After the dust settled in the controversy around Nihon University’s American football (アメフト) team, school officials decided to disband it. And it’s all because a player decided to light up a doobie to relax.
ICYMI: American football (アメフト, ame-futo in Japanese) is a fairly popular pastime in Japan. And lately, it’s also been the source of some controversy. When the dust settled, Nihon University’s football team had been disbanded. And it’s all because a player decided to light up a doobie.
At Ramen Break Beats, chef Yanase Takuro, who doubles as a DJ (hence the store name), serves bowls at around the 2000 yen (USD $13.50) mark. That’s more than double the average cost of a bowl of ramen – and double the so-called “1000 yen wall”.
Dominos Pizza Japan continues to terrorize the country with kaiju-style pie mutations. The latest affront: the Cheese Volcano Pizza, which ups the cheese factor with a literal crater of cheddar cheese sauce in the middle. It’s available here until February 18th.
One person said they were told popular izakaya chain Torikizoku was fully booked but other affiliated places were available. They informed one of the touts they would pay around 1500 yen per person. However, the final bill ended up being much higher — around 4000 yen plus a service charge.
According to snack manufacturer Morinaga, chocolate mint exploded in popularity in Japan in 2019, with sales of chocolate mint-related goods going up by 128%. The combination is most popular among young women in their 20s.
ICYMI: A sharp move towards contactless payments has fostered a dizzying array of options. Here’s a rundown of the options available – and how ubiquitous they are – for both tourists and residents.
Fans of Frieren will love this one: the highest-rated food stop near Tokyo's barely-used Kitasenzoku Station is called Himmel (ヒンメル), a bread shop that sells some truly delicious-looking wares.
People who know nothing about Japan: Japan isn’t down with all this LGBTQ stuff!!
Actual Japan: on Feb 1st, Wakayama Prefecture will become the latest local government to pass a partnership system for same-sex couples. Such systems already cover 70.9% of Japan’s population.
The sudden death of manga author Ashihara Hinako has other authors speaking out about how their works are adapted for television. The story of how NTV and Shogakukan mishandled the adaptation of SEXY TANAKA-SAN - and why the fallout still continues.
Whether you’re visiting Japan or just immigrated, it can take time to adjust to the local food culture. That’s especially true if you eat a specific kind of diet. Good news if you eat high protein, though. You have a handy – and ubiquitous – ally: 7-11.
The 2024 Shogun TV series stacks up pretty well to history, says a Japanese historian - but the surrounding conversation around "colonialism" is ridiculous.
A restaurant in Tokyo had to close temporarily after its owner ranted on social media about a non-Japanese couple who came to the store. Learn why the remarks are so controversial - and how some Japanese restaurants are struggling with the influx of tourists.