Get Wowed by Street Art in Tennozu Isle
The somewhat drab little island of office buildings and factories has been distinctly enlivened by a series of large public murals courtesy of an international group of artists known as POW! WOW!
5 Reasons the Japanese Language is Crazy
2,000 years of development can leave a pretty big linguistic jumble.
Samurai Attire for the Modern Gentleman
Save your suits for another day! Wazigen Shizuka has released its new line of modern hakama and yukata styles, and you won't believe where some of the inspiration came from!
Funassyi Shares the Joy of Toilet Cleaning
Funassyi, the neon yellow pear character, spreads the joy of bathroom cleaning through videos and merchandise.
Anime Shows How Kanji Can Help You Get Girls
This sweet high-school anime shows how learning kanji can be the key to getting a girlfriend!
This Toilet is Smarter than You
The short film "A.I. Toilet" imagines a lavatory so advanced that it can take control of your life.
15 Years & 800 Pieces of Art
For 50 days every three years, visitors to the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale get to traverse 200 villages to explore what is effectively the largest art gallery in the world.
Bathroom has 31 Female Stalls to 1 Male Stall
Japan’s all-female Takarazuka theater has an enlightened 31.5:1 female to male bathroom stall ratio.
Decorate Your Lair with Sith Lords
Furniture manufacturer IDC Otsuka has unveiled its Star Wars/Premium Home Collection—a set any Jedi Master would love to get their hands on!
Attack on Kansai-ben
Learn the Kansai dialect of Japanese with the Attack on Titan manga!
What Time? Kanji Time!
Strut the streets of Tokyo with this high-fashion kanji watch.
Learn Japanese Like Darth Vader
This Star Wars Japanese-English dictionary teaches you to talk like Lord Vader!
Learn Japanese Vocabulary with Chocolate!
Chocolates that teach Japanese onomatopoeia words unveiled at the 2015 Paris Design Show.
The 15 Most Powerful Male Heroes in Anime
Mirror, mirror on the wall: Who's the most powerful anime character of them all?
3-D Projector Brings Hatsune Miku to Life
This tabletop 3-D projector beams images that can be viewed from 360°.
47 Reasons Why Japanese Makes No Sense
Canadian rakugo comedian Katsura Sunshine riffs on some of the more ridiculous points of the Japanese language—including, in particular, the 47 ways he knows how to say "Thank you."
The Low-Down on Where to Film in Tokyo
Video producer David Haruyama sits dows with AAJ to talk about his background, where to film in Tokyo, and advice on filming in Japan.
Who Wants to Play With Katakana Transformers!
These plastic toys are shaped like the names of animals written in katakana—which then transform into the actual animals they represent!
Hello Kitty Toilet Seat Cover & Bidet
Sanrio releases a Hello Kitty toilet seat cover and bidet for the most devout Hello Kitty fans.