- Residential Villa in Phuket Entices Remote Workers With Long-Stay Rates
- Rare pieces of French glass art at the Mirai Museum of Art
- Feast on fresh fish and seafood at the 2024 ‘Sakana’ Festival
- Would you like to ride in a Louis Vuitton gondola lift?
- Naked Snow Aquarium
- Festive lights at Yomiuriland will get you feeling the holiday vibes
- Yomiuriland holiday illumination
All posts by Ted Tanaka
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Japan saw record high suicides last year
For every 100,000 people in Japan, 16.6 have taken their lives in 2020. Citing police data, the health ministry today said a total of 20,919 people committed suicide last year. The number rose by 750, or 3.7...
- Posted January 22, 2021
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The most expensive steak sandwich in Japan
Are you ready to spend money on the most expensive sandwich available in Japan? The “Special charcoal-grilled steak & home-grown smoked salmon” sandwich which sells for ¥10,000 (¥11,000 with tax) at Gorio luxury steak restaurant in Tsukiji,...
- Posted January 6, 2021
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Schools won’t be asked to close even if emergency is issued.
It isn’t likely that blanket closures will apply to elementary and junior high schools even if a state of emergency over the novel coronavirus is declared in Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa. That’s coming from Japan’s economic...
- Posted January 4, 2021
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Around 8.5% of Ox births in Japan are now aging baby boomers.
According to Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, there are around 10.66 million people born under the Year of the Ox. The Chinese Ox Year calendar starts on the 12th of February 12th, 2021, a lunar new year...
- Posted January 1, 2021
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Keisei Skyliner reserves front car of train for travelers
The Keisei Electric Railway that operates the Keisei Limited Express Skyliner has started assigning “car no. 8” to overseas travelers from December 28. The car will be thoroughly disinfected as a safety measure. Only passengers who have...
- Posted December 29, 2020
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An all-you-can-fly domestic flight service might be a reality next year.
Many families have dreams of making the most of their stay in Japan by traveling to many places with their children. When you’re traveling as a family, the cost of air tickets adds up really quick. If...
- Posted December 24, 2020
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Fuji-Q Highland’s new observation deck to give visitors a premium view of Mount Fuji
The roller coaster at Fuji Q Highland will be closed for renovation from around February 2021 to build a 1.07 billion yen ($10.4 million) sky deck next to the ride. Up until now, only the staff had...
- Posted December 20, 2020
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Christmas lights go on display in Ginza
Tokyo is always at the forefront of urban illumination and this year is no different. Starting November 21, Christmas lights in Ginza, Tokyo’s best-known shopping hub, will be seen along Chuo-dori and Harumi-dori and at the Ginza...
- Posted November 11, 2020
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How to spot the real Kobe beef
The price people pay for an authentic premium cut of Kobe steak at a Tokyo restaurant ranges anywhere between 20,000 and 40,000 yen, depending on the grade and weight. You may think that that’s too expensive. Well, ...
- Posted November 10, 2020
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How are countries socializing safely during coronavirus?
As businesses resume operations, governments are requiring them to ensure customers keep a safe distance from each other at all times. Businesses including schools are applying the rules in many ways in order to not spread the...
- Posted June 15, 2020
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Sony’s new PlayStation 5 has a very cool console design.
Sony Interactive Entertainment unveils the main body design of the next-generation console game machine PlayStation 5 (PS5) at a video event held on Friday, June 12, Japan time, PS5 and announced an attractive line up of games....
- Posted June 12, 2020
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Covid-19 sniff test results prove we can count on dogs.
Finding ways and means to quickly identify who might have been exposed to the virus, a key strategy for preventing the further spread of COVID-19, is turning out to be more complicated than everyone initially thought. Even...
- Posted June 9, 2020
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How much does a game sound creator make a year in Japan?
Perhaps parents today won’t be so impressed when their daughter or son tells them he/she wants to pursue a career as sound creator of video games. But I was. My son who earns his degree in Engineering...
- Posted June 9, 2020
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Apartment hunting? Avoid a rectangular layout. Here’s why.
A powerful 9.1 m earthquake in March 2011 shook a rectangular shape building in Tokyo forcing people out. (Source: YouTube) A survey of 400 apartment renters by Glide, a moving company, reveals that 40% of respondents affected...
- Posted June 9, 2020
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AI is helping Japan navigate life during coronavirus.
Given that physical distancing and crowd density are found to be key factors in the new coronavirus spread, IT companies in Japan have been focusing on solutions that will keep the general public free from the risk...
- Posted June 8, 2020
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Running out of money to pay rent? What to do before your life falls apart.
The global pandemic has resulted in cascading economic impacts to people who have lost part or all of their income with little to zero savings left to fall back on. Families are unable to continue paying rent,...
- Posted June 5, 2020
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UNIQLO to donate breathable summer masks to medical institutions.
Japanese clothing company UNIQLO has announced that it will provide 4 million masks free of charge to facilities who need it. Starting on May 25, support desks will run for a week to accept application from medical...
- Posted May 26, 2020
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How to make a delicious brewed coffee at home using Starbucks’ tips.
A daily cup of coffee can help relieve stress caused by unprecedented challenges we are experiencing due to the outbreak. When you want to calm down the nerves and relax, coffee may not be the first thing...
- Posted May 20, 2020
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The three reasons Japan has fewer death cases than Europe and the U.S.
Japan was expecting an explosive spread in coronavirus infection but it hasn’t happened. The number of COVID-19 cases and deaths reported todate remains to be the lowest among the G7 countries. Japan’s case got many people puzzled...
- Posted May 19, 2020
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Japan’s stimulus package that could help those facing financial difficulties.
On April 30, the Diet has officially cleared a supplementary budget bill in response to the economic impacts of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Japan has allocated a budget of ¥12.8 trillion as assistance to people and businesses...
- Posted May 4, 2020
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Schmatz’s German style craft beer can now be ordered online.
Even though spring has sprung, the coronavirus situation isn’t giving beer drinkers a permission to think freely of sunshine, outdoors and SCHMATZ. Schmatz Beer Dining has temporarily closed 30 of its stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area...
- Posted April 30, 2020
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The new contact-tracing app might not work in Japan. Here’s why that’s a problem.
On Friday, April 10, tech giants Apple and Google announced that a new infection-tracing app is scheduled to be rolled out in mid May. The new app will alert the user if they’ve come into contact with...
- Posted April 13, 2020
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New study finds virus travels up to 4 meters, twice what the current distance guidelines say.
In the midst of the fear and anxiety surrounding the mysterious killer virus, each day seems to bring news that’s different from the day before. A new study of air samples from hospital wards with COVID-19 patients...
- Posted April 11, 2020
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International Lego robotics competition in May cancelled.
The First Lego League, an international Lego robotics competition to be held in Japan scheduled in May, has been canceled on Monday over Coronavirus concerns. The FIRST LEGO League competition is participated in by teams of children...
- Posted March 6, 2020
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Toilet paper rolls are disappearing from restrooms in convenience stores.
Public toilets in Japan are the envy of many people around the world. They are clean, sanitized and frequently stocked with toilet paper. Tokyo is perhaps one of the few cities where you can walk into a...
- Posted March 2, 2020
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Only foreigners can keep their maiden name after marriage.
Marriage is not just about “I dos”. There is one important issue couples have to sort out: “What do we do with our family name?” Article 750 of Japan’s Civil Code requires couples to have the same...
- Posted February 27, 2020
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Italian dad: “This is not China vs World, this is humanity vs coronavirus.”
If there is one thing the coronavirus outbreak has exposed, it’s the rising anti-Asian sentiment. A string of incidents have been reported in the news ranging from a Chinese being turned away by a restaurant owner in...
- Posted February 25, 2020
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“Japan’s Cuisine, Nature, and Wisdom”- Exploring the Past and Future of Japanese Cuisine at the National Museum of Nature and Science
In 2013, Washoku or traditional Japanese cuisine has been added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage raising the country’s global recognition. In a rare special exhibition, Ueno National Museum of Nature and Science puts the spotlight on 250...
- Posted February 4, 2020
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Meet Origin, GM and Honda’s self-driving car
Two multinational automakers, America’s General Motors and Japan’s Honda recently unveiled its new self-driving six-seat electric vehicle. It has doors that slide rather than swing open. It has no steering wheel, brake or accelerator pedals, windshield wipers...
- Posted January 27, 2020
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These fun games are preparing kids into their AI-driven future and parents are loving them.
Starting April 2020, Computer programming will be a compulsory subject in Japan’s primary school curriculum. Children in the fifth grade will be taught the basics of coding. Is your child ready? Whether your child is in the...
- Posted December 24, 2019