Murakami Honored | Arts and Entertainment | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Japanese author Murakami Haruki, who is perhaps best known for his novel Norwegian Wood, won the Czech Republic's Franz Kafka Award for Literature in March.

Drawing Acclaim | Arts and Entertainment | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) is given annually to authors, illustrators and storytellers who help stimulate and promote interest in children's and youth literature around the world. This year, one of the two recipients was picture book author Arai Ryoji, the first Japanese to receive the prize.

Light Reading | Arts and Entertainment | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
The genre of books known as light novels is enjoying growing popularity among readers these days. These books are increasingly part of a multimedia strategy, as plans are afoot to make a number of them into anime movies.

Light Reading | Pop Culture | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
The genre of books known as light novels is enjoying growing popularity among readers these days. These books are increasingly part of a multimedia strategy, as plans are afoot to make a number of them into anime movies.

Fostering the Will to Work | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Major publishing companies have released a succession of titles aimed at teaching children about the meaning and value of employment.

Episode 7 | Three-Piece Story | Tokyo Tales | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
This is a story about mystery solving and cultural cross-pollination, as played out on a chessboard - or a shogi board or a xiangqi board. Three young people, one from China, one from the United States, and one from Japan, come together in the borderless realm of the Internet and discover a common affinity.

Episode 8 | Three-Piece Story | Tokyo Tales | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
This is a story about mystery solving and cultural cross-pollination, as played out on a chessboard - or a shogi board or a xiangqi board. Three young people, one from China, one from the United States, and one from Japan, come together in the borderless realm of the Internet and discover a common affinity.

Episode 9 | Three-Piece Story | Tokyo Tales | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
This is a story about mystery solving and cultural cross-pollination, as played out on a chessboard - or a shogi board or a xiangqi board. Three young people, one from China, one from the United States, and one from Japan, come together in the borderless realm of the Internet and discover a common affinity.

Episode 10 | Three-Piece Story | Tokyo Tales | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
This is a story about mystery solving and cultural cross-pollination, as played out on a chessboard - or a shogi board or a xiangqi board. Three young people, one from China, one from the United States, and one from Japan, come together in the borderless realm of the Internet and discover a common affinity.

Episode 11 | Three-Piece Story | Tokyo Tales | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
This is a story about mystery solving and cultural cross-pollination, as played out on a chessboard - or a shogi board or a xiangqi board. Three young people, one from China, one from the United States, and one from Japan, come together in the borderless realm of the Internet and discover a common affinity.

Episode 12 | Three-Piece Story | Tokyo Tales | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
This is a story about mystery solving and cultural cross-pollination, as played out on a chessboard - or a shogi board or a xiangqi board. Three young people, one from China, one from the United States, and one from Japan, come together in the borderless realm of the Internet and discover a common affinity.

Episode 3 | Three-Piece Story | Tokyo Tales | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
This is a story about mystery solving and cultural cross-pollination, as played out on a chessboard - or a shogi board or a xiangqi board. Three young people, one from China, one from the United States, and one from Japan, come together in the borderless realm of the Internet and discover a common affinity.

Episode 4 | Three-Piece Story | Tokyo Tales | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
This is a story about mystery solving and cultural cross-pollination, as played out on a chessboard - or a shogi board or a xiangqi board. Three young people, one from China, one from the United States, and one from Japan, come together in the borderless realm of the Internet and discover a common affinity.

Episode 5 | Three-Piece Story | Tokyo Tales | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
This is a story about mystery solving and cultural cross-pollination, as played out on a chessboard - or a shogi board or a xiangqi board. Three young people, one from China, one from the United States, and one from Japan, come together in the borderless realm of the Internet and discover a common affinity.

Episode 6 | Three-Piece Story | Tokyo Tales | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
This is a story about mystery solving and cultural cross-pollination, as played out on a chessboard - or a shogi board or a xiangqi board. Three young people, one from China, one from the United States, and one from Japan, come together in the borderless realm of the Internet and discover a common affinity.

Three-Piece Story | Tokyo Tales | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
This is a story about mystery solving and cultural cross-pollination, as played out on a chessboard - or a shogi board or a xiangqi board. Three young people, one from China, one from the United States, and one from Japan, come together in the borderless realm of the Internet and discover a common affinity.

Episode 1 | Three-Piece Story | Tokyo Tales | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
This is a story about mystery solving and cultural cross-pollination, as played out on a chessboard - or a shogi board or a xiangqi board. Three young people, one from China, one from the United States, and one from Japan, come together in the borderless realm of the Internet and discover a common affinity.

Episode 2 | Three-Piece Story | Tokyo Tales | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
This is a story about mystery solving and cultural cross-pollination, as played out on a chessboard - or a shogi board or a xiangqi board. Three young people, one from China, one from the United States, and one from Japan, come together in the borderless realm of the Internet and discover a common affinity.

Nezumi no Yomeiri - Folk Legends - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
Once upon a time, there lived a wealthy mouse family. Their only daughter was a good-natured young mouse, and Father Mouse and Mother Mouse were very proud of her.

Warashibe Choja - Folk Legends - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
Once upon a time there lived a young man named Yosaku. Not having a farm of his own, he wandered from village to village, helping other farmers and living off of the vegetables he received for his efforts.