Discover insider tips, travel guides, and inspiring stories for your next adventure in Japan
NIC♡RY, a new "Shibuya-kei" girls rap duo updating Heisei-era Shibuya street culture for the Reiwa era, will release their first mini album, "NIC♡RY," digitally on August 7, following a surprise announcement made at their live debut at TGC KIDS Fes 2026.
Niseko Konbu Onsen Tsuruga Bessou MOKU NO SHO is now offering two summer stay plans that let guests enjoy Niseko's greenery from above, one including a sightseeing gondola ride and facility vouchers, and another featuring an early-morning tethered hot air balloon flight.
Oimatsu's Arashiyama tearoom, Chabo 玄以庵, is now serving a summer-only shaved ice made with rare natural ice from Yondaime Tokujiro in Nikko and top-grade Tokushima wasanbon sugar, available until the natural ice runs out.
Garena is developing Palworld Online, a new smartphone game based on Pocketpair's Palworld, reimagining the original's depth, freedom, and scale for mobile with online multiplayer, shared bases, and an original story, with release planned for 2026.
Relier81, a Kyoto-based brand that upcycles kimono and obi fabrics into fashion items, is holding a 21-day pop-up store at NEWoMan Yokohama's NEWoMan Lab., featuring new square sandal designs, an apple leather 2-way bag, and a refreshed stole lineup.
SHAF LLC has launched ringogocco, a new ice cream brand made from whole Iwate-grown apples, debuting with a limited early sale of four variety-specific cups at the Ice Cream World Expo (Aipaku) Osaka venue from August 5 to 17, 2026.
At Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden atop Mt. Rokko, the endangered wildflower Higotai has come into bloom, its striking blue globe-shaped flowers expected to be enjoyable through late August, alongside an ongoing exhibition exploring the relationship between plants and insects.
From September 1 to 25, 2026, Royal Park Hotel's Chinese restaurant "Keikaen" in Nihonbashi, Tokyo debuts a Moon-Viewing Chinese Afternoon Tea inspired by the harvest moon, alongside a Lobster and Autumn Flavors lunch and dinner course running through October 31.
Shinjuku Washington Hotel's 25th-floor "GRILL & DINING MANHATTAN TABLE" and its ANNEX 1st-floor "Teppanyaki Fujita" are serving specially crafted autumn menus for a limited time, from Tuesday, September 1 to Monday, November 30, 2026.
The Exhibition of The World of Shirow Masamune –The Ghost in the Shell and The Path of Creation– has opened at Matsuzakaya Nagoya Store, marking its first Tokai-region stop after well-received runs at Setagaya Literary Museum in Tokyo and Shinsaibashi PARCO, with new merchandise and a free Fuchikoma coloring page giveaway for children.
Shobido is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the original Winnie the Pooh with the Red Shirt Friends Series and the matching Outfit-Swap Hand Cream Series, featuring hair clips, key charms, and pouches, rolling out from July 2026.
From August 5 to 11, 2026, Matsuzakaya Shizuoka will hold a solo exhibition by Shizuoka-linked artist silsil titled "Where They Stand Now," featuring works from the "Woman" and "Escaped" series that portray the emotions and inner life of women living today.