JAPAN TRENDS
Henn na Hotel (literally, “Strange Hotel”) has opened in Sasebo, Nagasaki.
The unashamedly quirky accommodation carries the slogan “A commitment for evolution”, since apparently our hotels in the future will be staffed by robotic dinosaurs.
“What we have strove to achieve with Henn-n...

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JAPAN NEWS
By Mieko Furuoka / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
“Wow, the cat is turning around.” “It’s always lots of fun here.” Small children frolicked with delight in a toilet at Shinseiwadai Kindergarten in Kawanishi, Hyogo Prefecture. This was understandable, because this particular toilet is as...

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ROCKET NEWS
More often than not, stories and franchises start as manga in Japan and, if they become popular enough, you will see them evolve into an anime, musical, or sometimes even a live-action versions. While it is great to see our favorite stories presented in different formats, viewers will...

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JAPAN TRENDS
Japan can often seem like a bookstore fan’s dream come true.
From T-Site in Daikanyama and Shonan to hipster faves like B&B (Beer and Book) in Shimokitazawa, the city is full of unusual and stylish bookshops.
Now that “B&B” has evolved to “book and bed”.
Book and Bed Tokyo opens in S...

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JAPAN TRENDS
After wowing hipsters the world over with the first T-Site in Tokyo’s upmarket Daikanyama district three years ago, Tsutaya continues its quest to stop being the Blockbuster of Japan and be taken seriously as a sophisticated retailer: Shonan T-Site opened in mid-December, a complex o...

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JAPAN TRENDS
Another season, another overseas retailer or brand tries to crack Japan.
This time it’s Accessorize, a retailer who will be very familiar to British readers as a leading fashion accessories retail chain.
On October 16th, Accessorize opened its first standalone outlet in Asia with a n...

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JAPAN TRENDS
Google Play Music has created a cool promo event featuring a giant outdoor billboard that lets you listen to 35 million tracks.
Currently installed in the square by Parco in Shibuya until October 24th, there are around 13,000 earphone jacks on the billboard.
Like some kind of old tel...

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ROCKET NEWS
Potato chips and matcha green tea seem like the opposite endpoints of the refreshment spectrum. Matcha is a refined, high-class drink meant to be sipped and savored in a quiet moment, whereas potato chips are often most enjoyable when scarfed down by the handful while watching sports ...

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ROCKET NEWS
There’s no denying McDonald’s Japan has had rough time these past few years, with incidents like the spoiled meat scandal contributing to declining sales. To complicate matters further, some of the fast food chain’s campaigns and initiatives, like the sudden removal of menus from its ...

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JAPAN TODAY
 1) Jewelry Maker (Kyoto)
The Niwaka Corporation is looking for a full-time jewelry maker to be responsible for creating and polishing jewelry, as well as stone setting at its factory in Kyoto and possibly at overseas ateliers. Candidates will be responsible for the fabrication, desig...

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