Aug 12, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting Here’s today’s reason not to skip Gifu in your Japan travel plans. As Japan becomes an increasingly popular destination for international travelers, there’s also a growing sense that some of the co...
Aug 12, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Wagyu ramen for foreign tourists appears in Kabukicho, with a very high price tag What makes this bowl of noodles cost around twice as much as a regular ramen, and is it worth it? Ever since the pandemic eased, inbound tourism has been booming in Japan, with record numbers of ov...
Aug 12, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Did you know? Only one Beard Papa’s in all of eastern Japan sells soft serve in a cream puff The legendary Japanese chain known for its heavenly cream puffs has only a handful of stores where you can pair pastry with an icy treat. Japanese cream puff (“choux cream”) specialty store Beard P...
Aug 11, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Stray cats almost became classified as an invasive species in Japan but the change was overturned This week, the Ministry of the Environment is caught between intensely divided public opinion on what’s truly best for cats vs. other species. Given Japan’s love for all things feline in the modern...
Aug 11, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan Kiki’s Delivery Service steals the spotlight with exclusive plushies… and jewellery that would make Kiki jealous. We all know that young witch Kiki is the star of Studio Ghibli’s 1989 film Kiki’s D...
Aug 11, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Over 1,400 cities in Japan see foreign population rise, total populations drop in new statistics Japan’s foreign population is growing in both size and proportion, ministry study shows. Japan’s population has been shrinking since 2010, but in recent years the country has seen a significant gro...
Aug 11, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- 7-Eleven Japan adds new doughnut-like tonkotsu ramen fried chicken to its hot food section Plus, an exclusive bag of snacks to sprinkle on ramen, inspired by the iconic instant noodles. Japanese convenience stores are always coming up with exciting new ways to make hot food more interest...
Aug 11, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Starbucks Japan unveils new Kyoho grape drinks for a taste that’s quintessentially Japanese Famous Japanese fruit appears in summer to remind us that autumn isn’t too far away. Japan might still be in the throes of a sweltering hot summer, but Starbucks Japan is already looking ahead to a...
Aug 11, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- This awesome Japanese arcade chain has crane game coaches to help you win prizes Our crane game novice heads to Benex for a training day with the Assist Crew. We’re in the middle of a golden age of crane games in Japan. Though traditional video games continue to have a diminish...
Aug 10, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Police ask Kumamoto residents to not get blackout drunk as much during earthquake relief efforts Hard times and hard drinking don’t mix. Of course, there’s never a good time to experience a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, but late July and early August is a particularly bad season for it. The additi...
Aug 10, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Studio Ghibli theme park announces new expansion saluting a previously off-limits anime After initially saying no to a Nausicaa area, Ghibli has had a change of heart. Ghibli Park, the Studio Ghibli anime theme park located in Aichi Prefecture, made it pretty clear from the beginning ...
Aug 10, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- One Piece Day returns to Tokyo Big Sight and worldwide on Youtube 22 and 23 August A day so nice they made it twice. It’s beginning to look a lot like One Piece Day, everywhere you go. But it’s at Tokyo Big Sight to see the pirates that will be arriving aaaaaashore… Sorry, I just...
Aug 10, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Are Japan’s room-temperature curry packets the boxed lunch heroes we’ve been looking for? [Taste test] Packets of curry you can store and eat at room temperature could be the answer to our prayers for portable, smell-safe curry. Curry and rice is always a winning combination, but the road to victory...
Aug 10, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Studio Ghibli releases new Kiki’s Delivery Service Jiji music box for anime fans Retro telephone from the Guchokipanya bakery plays one of the film’s most iconic songs. Studio Ghibli movies are filled with intriguing characters that have the power to completely draw us into the...
Aug 10, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Tokyo is getting a branch of famous Los Angeles hot dog chain Pink’s with Japan-exclusive items 87-year-old hot dog chain is going to learn some new tricks. It’s been about a year since Los Angeles’ iconic Randy’s Donuts opened its first branch in Japan, and as much as we love the place, even...
Aug 09, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japanese convenience store food gets turned into hyper-realistic stationery you can peel open The rice ball and hot snack sets let you feel the fun of some of Japan’s best treats anywhere in the world. Japan’s convenience stores are filled with wondrous foods to try, with new delights appea...
Aug 09, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Kumamoto earthquake may have created Japan’s newest hot spring inside flooded restaurant [Video] Kumamoto City izakaya began flooding with hot, sulfur-smelling water immediately after quake. The earthquake that occurred in Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28 caused extensive damage to the region, a...
Aug 09, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos] The Enbaragawa River’s lighting and subsurface flow put it on a different level of natural beauty. In Japan, the summer heat can be sweltering, intense, or even downright cruel. What it’s not, thou...
Aug 09, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video] Yona Yona has a furatsuku idea to promote responsible drinking. One of the cruelest twists of fate is that on a hot afternoon few things feel more refreshing than an ice-cold beer, and yet beer, as...
Aug 08, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- This Japanese chopping board sanitising bag might be the handy kitchen gadget we never knew we needed We find out if a bag made specifically for soaking chopping boards is actually useful. How do you disinfect your chopping boards? If your answer to that question is “With great difficulty” or “Huh?...
