All About Japan All About Japan

Fresh start every Monday!

Drone Captures Pair of Humpback Whales

Drone footage was able to pick up a pair of humpback whales swimming off coast of Okinawa Prefecture.

The Isolated Attractions of Shikoku's "Tibet"

Some dedicated people are intent on saving the small village of Kito, and the last 20 bears that live in the surrounding mountains.

Kyoto Ducklings' Annual Temple to River Trip

Ducklings born at a temple in Kyoto move to a nearby river in what has become an annual event. The move has become an annual event since a pair of ducks came to the temple and had babies in a pond 15 years ago.

Worship Your Feline Friend with Its Own Shrine

Your cat already walks around like a god of the house, so why not get a cardboard shrine to show your true devotion.

Ueno Zoo Opens New Panda Habitat

Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Gardens unveiled a new enclosure for giant pandas.

Deer Dare to Cool Down in Ditch

A herd of deer tries to cool off in a ditch as temperatures continue to soar in Nara, western Japan.

Wild Deer Captured in Tokyo

Tokyo police and firefighters manage to capture a wild deer that had been spotted along the banks of a local river.

'Purrfect' Fairy Tale Theme Park for Cat Fans

If you're a cat lover, don't just go to any cat café. Go to a cat palace!

Artist Makes 3D Sculptures of Strange Pet Pics

For one artist, scrolling past cute viral pics of animals is enough to inspire crafting sculptures that imagine new creatures.

Find Your Next Best Pal at the Mameshiba Cafe

Unfortunately, there aren't that many chances to meet a Shiba dog in Japan for tourists—until now. At the Mameshiba Cafe located in Takeshita Street in Harajuku, for 880 yen for 30 minutes, you can play with the 12 friendly canine staff members.

Mie's Wondrous Walking Sea Otter

A sea otter at an aquarium in central Japan has learned to walk on two feet.

Renaissance Paintings Purr-fect for Cat Lovers

Japanese contemporary artist Tokuhiro Kawai uses his mastery of oil painting to create surreal images that invoke the Italian painters of the High Renaissance. But instead of heroes, saints, and the divine, he largely focuses on lots of cats.

A Portable Home for Hedgehogs on the Go

As hedgehogs are becoming more and more popular as pets in Japan, so are people wanting to meet one in person. And with this portable home, you can bring your prickly pet anywhere you go.

Flowchart of Penguin Drama & Relationships

The lives of real penguins in Kyoto and Sumida Aquariums have been detailed in high-resolution flowcharts, and it's full of penguin crushes, heartbreaks, adultery and even egg-stealing. All the things that make for a great reality television show.

Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo Reopens

People flock to Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo, which has reopened after closing for about four months due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Adorable Capybaras Enjoy Relaxing Soak

In search of a spirit animal? Check out these capybaras as they enjoy a hot bath at an animal park in Shizuoka Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo.

Bear Attacks in Japan: There Is A Solution

Tried and True Ways to Coexist as told by a bear conservationist

The 5-Hour Wild Boar Chase in Niigata

Police officers in the city of Tsubame, about 300 kilometers north of Tokyo, spent five hours chasing a wild boar after the animal was spotted roaming near rice paddies.

13.000 Wintering Cranes Headed to Kagoshima

More than 13,000 cranes are flocking to Izumi Plain in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

know-before-you-go