All About Japan

For Every Ultraman . . . There's an Ultra Woman

In the classic sixties TV show Ultraman, Hiroko Sakurai played Akiko Fuji, the female lead to the super-sized superhero. In an exclusive interview marking the show's 60th anniversary, she shares her memories of the launch, the creative team, and dealing with the fame of the ground-breaking program.

Museum

Aomori

Getting Comfortable with the Elephant in the Room: Noboru Tsubaki at Towada Art Center

The lumpy head of a bright pink balloon elephant fills a room, its trunk stretching out the door. Facing it is a spinning wheel with thousands of opening and closing eyeballs. These are the creations of Noboru Tsubaki, a Japanese contemporary artist known since the 1980s for his massive sculptures that look at today’s world through a surreal lens.

Temples

Accommodation

Calm Comfort: A Temple Stay at a Zenkoji Shukubo

Certain temples around Japan offer accommodation to pilgrims and other guests who would like to experience a slower, quieter encounter with the country's spiritual heritage.

Cafés

Yokohama

Noge: A Yokohama Pub Crawl through Time

Yokohama's scruffy, beloved Noge district has been luring night owls for decades. Join this pub crawl through its jazz cafés, yakitori bars and craft beer taps.

Pick Ups

Selected reads from our editors

Devotion to Catalunya: Three Spanish Masters in Clay, at YOKU MOKU MUSEUM

The exhibition brings together ceramic works by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and the leading contemporary master Miquel Barceló, tracing each artist’s lasting ties to Catalonia.

Built Without a Nail: A New Home for Kumiko Opens in Toyama

Thin strips of wood, joined by hand into geometric patterns and held together without using a single nail—Toyama’s newest cultural space puts a centuries-old craft on permanent display.

Japan’s Top Summer Festivals for 2026: Tohoku’s Big Four Lead the Way

Lanterns, taiko drums, whirling dancers, and bonfires on mountain slopes. Summer festival season is almost here, and this year’s ranking tells you exactly where to be.

Two New Resorts Open on the Naruto Coast This Summer

Glamping under the stars and a lifestyle hotel by the sea–Tokushima’s most dramatic shoreline finally has places to stay that match the location.

Calm Comfort: A Temple Stay at a Zenkoji Shukubo

Certain temples around Japan offer accommodation to pilgrims and other guests who would like to experience a slower, quieter encounter with the country's spiritual heritage.

Hotels

Tokushima

Two New Resorts Open on the Naruto Coast This Summer

Glamping under the stars and a lifestyle hotel by the sea–Tokushima’s most dramatic shoreline finally has places to stay that match the location.

Tochigi

Giant Samurai Appear on a Dam in Ashikaga

A monumental piece of “reverse graffiti” art has transformed Matsudagawa Dam into a massive canvas, summoning four ancient warriors out of years of accumulated grime.

Food & Drink

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Tokyo

Tokyo Tokyo Delicious Museum: Sample the Best of Culinary Tokyo at One Food Festival

Reservation difficulties and long lines make it hard to experience the best of Tokyo’s legendary dining scene. This free, open-air food festival running May 15-17, solves that problem—bringing together more than 40 top restaurants, regional cuisines and international vendors in one waterfront location. Come hungry!

Cafés

Yokohama

Noge: A Yokohama Pub Crawl through Time

Yokohama's scruffy, beloved Noge district has been luring night owls for decades. Join this pub crawl through its jazz cafés, yakitori bars and craft beer taps.

Nara

Eating and Drinking the Back Streets of Nara

Most people do Nara as a day trip, but actually staying there and spending a few days--and nights--lets you explore the rich cuisine of its backstreets.

Entertainment

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Anime

For Every Ultraman . . . There's an Ultra Woman

Museum

Aomori

Getting Comfortable with the Elephant in the Room: Noboru Tsubaki at Towada Art Center

Art

Devotion to Catalunya: Three Spanish Masters in Clay, at YOKU MOKU MUSEUM

The exhibition brings together ceramic works by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and the leading contemporary master Miquel Barceló, tracing each artist’s lasting ties to Catalonia.

Innovation

See all Innovations

Fukui

Fukui: New Trends Crafted from Traditional Skills

This August, LUMINE Singapore, the concept store featuring Japanese fashion and lifestyle brands, will feature the best of Fukui Prefecture’s craft products in a pop-up store commemorating the opening of its new flagship store at Raffles City.

Weaving

Okinawa

Tsumugi Silk: Poor Man's Fabric Turned Luxury Folkcraft

Tsumugi silk is the result of a labor-intensive artistic weaving style that is prized for its supple softness and unique designs.

Design

Architecture

Small Spaces, Part IV: Japanese Ideas for Small and Tiny Homes

The fourth of a series on innovative, space-saving methods from traditional and modern Japanese architecture that can be used in any home, regardless of size.

Life in Japan

See all Life in Japan

Architecture

The Wisdom of Wood: Why Japan’s Old Farmhouses Matter More Than Ever

A look at the traditional farmhouses now commonly called kominka—“old folk dwellings”—a name that underscores their age. They were built for living, working, and passing knowledge from one generation to the next.

Craft Beer

Shikoku