All About Japan

See Your Country as a Samurai with This Series

In honor of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a group of artists is celebrating the participating nations by turning their flags into samurai.

Fanbrella: the Coolest Way to Beat the Heat!

Fanbrella, a parasol equipped with a fan and a mist emitter, is arguably the coolest way to beat the heat

Japanese Thermos Flies to Outer Space

JAXA reached out to Tiger, a well-known home goods company, to make a canister that can bring delicate materials from the International Space Station back to earth.

Newly Completed Olympic Venue Is Making Waves

Take a glimpse at the rowing and canoe venue for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

NTT Developing Automatic Checkout App

NTT Data Corporation has a new automatic checkout system that enables shoppers to simply choose their products and walk out of a store, paying automatically by mobile.

Kengo Kuma Redesigns Kenzo Takada's Paris Home

Designer Kenzo Takada’s former Paris residence was skillfully renovated by world renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.

Wearable Tech to Keep You Cool This Summer

While summers in Japan can be miserably hot, Sony has a new solution to handle the heat.

Self-Driving Bus Test Now Touring Tokyo Roads

SB Drive, a Softbank subsidiary, is putting their new self-driving bus through its next big test: navigating the public roads of Tokyo.

Rescue Dogs Brighten Up Nursing Home

These dogs used to live in shelters and needed a place to live. They found one—in a nursing home in Kanagawa Prefecture. And they brought smiles to the faces of the residents and staff.

Facial Recognition Tech Coming to Narita

Narita International Airport will introduce a facial recognition system to help speed up the boarding process come 2020.

Lawson Teams Up with Uber Eats

Lawson becomes the first convenience store chain in Japan to offer delivery service with Uber Eats, which has become quite ubiquitous in major cities in Japan.

EVs for the Elderly

In an effort to curb the increasing number of traffic accidents involving senior drivers in Japan, new types of electric vehicles are being developed with the aging population in mind.

Lawson Tries Out Unmanned Store Operation

Convenience store giant Lawson is experimenting with operating an outlet that's unmanned overnight to tackle labor shortage.

NEC Shows Off New Flying Car Prototype

Electronics maker NEC gave the world a glimpse of a flying car prototype, the first exhibit of its kind in Japan!

Electronic Customs Declaration Gate at Narita

The electronic customs declaration gate at Narita Airport is now available for use by all travelers arriving at Terminal 3!

Cool Down This Summer with Watery Earrings

Dive into these gorgeous earrings that look exactly like a pool of crystal clear shimmering water on a warm summer day!

How to Navigate a Japanese Air Conditioner

A handy guide to navigating all of the complicated settings on a Japanese air conditioner—trust us, when summer heats up you'll be glad you read this!

University Finds New Uses for Tuna Skin

Kindai University is working with businesses to find new uses for the skin of its farmed tuna.

App Visualizes How Much Sugar is in Your Drink

Sometimes even a conscientious consumer can find it hard to visualize how much sugar is in a soft drink, even after reading a label. Luckily, there’s an app for that.

Eco Olympics: Recycled Plastics & Metals

Recycled plastic podiums and metals made from recycled electronics are just a few of the eco-friendly initiatives being enacted for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

know-before-you-go