KADOKAWA LifeDesign has reprinted the December 2025 issue of “Lettuce Club,” the 38th anniversary issue of the magazine, and has resumed accepting pre-orders at Kadosto and Amazon. Bookstores will receive additional copies in mid-February 2026. The price is 990 yen. The decision to reprint the book was made in response to the popularity of the…
Author: Editor in Chief
Weekend Ekiben] Shin-Aomori Station “Towada Barayaki Jyu
When I travel in Japan, one of the things I look forward to is “food. I always try to enjoy the local delicacies that are popular in the destination as much as possible. In reality, however, time is limited and I am often unable to visit local gourmet restaurants. What can be helpful in such…
Traffic regulation around Kaminarimon for Hatsumode at Senso-ji Temple until Mikaday. Bus stops on Kaminarimon-dori and Namiki-dori will be temporarily relocated.
The Asakusa Police Department will close Kaminarimon-dori and Namiki-dori to vehicular traffic from New Year’s Eve to three days in conjunction with Hatsumode at Senso-ji Temple. On New Year’s Eve, restrictions will begin at 9:30 p.m. and continue until 4:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day. Thereafter, restrictions will also be in place from 9:30 am…
Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine announces opening hours for Hatsumode in 2026. Parking lot closed on Sangatsu due to traffic restrictions, stone pickup also suspended.
Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine (2-9-89 Sumiyoshi, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture) has opened a special page about Hatsumode in 2026, providing information on opening times and precautions. The gates will open at 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve night and continue until 8 p.m. on New Year’s Day; 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on January 2…
Disney Store Announces DISNEY VALENTINE 2026! In addition to the collection with Godiva, Nightmare and Fashionable Cat sweets are also available.
The Disney Store will launch its “DISNEY VALENTINE 2026” collection for Valentine’s Day on January 9, 2026. This is an annual joint project between Godiva and Disney, and for 2026 will feature a newly drawn artwork of Mickey Mouse in his chocolatier outfit. The “Grand Plus” (12,000 yen), a box of 23 pieces with original…
Shimamura’s first sale starts on January 1. Lucky draw to win a goody bag and up to 100,000 yen worth of gift certificates.
Shimamura will hold a series of first sales starting January 1 at its Fashion Center Shimamura, Abeille, Birthday, and other group stores nationwide, as well as its online store. In addition to selling women’s, men’s, and kids’ outerwear, underwear, socks, and other clothing and accessories at special prices, there will be a large lineup of…
Once an “honor student of bus management. Why is the “Umeguru Bus,” which runs for 100 yen in the middle of Umeda, disappearing?
Which company owns that green bus? A bus often seen in Umeda is to be discontinued. Umeda, Osaka is a fairly large area, and moving from one end to the other requires walking for nearly 20 minutes in some places. The “UMEGLE-BUS,” a circulation bus that has been running in such an area for more…
Shinjuku Station West Exit “Shinjuku no Me”, special lighting for the year-end and New Year’s holidays only. It will also appear at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building on New Year’s Eve.
As part of the “Shinjuku Neon Walk” project, the Executive Committee of the Tokyo Night Time Attraction Creation Project is conducting a special lighting of “Shinjuku’s Eye” until January 4, 2026. The lighting hours will be from 4:00 p.m. to 24:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve (December 31) and extended until 8:00 a.m. on January…
OVOP Initiatives Spreading to Central Asia Introduced at First “Central Asia + Japan” Dialogue and Summit Meeting ｜ News & PR
The first summit meeting of the Central Asia + Japan Dialogue (CA+JAD) since the establishment of the dialogue framework in 2004 was held in Tokyo on December 20, 2025, and the “Tokyo Declaration” was adopted, including the “CA+JAD Tokyo Initiative” to promote industrial upgrading and diversification in the five Central Asian countries. The Tokyo Declaration,…
Marubeni Corporation Signs Yen Loan Agreement for Benin: Contributing to Private Sector Development through Supporting Policies for Improving the Business Environment ｜ News & Press Releases
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Loan Agreement (L/A) with the Government of the Republic of Benin for “Development Policy Loan for Economic Governance and Private Sector Development Support Program” in Cotonou, Benin on December 19. The signing took place between Mr. Romuald Wadani, Minister of Economy and Finance of the Republic of…