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Pompompurin “huggable” ads return, this time to Shibuya
After taking over an underground concourse in Shinjuku Station to great success in March, Sanrio’s Pompompurin character is back with another “huggable” advertising campaign to celebrate his 20th...
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Mask of Anubis, a virtual reality board game
In a unique mix of analog and digital culture, the Mask of Anubis pairs a virtual reality headset with a multi-player board game. Working with a dedicated iOS and Android app, the Egypt-inspired game...
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Babymetal make American TV debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
We first wrote back in 2014 about Babymetal’s quest to conquer the world after they were covered by the online edition of UK fashion magazine i-D. At the time, the part gothic Lolita idols, part heavy...
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Coca-Cola vending machines offer smartphone stamp rally with free drinks
Coca-Cola has announced the “sumaho” (smartphone) vending machine. Though the name suggests a vending machine that sells phones, it is actually one that connects with a smart device and a dedicated app...
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Idol group lyrical school’s “RUN and RUN” music video designed for smartphone
Although many bemoan the state of the Japanese music industry, at least the talented people tasked with making the music videos seem to be keen on pushing boundaries. “Ponpara Pecorna Papiyotta” by...
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Hitachi announces EMIEW3, cute humanoid robot for customer service
Hitachi has announced a new humanoid robot EMIEW3, set for production in 2018. With a name inspired not by the similar-sounding bird but rather the word “excellent”, EMIEW3 enhances the technology and...
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Kanro Gelee Pure candy billboard in Shinjuku Station dispenses free “surprises”
Forget digital campaigns. Right now in Japan there is a lot of buzz about how companies are coming up with exciting, interactive ways to advertise their products in stations and other public places in...
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Mori Building to turn Toranomon into global business hub
Mori has made its mission to create “cities-within-the-city” complexes, most notable in Roppongi but also in Aoyama with the Omotesando Hills. In mid-2014 Mori Building opened the Toranomon Hills...
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“Roppongi Crossing 2016″ exhibition showcases latest trends in Japanese art
The Mori Art Museum opened the current iteration of its “Roppongi Crossing” series of exhibitions. Organized every three years, the exhibition is the largest of its kind in Japan devoted to presenting...
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Sailor Moon cafe and art exhibition opens in Roppongi Hills
To coincide with an art exhibition inside Roppongi Hills, a new Sailor Moon cafe opened on April 16th serving special drinks and meals themed around Naoko Takeuchi’s manga and anime. The Chibiusa Cafe,...
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Relaunched gyaru magazine Happie Nuts closes again
In 2014, many noted the death of gyaru culture as two of the prominent hostess and gyaru fashion magazines — Koakuma Ageha and egg — closed down. Then in 2015, something seemed to give and there was a...
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Snoopy Museum Tokyo opens in Roppongi
Japan’s Snoopy craze is about to hit fever-pitch with the opening of Snoopy Museum Tokyo in Roppongi on April 23rd. Asannounced last year, the venue features exclusive exhibits of Charles M. Schulz’s...
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New 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games logo announced
The new 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games logo has been announced. The official logo was confirmed today as “Harmonized Chequered Emblems,” which was Design A in the shortlist and arguably the...
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Tera Cafe brings chic Buddhism to Daikanyama
Buddhism is making a comeback (if it ever went away), in unusual places. From Buddhist bars — the most famous of which is Vowz in Yotsuya — to the “monk delivery service” available on Amazon since last...
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Tokyo Cheapo’s Tips for Avoiding the Golden Week Crowd in Tokyo
This article by Tiffany first appeared on Tokyo Cheapo. Golden Week refers to a cluster of holidays from late April to early May: Showa Day (April 29), referring to the previous emperor’s birthday;...
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Rakuten launches new drone delivery service for golf courses
Japan continues to negotiate its evolving relationship with drones: fun consumer toys, provider of exciting new services, or dangerous tools for potential terrorists? For the upcoming G7 summit in...
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Milbox Touch adds tactile controls to virtual reality headset viewer
We’ve been closely following the development of consumer virtual reality in Japan. This year alone we have already seen a great crossover of digital and analog technology with the Mask of Anubis VR...
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Sky Magic, a Mount Fuji drone and shamisen spectacle
Last week we wrote about Rakuten’s new drone delivery service for golf courses. And now comes another great example of how people in Japan are showing us what drones can do. Hopefully the government is...
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Issey Miyake fashion exhibition has augmented reality flyer
Celebrating 45 years of the work of fashion designer, the rather too obviously titled “Miyake Issey Exhibition: The Work of Miyake Issey” at the National Art Center, Tokyo runs until June 13th. Like...
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Pre-painted toenail art stockings hailed as new street fashion trend
One of the things we enjoy doing at Japan Trends is not only observing actual news and trends, but also how trends are reported and generated by the media, both Japanese and international. What is the...
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