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Lifestyle
Japanese company starts project to restore Nakagin Capsules to capsule hotel
Some famous Japanese architectural structures are getting a new chance to live on. Hello! Renovation, a renovation company that specializes in revitalizing akiya vacant houses, announced a new project in which they will restore five retired Nakagin Capsules to capsule hotel rooms with a gorgeous view. ▼ Here’s the view you could… Read
Cosplay in front of explosions and flames at the upcoming fiery Baku Festival
On April 28, the third annual Baku [Explosion] Festival (爆フェス) will take place in Hitachiomiya City, Ibaraki Prefecture, in a quarry often used as a set location for movies, TV shows, and music videos. The experience is sure to feel like a dream come true for anyone who spent their childhoods pretending… Read
A 'healthy addiction': Sea saunas make waves in Ireland
For Sharon Fidgeon, a regular visitor to Ireland's increasingly popular beach saunas, her weekend sessions "have become a healthy addiction" that tap into a centuries-old Irish tradition of toning up by getting sweaty. On sandy Clonea beach on Ireland's wind-battered Atlantic coast, the 52-year-old artist told AFP that alternating between… Read
Common bugs in Japan and how to get rid of them
Cherry blossoms erupting in full bloom usually signal the end of winter and the beginning of warmer weather. While this transition is beautiful, it also has an unfortunate side: the start of the long bug season. Common bugs in Japan are often associated with its more humid months in July and August.… Read
Venice's 60th Biennale opens on humanity and the fragile planet
Venice's 60th Biennale international art show has opened its doors, exploring humankind's relationship with the fragile planet, from Greenland's icecaps to deforestation in the Amazon. The exhibition showcases artists from across the globe, including pavilions from Japan, Denmark, Brazil and the Czech Republic. The Biennale Arte 2024, one of the… Read
The Japanese 'yokai' of spring
Japan could be said to be a country of yokai (ghosts). Often called goblins in English, yokai are much more varied than that poor translation suggests. These folklore beasties, like European fairies, can be scary, weird and benign. We often think of them in the summer when scary Obon season comes, but they’re present for… Read
Coachella revelers partying with less booze find festive options
Deborah Biegaj has been coming to Coachella for about a decade, and long thought little of drinking heavily at the mammoth California desert festival -- it's just what you did. But these days, she and her partner Piotr are imbibing less booze: "I felt like drinking more took away from… Read
Is the new shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
If you’re travelling in Japan by bullet train for business purposes and want to get some work done along the way, many people opt for the Green Car option, a premium carriage with reserved seating that offers more leg room and fewer passengers for a quieter journey more suited to business travel.… Read
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases
A lot of people who move to Japan to teach English also end up becoming students of the Japanese language as part of the process. That’s because while it’s possible to teach at Japan’s English conversation schools without high-level Japanese language skills (due to foreigner-taught classes, by design, generally being… Read
Bethany 'Bitsii' Nakamura on breathing new life into abandoned homes in Japan
Taking the plunge to leave a job that doesn’t align with your values is a difficult choice. Yet, Bethany Nakamura’s choice to leave her corporate day job to move to Japan is a testament to the courage it takes to pursue one’s true calling. After relocating to teach English in… Read
