Nintendo 3DS discontinued after almost a decade
Nintendo has discontinued its 3DS handheld after about 76 million sales over a nine-and-a-half year period. A notice on the Japanese firm's site says "manufacturing of t…
The archive
Recent articles — page 13
Browse recent articles in the Akihabara archive.
The iconic Labi store in Shinjuku is closing in October
In the past couple of months, Tokyo has seen a slew of new openings and major renovations as well as closures. One of Tokyo’s oldest amusement parks, Toshimaen recently closed to make way for a new H…
The Newly Renovated Koganeyu Sento in Tokyo
It must be a public bath miracle. Just last week we wrote about how rare it was to see a sento open instead of close, or be converted into a cafe. Now it’s happened again. Rather than bending to the …
The 2021 Japan Packaging Design Awards
Every two years the JPDA (Japan Packaging Design Association) celebrates excellence in packaging design by hosting the Japan Packaging Design Awards. The winners of the 2021 Awards were just announce…
There's a new face mask speciality shop in Tokyo – and it has over 200 kinds of masks
These days, there’s no shortage of face mask options – you can find a mask online to match your style, face shape or even your mood. If you prefer to purchase your face coverings in person, Tokyo has…
Four subscription boxes that bring a taste of Japan to your door
We’re all missing travel these days — getting to explore new places, see new sights and try new foods. Good thing there’s a wealth of subscription boxes that bring the best of Japan to you. So whethe…
Japan’s young musicians rally to save dying art of shamisen music
Since it was founded 135 years ago, Tokyo Wagakki has come to dominate Japan’s shamisen scene, accounting for more than half of all the instruments produced in the country. But the market is shrinkin…
Tokyo hotel offers free stay, drinks, and sashimi on one very simple condition
The travel business isn't exactly booming at the moment thanks to the social distancing and safety protocol necessary to deal with the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). So as you …
New Large Scale Structure Planned For Jingumae Crossing in Harajuku
The face of one of Tokyo’s most famous crossings continues to change. The West corner of Jingumae Crossing has largely remained unchanged for the past 50 years. But when the iconic Condomania relocat…
5 Books to Better Understand Japanese Work Culture
Japanese work culture can be many things: diplomatic, hierarchical, conformist, machine-like, even suffocating. Globally, Japan is known for its hard-working salarymen who work long hours f…