Book Review: Tokyo These Days by Taiyo Matsumoto

a quiet meditation on creativity, relevance and persistence

7 Japanese Romance Movies That’ll Break Your Heart (in a Good Way)

So you can sob while practicing your Japanese listening skills

Best Parks for Seasonal Flowers in and Around Tokyo 2026

It's hydrangea season! Tokyo in bloom

Where to Buy Pokémon Cards in Tokyo

The best shops in the city, with map links to find them

The Bullet Train, A Loaded Story

Japan likes to say the Shinkansen arrived just in time for the Olympics. But in truth, it arrived in spite of everything.

International Artists Coming to Japan in 2026

Major global acts to add to your calendar in Japan

Book Review: Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa

a sharp and uncompromising voice in modern Japanese fiction

What is Zakka Style?

A kind of curated coziness

The Metropolis Agony Aunts

Being Foreign in Tokyo: Our totally unqualified opinions to guide you through it.

Book Review: The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami

A quiet return to memory, longing and surreal boundaries

Are Trains in Tokyo Safe for Women? A List of Women-Only Cars in Tokyo

How to ride public transport safely and report an incident

Why Are There So Many Cats in Japanese Fiction?

Literary symbol or cultural cliche?