Marketing the Otaku Lifestyle Abroad
How do you sell otaku swag online, and where is the market headed from here? Find out in this interview with Tokyo Otaku Mode founder and CEO Tomohide Kamei!
Making Broken Pottery Look Like New
Handicrafts Kumamoto Earthquake
This volunteer craftsman is traveling to Kumamoto to help repair earthquake-damaged family heirlooms free of charge.
3-D Printing Café in Gifu
Try your hand at 3-D scanning and 3-D printing in a café that celebrates Gifu's woodworking traditions.
6 Travel Goods You Can Find at a ¥100 Shop
You can purchase one (or all) of these six practical travel items, each for less than a buck!
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Drones
Two dozen LED-illuminated drones dance to 'shamisen' music above a sleeping Mount Fuji. Trust us—this is one you'll want to see.
Natural Disaster Survival Tube
This versatile emergency preparedness kit is smaller than a standard umbrella!
The Latest Addition to Japan’s 'Art Islands'
This new hotel development will amplify your urge to visit the Setouchi Art Islands!
Where Studio Ghibli's Paint Comes From
Founded in 1950, this 17-person paint company has colored the works of anime geniuses from Osamu Tezuka to Hayao Miyazaki.
Giving Voice to a Dream
Did you know that one of the voice actresses on 'Sailor Moon Crystal' grew up in China? Find out how Seira Ryu learned the language and—with a little luck—came to hold her own against native-born Japanese vocal actors.
7 Japanese Gadgets You Can't Live Without!
During your stay you may come in contact with these seven gadgets that help make life in Japan a little bit easier. But as soon as you leave, you'll be wishing you had one at home, too!
Intimidate Cashiers with Your Eva Credit Card!
Why pay with cash when you have a credit card featuring Eva Robots from the popular anime show 'Neon Genesis Evangelion'?
Gorgeous Fish Tank with Living Ferns Inside
Designer Haruka Misawa places an air bubble in a fish tank to stunning effect. It even helps feed the fish!
Flower Vases Made From Repurposed Wormy Wood
Wood is a subject of taste — from the beetles who enjoy eating it, to the designers who enjoy reusing it.
Japan's First Hedgehog Café has Arrived!
You can now add hedgehogs to the list of cute animals to visit on your next trip to the Japanese capital.
Have a Vegetable Garden Right in Your Kitchen
Without even requiring soil, this gardening pod gives farm-to-fork a whole new meaning.
4 Shoes Your Inner Ninja Will be Dying to Get
The iconic split-toed 'tabi' boot steps out of the ninja scene and into the world of sneakers in this roundup of awesome footwear designed for the street.
No Need to Shed Any More Tears, Cosplayers!
Save your tears and take your cosplaying to the next level with this new fake tear gel.
Temporary Tattoos Detect Soba Allergies
These temporary tattoos aren't just for show—they could actually save your life!
American Photographer Promotes Island with Art
American photographer Patrick Tsai is part of a team helping to internationalize and revitalize the island of Shodoshima in the Seto Inland Sea.
Enter the Ghibli World Through Virtual Reality
Ever wanted to be in a Ghibli movie but weren't quite animated enough? Well, your dream is now a reality—virtual reality that is!
