All About Japan

How Japan's Trains Stay on Time

Ever wonder how Japan's trains stay so precisely on time? Hideki Hashimoto at the transport division of JR East's transport and rolling stock department explains the secret—and it's not just technology.

How to Play Go

If Google's AlphaGo program can learn this traditional two-tone board game, then so can you!

The Shinkansen Network in Japan

A visit to Japan is incomplete without some travel on the Shinkansen, Japan’s bullet train network. With a new line connecting Hokkaido, there isn’t a better time to see all of Japan in the blink of an eye!

Japan's Magnificent Maglev

Japan's fast and super-efficient rail services have been the envy of the world for years, but the nation's newest train makes the speedy Shinkansen look like a tortoise.

The Whole-Body Gaming Experience!

From your head to your feet, you'll be able to control a 3-D scanned version of yourself in IBM Japan's newest gaming project.

An Art-Inspired Approach to Bridal Services

Need some fresh ideas to plan a unique wedding in Japan? TeamLab is now offering digital installation wedding services in Tokyo!

Explore Tokyo from the People First

Wouldn't you agree that it's the people behind the places that make them special? This iPhone app provides a new way to explore unique, people-first destinations in Tokyo!

Embarrassed Engineer Invents 'Selfie Arms'

Who needs a selfie stick, when you can use 'selfie arms'!

Amazon Lets You Buy Japanese Games Overseas

Got your eye set on a particular Japanese video game that hasn't been released overseas? After forbidding international game distribution for years, Amazon now has you covered!

These Kimono Sashes Are Out of This World!

From lounging felines to deep space imagery, this traditional Japanese clothing retailer is bound to have the perfect 'obi' for you!

Are You Ready to Say Goodbye to Headphones?

Sony is developing a new device that gives you the ability to listen to music without putting anything in your ear.

This Ferris Wheel Will Play Tricks on You!

Face the Cosmo Clock at Yokohama's Minato Mirai 21 district at around 10:10 p.m. for an optical illusion so perplexing you have to see it to believe it!

A Brief History of Emoji

You likely know that emoji originated in Japan, but do you know how they ended up basically everywhere in the world?

Fashion Designed to Block Your Cell Phone

Want some time away from your cell phone? Conceptual fashion designer Kunihiko Morinaga has designed a line of clothing specifically intended to block electromagnetic waves, protecting us from the storm of information that inundates our lives.

Understanding Japanese Phone Culture

Before heading off to Japan, you may want to check out these keen observations by visitors from overseas regarding Japanese smartphone etiquette.

Share Your Music with the Song Wig

In a bold and radical new take on wearable tech, a device wants to take the music you listen to and put it at everyone else’s fingertips. Introducing the Song Wig!

Sputniko! Bonds Myth, Science & Music

This new scientific discovery not only has its own music video, but also ties to ancient Japanese mythology.

Hammering Out the Shinkansen's Face by Hand

Just one company in Japan, with a mere 40 employees, uses hand hammering techniques to produce many of the Shinkansen's distinctive shapes.

Real Radios Made from Real Seashells

To commemorate the 90 years since radios were first brought to japan, the staff at Japanese radio station BayFM decided to create 100 seashell radios.

Using Regenerated Energy from Trains

Since 2014, Tokyo Metro—the firm that operates the subway lines that run through downtown Tokyo—has been using regenerated power from subway cars to power the equipment in train stations.

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