first performances on Kyoto in 1603 until the debut of Ichikawa Danjūrō I in 1673. (Kabuki In-Depth)

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)

Fumio Kishida, Japan’s new prime minister, may become the nation’s first leader in the post-Cold-War era to not have visited Washington in the first 10 months of his term, without a specific reason. (scmp.com)

The sushi is a Japanese dish that is prepared with cooked rice and vinegar that is flavored with sugar, salt and sometimes with soy sauce. (Mini Food Eztub)

Old buses in the city of Himeji in Japan are being transformed into mobile saunas - and you can try one come February (femina.in)

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)

During Japan's Sengoku "Warring States" era (1467-1615), castles were constructed, bolstered and fortified all across the Japanese archipelago, resulting in approximately 5,000 individual keeps. (CNN)

Valentine's Day has always been a bit different in Japan where it is usually women who give chocolates to men. But that tradition is changing, a trend accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic. (NHK)

The rapid spread of coronavirus infection in Japan is hitting nursery schools hard. Nearly 90 schools across the country were closed as of last week. (NHK)

A gender gap is still strongly discernible in Japan's working environment with a bipolarization of working hours among female workers, casting a new shadow over the slowing growth of the Japanese economy. (Nikkei)

Japan's central bank revised its inflation forecast on Tuesday and adjusted its view of price risks, while leaving its monetary easing policy in place in a nod to lingering pandemic uncertainty. (The Mercury)

Tokyo's luxury 5 star hotels are amongst the best in the world. We stay the night in a $12,000 a night suite with stunning views as a reward to Connor for eating 100 bowls of noodles. (Abroad in Japan)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday that steps taken under former premier Shinzo Abe's "Abenomics" policy of massive monetary and fiscal stimulus were not enough to create a sustainable and inclusive economy. (marketscreener.com)