Small "marker charms" attached to umbrellas, plastic bottles and other everyday items are becoming a major capsule toy trend in Japan, attracting not only younger consumers but also adults drawn to their practicality, affordability and collectible appeal.
An Ainu Summer Festival showcasing the Indigenous people's diverse traditions opened at the Japan Society in New York on July 22, bringing artists, cultural practitioners and educators from Hokkaido to the United States in a major international tribute to pioneering Ainu leader Shigeru Kayano.
One of Japan's most celebrated ghost stories will return to Tokyo's Kabuki-za theater in August, with Bando Minosuke and Onoe Ukon portraying a husband and wife whose greed unleashes consequences more terrifying than the spirits haunting their home.
A black-and-white photograph taken in 1955 has revealed how Tokyo's Kinshicho district once resembled a sprawling movie set, with theaters, restaurants and drinking establishments packed into an entertainment quarter that drew crowds from across the city's eastern neighborhoods.
Japan’s booming "oshi-katsu" culture, in which fans devote themselves to supporting favorite celebrities, athletes, characters and other interests, has grown into an estimated 3.8 trillion yen market, but some enthusiasts are taking multiple jobs, restricting meals and falling deeply into debt to sustain their spending.
Japan’s content market has reached a record high as companies increasingly transform popular characters and stories into immersive experiences that allow fans to step inside the worlds of their favorite works.
Billy Corgan welcomes legendary musician, composer, and X Japan co-founder Yoshiki for a conversation about creativity, rebellion, and building something that refuses to follow the rules.
Today we have a look at the 1753 jidaimono play Ranpei Monogurui ("Ranpei's Madness"), originally from the puppet theatre drama Yamatogana Ariwara Keizu, written by the playwrights Asada Icchō, Namiki Senryū II and Toyotake Jinroku.