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Ever-Evolving Karaoke

Japan’s Musical Gift to World

In its birthplace of Japan, karaoke is evolving further, with more advanced karaoke machines harnessing web technologies to broaden the scope for fun, including dubbing of anime scenes and singing duets with strangers.

Ekiben: Train Bento Boxes

Nostalgic Flavors of Travel across Japan

Ekiben (train bento boxes) sold on trains or at stations are packed with the sensitivity, creativity and technology of Japanese people as well as with regional specialties across Japan.

Sento: Public Bath

Sento is an easily accessible public bath in Japan, boasting giant bathtubs. Featuring unique architectural designs and styles of public bathing, sento has been passed down to date as the “culture of the general public.”

Novelty Cafes

In Japan, novelty cafes are popular and constantly opening up because of the diverse nature of consumer demand. These include cafes where you can watch cats and rabbits, or where you can enjoy rakugo storytelling or model railways.

Food Replicas

Restaurants in Japan often display tasty-looking food in their windows. These food models are replicas, peculiar to Japan, and surprisingly realistic, produced by expert craftsmen with sophisticated techniques.

Noryo

In Japan, people enjoy hot summer in a cool way with wisdom and ingenuity such as the sound of furin (a tiny wind-bell), watching fireworks or dining on the river.

Japan's New Subculture Hubs

Akihabara (also known as Akiba for short) is about synonymous with Japanese subculture and hallowed ground for anime and manga comics and character figures. And there are a number of such spots in Japan other than Akiba.

A MANGA LOVER'S PARADISE

In Japan there are countless manga kissa, or manga cafes, that cater to customers seeking to refresh with a comic book or wanting some downtime.

Depicting Sentiments in Everyday Life

In capturing the simple details of life, modern anime is finding a new audience.

Creating a Whole Universe on Fingernails

In Japan these days, young women—always on the leading edge of pop culture—have taken nail art to a new dimension, turning their nails into fascinating, virtual objets d'art.

Sengoku Busho Now the Rag

An ancient historical period of warring Japanese generals has taken the country by storm, inspiring everything from entertainment to tourism. And it's the young women who have been fueling this boom!

©Magica Quartet/Aniplex, Madoka Partners, MBS

Japanese Video Sharing Sites

Video sharing sites are enabling new ways of communicating with others and creating a unique media experience online.

Purikura Photo Booths

Giving young women a chance to see themselves pictured with ideal cuteness and beauty, purikura photo booths are now offering even more options as they continue to evolve.

Hand-Made Aesthetic Goes Pop Culture

Knitting, embroidery, cord braiding and other such crafts are reworking fashion, café culture and contemporary art.

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World's Most Functional Instrument

Japan has long led the world in cutting-edge advances in mobile phone technology and features—some of which are just beginning to appear in other advanced nations.

Ramen

From its simple origins, ramen has undergone a spectacular evolution to give a stunning variety to be savored today.

Come to Manga Country: Japan

Today, growing numbers of anime and manga feature specific locations and real buildings in detail, making them popular pilgrimage spots for fans.

Fascination with Personification

The personification phenomenon has entered the mainstream of Japanese culture. Cute, humanlike characters have become a vital part of popular culture and a key element in corporate and government public relations.

The Creation of Manga

What has enabled Japan to produce one high-quality manga hit after another? We take a look behind the scenes at some of the factors that have made Japanese manga such a phenomenon around the world.

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