Culture
A Guide to Trying Traditional Japanese Crafts in Japan
From kintsugi to knife sharpening, here's where to learn the traditional crafts still shaping Japan today
Tokyo Middle 30: The J-Drama That Feels Like Your Own Tokyo Story
The Japanese remake of a Chinese hit series premieres July 22, and it's already trending
Tokyo Streetwear Roundup: The Drops Everyone’s Watching This July 2026
From A$AP Rocky's Puma Suede '94 to Jordan x Tokyo Giants baseball crossover, here's what's moving in Tokyo right now
G-Shock’s First-Ever Pokémon Watch Hits Japan Shelves July 17
The limited-edition GA-110PKM-7A goes on sale in Japan July 17, priced at ¥33,000 and built around the franchise's original 1996 color scheme
Creative Museum Tokyo: The Creative Origins of Mamoru Hosoda
Original artwork, storyboards, and immersive displays showcase the work of Mamoru Hosoda.
“This Lifestyle Isn’t Healthy”: The Salaryman Who Quit His Job to Become a Street Musician in Japan
The handpan artist who bet on himself
International Artists Coming to Japan in 2026 & 2027
Major global acts to add to your calendar in Japan
The Best Japanese Cookbooks
Metropolis' Editorial Team reviews the best new cookbooks for gourmands and oenophiles
Tokyo’s Top Haunted Spots for Ghost Hunting in Summer 2026
13 of Tokyo’s Most Paranormal Spots
The Asadora Effect
Fifteen minutes to shape a nation
7 Japanese Romance Movies That’ll Break Your Heart (in a Good Way)
So you can sob while practicing your Japanese listening skills
Japanese LGBTQ+ Films To Watch in 2026
Love, heartbreak and the untold tales of Japan’s queer community
How to Wear and Style a Summer Yukata
Your guide to styling Japan’s most iconic seasonal garment
Book Review: Strange Pictures by Uketsu
a clever and unsettling puzzle disguised as a novel
Book Review: Tokyo These Days by Taiyo Matsumoto
a quiet meditation on creativity, relevance and persistence
What’s Up With Bad Sex in Murakami?
Pleasure and prose in 'Killing Commendatore' and other novels
The Top 10 Japanese Movies Of All Time
How would you rank your favorite Japanese cinema?
Audemars Piguet x Swatch’s “Royal Pop” Watch Lands in Tokyo on May 16
Eight pocket watches, three stores, one per person. Your complete drop guide.
Book Review: Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa
a sharp and uncompromising voice in modern Japanese fiction
The Japanese Aesthetic of Transparency: From Hokusai to Pocari Sweat
"Toumeikan" is symbolized by water and made visible by the color blue
What is Zakka Style?
A kind of curated coziness
Artist Tomei: Curating Transparent Life (+Aesthetic Jelly Recipe)
Interview with mysterious artist Tomei on the beauty of clear things.