JAPAN TODAY
 
TOKYO
Hitting the button on your alarm clock when it goes off then closing your eyes again to catch a few more precious seconds of sleep might be natural instinct for many, but that moment of weakness when eyelids shut again could spell the difference between getting to work on time...

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JAPAN TRENDS
 
 
Back in 2010, the Internet briefly went wild about the Potechi no Te and Popcorn no Te, two grabber toys from Takara Tomy that seemed like the perfect tool for coach potatoes too lazy even to pick up potato chips or popcorn with their fingers.
Now comes the long-awaited update: t...

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JAPAN TRENDS
 
On May 1st, the era name changed in Japan from Heisei to Reiwa when Naruhito ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne as the new emperor.
Unlike the previous changeover of emperor, which was marked by a sustained period of mourning and self-restraint during Hirohito’s illness and after hi...

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SORA NEWS
 
New collection will keep you cool with friends from My Neighbour Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Spirited Away.
Just last week, Japan’s Donguri Kyowakoku (“Acorn Republic”) retail chain, which sells official merchandise from Studio Ghibli, announced they would be bringing out a r...

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SORA NEWS
 
Seals can be personalised with names in kanji, hiragana, katakana or English!
In Japan, personal seals called hanko or inkan are used instead of signatures on legal documents. It’s a system that’s been around for centuries, and while the fonts and designs of the seals may differ, the ...

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JAPAN TRENDS
 
Did you know that Frieza is a businessman? Yes, the Vicious God from the imagination of Akira Toriyama is taking a change in career from battling Goku et al. He is now joining the team at your office as the new boss. Yikes!
As the Frieza Salaryman PC Cushion, he’s certainly got the...

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SORA NEWS
 
Enjoy hanami flower viewing with some famous anime wood sprites this year.
As we get ready to head into spring, stores around Japan are beginning to blossom with sakura-themed treats to help get us into the spirit of the flower-viewing season.
 
One of those stores is Donguri no Kyowa...

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SORA NEWS
 
These tiny toys take all your fave ‘Mons and turn them into cute spinning peanuts!
Do you know Coo’Nuts? They’re small toys that get their name from the Japanese word for spinning, kurukuru, though of course it has more impact when you write it like the English word “cool”. The second...

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JAPAN TRENDS
 
East meets West. Old meets new. These are cliches but it’s a fact nonetheless that Japan produces plenty of inventive examples of this intermingling.
This is the samurai display figure/doll.
 
 
We recently reported the release of the Samurai C-3PO Action Figure, a brilliant mash-u...

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SORA NEWS
 
Carry a gorgeous and stylish piece of Japanese leather tradition wherever you go.
Japanese traditional craft company Inden-ya is well-known for its deerskin leather techniques dating as far back as 1582, designing sleek products that are both peerless in quality and easy on the eyes.
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