News On Japan

Yuji Tanabe completes capsule toy shop in Japan with mirror optical illusion

KAMAKURA, Oct 05, 2022 (designboom.com) - Located on the Onari shopping street in Kamakura, Japan, the ‘Onari Capsule’ by Yuji Tanabe Architects was once an optics shop but has now transformed into a fun capsule toy store.

With 65 capsule toy machines and two mirrors facing each other inside the compact space, the Japanese architect aimed to make the interior look as wide as possible from the outside. It was important to create a visual presence that stands out in the shopping district while maintaining a Japanese traditional feel in the city of Kamakura using lanterns, oren curtains, cypress lattices, En-Mado, and faintly reflective silver-leaf paper on the ceiling. The architects also introduce the idea of collecting used capsules by creatively designing an interactive lattice wall to place used capsules between the intervals. ...continue reading

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Large Typhoon No. 25 was moving northwest over waters south of Japan at 3 p.m. on September 19 and is forecast to strengthen as it approaches Kanto and the Izu Islands from September 20 through September 21, bringing the risk of torrential rain, violent winds and further damage in areas still recovering from last year's typhoon.

A black bear has been spotted near one of the most popular hiking trails on Mount Takao in western Tokyo, prompting authorities to urge visitors to take precautions ahead of the five-day Silver Week holiday and the approaching autumn foliage season.

Starbucks is considering selling a majority stake in its Japanese business, potentially valued at as much as $3 billion, or about 470 billion yen, as the U.S. coffee chain seeks to concentrate management resources on its struggling North American operations.

Japan's Halloween Jumbo Lottery went on sale nationwide on September 16, offering a combined top payout of 400 million yen for the first prize and its adjacent-number prizes.

A new top-tier "Supreme Class" offering fully private compartments above the level of Green Car service will debut on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen on October 1, with passengers able to experience the new seating at a demonstration booth at Shin-Osaka Station.

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The Kyushu Shinkansen will resume operations along its entire route on September 18 after suffering extensive track and other damage in the Kumamoto earthquake, raising hopes that the long-awaited restoration will help revive tourism in disaster-hit areas ahead of the Silver Week holiday period.

Prolonged rain is disrupting tourism ahead of Japan's Silver Week holidays, forcing Nagatoro's popular river cruises to remain suspended for an 11th consecutive day while increased water flow at Fukuroda Falls in Ibaraki Prefecture is drawing more visitors.

A new top-tier "Supreme Class" offering fully private compartments above the level of Green Car service will debut on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen on October 1, with passengers able to experience the new seating at a demonstration booth at Shin-Osaka Station.

Tokyo Disney Resort will launch its annual Disney Halloween event on September 16, with a special parade previewed ahead of the opening and visitors allowed to enjoy the parks in costume during the event period.

Visitors can climb to the top of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, about 300 meters above the sea, for sweeping 360-degree views of the Akashi Strait, Kobe, Awaji Island and, in clear weather, as far as Osaka.

A mobile battery caught fire inside a Tobu Isesaki Line train in Saitama Prefecture on September 14, leaving a high school student with minor burns before another passenger extinguished the flames.

GO, Waymo and Nihon Kotsu said they aim to launch Japan's first commercial fully driverless taxi service in Tokyo during 2027, using Level 4 autonomous vehicles that can operate without a driver on board under specified conditions.

Kajima Corp. has unveiled the construction site of KAJIMA TREE, a roughly 60-meter wooden tower being built for the International Horticultural Expo that will open in March 2027.