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July 07, 2026
 

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Japanese nail salons are tourists’ new obsession
LIFE / Style & Design
Japanese nail salons are tourists’ new obsession
A combination of more affordable pricing, faster service and attention to detail is drawing more and more tourists to Tokyo’s nail salons.
LIFE / Style & Design
‘The colors speak for themselves’: How Japan’s chroma bible went global
Originally published as a six-volume series in the 1930s, “A Dictionary of Color Combinations” has become a go-to for creatives in Japan and around the world.
LIFE / Style & Design
Ohi Chozaemon XI: ‘We cannot make tradition the absolute rule’
The 11th head of the Ohi ware school of ceramics believes his craft can only survive if history is a set of guidelines, not laws.
Traditional Japanese needlework has exploded in popularity, but a book from a third-generation artisan aims to bring more context to the craft's newfound popularity.
LIFE / Style & Design
May 2, 2026
‘Sashiko’ needlework artisan says craft is about ‘the stories behind the stitching’
By Jessica Kozuka
In a new book, a third-generation craftsman explores how the origins of his art are at risk of being lost in an upswell of popularity.
The Sui Collection, a Cabinet Office-backed showcase of traditional Japanese artisanship, is visually stunning, but what is lost in translation when the state is a partner in cultural communication?
LIFE / Style & Design
Mar 28, 2026
What happens when Japan curates its aesthetic for the world?
By Erik Augustin Palm
The Sui Collection of traditional artistry demonstrates how Japan wants to be seen — both domestically and abroad.
In recent years, while Yamaha has worked to introduce guitar models with innovative features, the basic shape has remained unchanged.
LIFE / Style & Design
Mar 14, 2026
After 60 years, Yamaha guitars still striking the right chord
By Jordan Allen
This year marks six decades since the company put out its first acoustic folk guitar, the FG180.
In a country where self-expression is limited during children's school years, nail art is often one of the first avenues of experimentation for many young women in Japan.
LIFE / Style & Design
Feb 7, 2026
‘In Japan, people pack everything they love on their nails’
By Mishu Callan
Tokyo’s nail artists say their customers view their chosen designs as reflections of their inner selves.
Valentino Garavani waves as he arrives for the premiere of the movie "Valentino: The Last Emperor" in Venice on Aug. 28, 2008. The Italian fashion designer died Monday at 93.
LIFE / Style & Design
Jan 20, 2026
Valentino, Italian haute couture ‘emperor’ who painted fashion red, dies at 93
By Giulia Segreti
From Hollywood glamour to Paris haute couture, Valentino built an empire on elegance, devotion to beauty and one unforgettable shade of red.
Since all 22 kilns in Suzu were destroyed in the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, many of the local potters came together for a joint firing in the municipal kiln.
LIFE / Style & Design
Jan 1, 2026
Noto’s Suzu ware reemerges from the earthquake rubble
By Jessica Kozuka
Two years after the 2024 earthquake and tsunami, Noto potters find purpose in carrying on their craft.
Designtide Tokyo returns for a final weekend of a designer-run marketplace, including one student exhibitor chosen to join the main field of professionals.
LIFE / Style & Design
Dec 20, 2025
Designtide Tokyo 2025 closes this weekend with a creator-led marketplace
By Erik Augustin Palm
After returning in 2025 following a 12-year break, the event finished with a chance for designers and buyers to meet face to face.

Murakami says his novels are ‘different’ from AI literature
Haruki Murakami's first book in three years hit shelves in Japan on Friday.
Thailand gets serious about chasing high-spending tourists
Chinese tourists at Wat Arun Ratchawararam Rathawaramahawihan in Bangkok
Japan needs caregivers. Young Indians are answering the call.
Young people in India's northeast are increasingly studying Japanese in hopes of building new lives and careers in Japan.
Tokyo hospital baby hatch accepts 20 newborns in first year
Hitoshi Kato (left), head of San-ikukai Hospital in Tokyo's Sumida Ward, speaks during a news conference at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building on Thursday.
Hayabusa2 flies past asteroid as Japan aims to acquire data for planetary defense
A graphic illustration of the Hayabusa2 probe flying past the asteroid Torifune
Okinawa’s prized seaweed under threat as oceans warm
Local harvesters gather <i>mozuku</i> during low tide at Hyakuna Beach in the city of Nanjo, Okinawa Prefecture. As the planet warms, rising ocean temperatures are placing increasing pressure on the seaweed industry.
‘Defense,’ not ‘warfare,’ stressed as pacifist Japan beefs up capabilities
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi attends an annual training session near Mount Fuji at Higashifuji Training Field in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture, on June 7.
Japan plans to sharply raise fees for residence permits from October
Foreign tourists walk on the path leading to the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in May.
X Games returns to Chiba with new team format
Skateboarder Sora Shirai practices at Makuhari Messe in Chiba on Friday afternoon. X Games Chiba begins on Saturday.
NU Festival tests Takanawa Gateway City complex’s culture cred
Veteran improvisers Kazuo Imai and Atsuhiro Ito brought some unruly energy to NU Festival, a three-day multimedia event held at the Takanawa Gateway City complex.  

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
By Alex K.T. Martin

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New Logistics Consortium baton to accelerate trucking efficiency

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