I reject this smear. I have never been to Hokkaido. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

Neil Sedaka has passed away at 86. Here is one of his appearances on television on Japan. www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCby...

Cafe at the Ukiyoe Immersive Art exhibition serves Hokusai's "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" pancakes. www.ukiyoeimmersiveart.com/osaka/en

The Daiei supermarket brand, which once vied to be biggest in Japan, is nearly gone. Only a few stores in Kansai will continue to use it. Kanto stores will become Food Style. www.yomiuri.co.jp/economy/2026...

There were 705,809 babies born in Japan last year, including foreign nationals. That's a decline of 2.1% from the previous year, and the tenth consecutive year of declines. 2017 was the last time the total was over the 1 million mark. www.asahi.com/articles/ASV...

Yomiuri says the clash between Arashi's concerts in Sapporo, and Hokkaido university entrance exams, means even a capsule hotel in the city costs 47,800 yen a night. www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/202...

Tesla Japan fell foul of Japan's labour laws. After a lengthy dispute, the company has been obliged to re-employ a man they first tried to sack, and then tried to coerce into leaving. www.ben54.jp/news/3236

A new boutique hotel has opened in the middle of Kabukicho. The blurb says "Golden Gai is only 2 minutes away". At some point, I need to stop being surprised that is a major selling point to tourists www.rise-hotel.com/hotels/rise_...

Over on Twitter, a user has spotted a "No Chinese tourists" sign at the door of a Kagoshima izakaya.

Reiko Yukawa (90) is in another online spat. She wrote about her wartime suffering, only to be asked "How would you know? You were only 9 went it ended." Which is ultimate keyboard warrior behaviour. www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainmen...

Japan's first APP tour pickleball tournament kicks off at the Nissho Highway Arena/Saorina in Mie prefecture on Thursday. prtimes.jp/main/html/rd...

@bethanh.bsky.social I walked past Brussels in Kagurazaka today, and saw a sign saying it's their 40th anniversary this year. Think you and Alan took us there after we had a bite in Carmine. www.instagram.com/p/DUFgyngk1hU/

Six men at a naked festival in Okayama were taken to hospital. Three were reportedly unconscious. www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/202...

I did not know that the world's oldest wombat lives in Japan. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

Key reporting here on the relative popularity of single-ply and double-ply toilet paper in Japan. Double-ply is much preferred in Tohoku, Kanto and Tokai, while Kinki and Shikoku slightly favour single-ply. newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/cbc...

Coffee chain Caffe Veloce is up for sale. Among the interested buyers is Colowide, which already operates dozens of brands, including Gyukaku and Freshness Burger. www.47news.jp/13896836.html

tokyoreporter.bsky.social mentioned the other day that soapland operators are shutting up shop around Japan. Legal website points out it's impossible to open a new soapland in Tokyo anywhere, aside from a few blocks in the old Yoshiwara. www.bengo4.com/c_1012/n_200...

Mainichi headlines point to a new yelling trend in Japan.

A person who wishes to remain anonymous, has donated 21kg in gold bars to Osaka and asked they be used to renew ageing waterworks. In case you are wondering, the gold will raise funds, rather than be used itself for pipes. www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/202...

It has not gone unnoticed at home here that the next new presenter on NHK kid's show Okaasan to Issho has a British dad. encount.press/archives/945...

The arrest of King Charles' brother poses a translation challenge in Japan, as no-one really knows Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, which is his name after he was stripped of his titles. Most outlets are going with アンドルー元英王子 ("Former Prince Andrew").

Don't see this too often on a restaurant signboard. Opening hours, indicative wine prices, and statement of beliefs.

We may have a supervillain origin story too, now. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

Japan saw 3,597,500 visitors in January, down 4.9% from 2025, and the first drop in four years. Chinese visitors fell 60.7% to 385,300, HK by 17.9% to 200,000. Koreans rose 21.6% to 1,176,000, Taiwanese by 17% to 694,500. US, Europe and Australia also rose. www.yomiuri.co.jp/economy/2026...

Murals on the walls of Togashira Danchi, part of an ongoing art project. www.sankei.com/article/2026...

Punch, a baby Japanese macaque in Ichikawa Zoo, was abandoned by his mum. Keepers looked after him, and he bonded with an Ikea stuffed orangutan. Capitalizing on the national coverage, Ikea has just donated a load of similar toys to the city.

With news 060 numbers will be open for mobile phone use, screenshot shows four teenagers asked what numbers they have. They are a mix of 080 and 070. The caption says 080 is old, carrying an air of passé. 090 numbers seem prehistoric.

All change again at the Hachiko entrance of Shibuya Station. The current arrangement (shown in the left hand photo) appears to be shifting to the right next month, if that poster is anything to go by. www.shibukei.com/headline/197...

Brave of this Indian restaurant to push chicken tikka masala to a Japanese clientele by describing it as イギリスで国民食と言われる人気のインドカレー (curry known as the national dish of Britain).

Mainichi has a translation of last month's piece on convenience store training of foreign staff. While the Japanese original is behind a paywall, the English version is free to read. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

1973 on the Chuo Line. A group of mothers protesting railway company rules requiring passengers to fold pushchairs, and carry children inside the carriage. The rules weren't relaxed until 1998-9. www.asahi.com/and/m/articl...

Mainichi English report on the changes announced last month for Kyoto buses. Boarding will now take place at the front, and departure by the rear, which is a switch from current Kyoto practice. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

Meetings at the Onigiri Summit are around tables placed in a triangle. summit.onigiri.or.jp

Kanagawa police are revoking 2700 traffic violations, restoring licence statuses and refunding up to 30 miilion yen in fines. An investigation reveals officers were over-zealous to the point of illegality. www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/202...

Mainichi on the re-opening of Anna Miller's. This is one of those situations where the closing of a chain revealed more brand loyalty than the owners expected. Remains to be seen if it's enough to sustain a store revival. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

so tired i tried to flush the toilet by tapping my sucia card

Kawaii Monster Land opens tomorrow. www.shibukei.com/headline/197...

Hotel near me, popular with foreigners, has a sign posted outside, It asks guests not to speak to children, and not to take photographs of children. There are two elementary schools, and two junior high schools in the nearby neighbourhood, so something must have happened.

Wakayama Rail has some cat stationmaster Valentine's Day chocolates. Not entirely clear from the photo if the cat wants you to have them. www.sankei.com/article/2026...

The merchandise at an exhibition called "The World of Mameban Shunga", includes a Shunga Lovers t-shirt, and a packet of shunga stickers. www.smappa.net/shunga/en/

Under new government guidelines, when foreign residents move into public housing, local authorities must confirm their nationality. Any emergency contact must be someone capable of communicating in Japanese. news.web.nhk/newsweb/na/n...

Six junior high school pupils in Kitakyushu were hospitalized for excessive salt intake, after eating pizza made in a home economics class. The recipe called for 3 pinches of salt (塩３つまみ), and taht measure was misunderstood. www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/202...

Evidence of living in Japan messing the brain synapses. From further away on the street, this looked like signage for a crab restaurant.

A Mie firm has been reprimanded for labelling imported lobsters as local specialty Ise ebi. The firm was selling them as souvenirs, and serving them in gift shop restaurant. They claimed not to know lobster should not be labelled Ise ebi. www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/202...

A man who returned lost property to police kobans over 60 times has been arrested. Police realized he was actually stealing items, looking to get reward money. www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/202...

Usually, when a zoo runs a drill for an escaped animal, a member of staff puts on a full body costume. Red pandas are only the size of a cat, so this drill required a different approach. www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1Cj...

337 police officers faced disciplinary action last year, the highest in 10 years. This includes 104 for sexual harassment or sneak photography. 63 for theft, fraud or embezzlement, and 44 for playing with their smartphones. www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/202...

Takarazuka is aiming to cut out borderline illegal ticket resale premiums by signing new contracts with official fan clubs. www.yomiuri.co.jp/culture/stag...

The drug case against Ryoko Yonekura has been dropped. Daily Shincho says prosecutors are blaming an incompetent Drug Enforcement operation. www.dailyshincho.jp/article/2026...

The Omiwatari freezing of Lake Suwa, described in this article from last month, has not occurred this season. The chief priest of the local shrine confirmed it today. That makes it eight consecutive seasons, which is the longest break in 512 years. japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/gene...