Turning on its lights for the first time on Nov. 1, Fukuoka City’s “Christmas Market in Hikari no Machi” was one of the earliest to open in the country. Other major cities in Japan weren’t too far ...

For those with an interest in Japanese cuisine, you can’t hear the name of Tokyo’s Tsukiji neighborhood without thinking about sushi, and it’s hard to think of sushi for very long without thinking ...

From Sanrio characters to starry-eyed idol singers, it’s no secret that kawaii (“cute”) culture is huge in Japan. Whole museums and theme parks have been dedicated to the concept of kawaii. Heck, it’s ...

Moving to Japan can feel like stepping into your favorite anime or travel fantasy. But what does it actually take to pack up your life and move here? Whether you’re coming for work, school, love or ...

In April, Japan’s Oita Airport renamed itself to Oita Hello Kitty Airport. This wasn’t just a silly tongue-in-cheek gesture, like when Kagawa Prefecture named a Pokémon as its new governor. The ...

Spending Christmas in Japan single doesn’t have to feel lonely — Japan offers plenty of ways to enjoy the holiday on your own. Christmas is a holiday traditionally associated with family gatherings ...

Like a lot of people, visits to the bathroom on my first few trips to Japan were a source of a lot of surprises, from “Whoa, this toilet is so high-tech that it has a heated seat and washes your ...