Life and style
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I have an amazing holiday to look forward to – and all I can think about is how I’ll mess it up | Emma Beddington
The internet was supposed to make travel easier. But the more I research my destination, the more I worry abou…
- Dating, Japan, Women, Marriage, Family, Life and style, Society, Inequality, World news, Asia Pacific
When Suzuki met Suzuki: why a Tokyo dating agency is matching couples with the same name
Japan’s ban on married couples having different surnames has prompted an event to highlight people’s reluctanc…
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Cherry blossom: why is the fragrant springtime flower causing such a stink?
The Japanese town of Fujiyoshida has cancelled its annual blossom festival citing unmanageable amounts of tour…
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Peter Smith obituary
My father, Peter Smith, who has died aged 97, set up a pioneering health food store in the unlikely setting of…
- Chornobyl nuclear disaster, Fukushima, Japan, Environment, Japan disaster, Nuclear power, Nuclear waste, Family, Life and style, Animals, Waste, Pollution, World news, Asia Pacific, Energy
The Fukushima towns frozen in time: nature has thrived since the nuclear disaster but what happens if humans return?
Fifteen years after a tsunami caused the Fukushima nuclear accident, only bears, raccoons and boar are seen on…
- Running, Japan, MANGA, Comics and graphic novels, Athletics, Life and style, World news, Asia Pacific, Books, Anime, Culture, Animation in film, Sport, Film, Film adaptations
100 Meters review – mesmerising anime of young athletes in search of physical and spiritual high
Dazzling rotoscoped running sequences make up for a lack of narrative subtlety in Kenji Iwaisawa’s filmMuch ha…
- Morocco, Mexico, Tea, Korean food and drink, British food and drink, Mexican food and drink, French food and drink, Italian food and drink, Spanish food and drink, Coffee, Japan, Life and style, Travel, France, Spain, Italy, Food
10 international kitchen staples most Americans haven’t caught on to yet
From French tea towels to Japanese knives, these international culinary finds will make you ask: ‘Why don’t we…
- Japan, Science fiction and fantasy films, Family, Life and style, World news, Asia Pacific, Anime, Culture, Animation in film, Film
Wolf Children review – Mamoru Hosoda’s tender werewolf fable is a minor masterpiece
Childhood, single motherhood and the call of the wild converge in Hosoda’s most emotionally resonant film – a …
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Japanese interval walking: the viral exercise trend that could put a spring in your step
Alternating between fast and slow walking is particularly suited to people who do not do much regular exercise…
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Five beef patties, four cheese slices, bacon, lettuce, tomato … Burger King’s sumo of a burger enters the ring
Japan’s limited-edition Baby Body Burger packs in 1,876 calories and tips the scales at nearly 680g. Will it d…
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Embroidered silks to Adidas collabs: the evolution of the kimono – in pictures
Opening on 4 June, the National Gallery of Victoria’s (NGV) exhibition Kimono features hundreds of garments, p…
- Japan, MANGA, Fashion, Comics and graphic novels, Life and style, Sony world photography awards, Photography, Anime, Art and design, Culture
Monaka wears her cyclops mask to work: Niccolò Rastrelli’s best photograph
‘Japan is the mecca of cosplay. Monaka runs a cafe in Tokyo called Monster Party, where people go dressed as c…
- Hobbies, Linguistics, Japan, MANGA, Comics and graphic novels, Life and style, Australian lifestyle, Books, Languages, Education
Learning to read in a foreign language has taught me to embrace ambiguity – one sentence at a time | Patrick Lum
In striving to understand Japanese books and comics, I’ve adopted the habits of a weightlifter: I find my comf…
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Sushi restaurateurs fork out $1.3m for motorbike-sized tuna at auction in Tokyo
Onodera Group paid second highest price ever at prestigious annual new year auction at Tokyo’s main fish marke…
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Can a fluffy robot really replace a cat or dog? My weird, emotional week with an AI pet
Casio says Moflin can develop its own personality and build a rapport with its owner – and it doesn’t need foo…
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The Guardian view on North Korea’s competing calendars: arranging the days of our lives | Editorial
Pyongyang may be moving away from its Juche dating system, but others cling to their own kinds of time despite…
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After Marie Kondo: the return of Japan’s joyful clutter
The world has long been in thrall to the idea that Japan is a haven of controlled, ordered minimalism. But the…
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Three things with Akira Isogawa: ‘I’m not a sentimental person except when it comes to my family’
In Guardian Australia’s weekly interview about objects, the designer talks about the scissors he can’t live wi…
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The strange, secret life of Hello Kitty: if she isn’t a cat, then what is she?
After 50 years, the cute Sanrio character has been revealed by her creators – and King Charles – to be somethi…
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Japan asks young people why they are not marrying amid population crisis
Consultation launched as surveys show people have little chance to meet partners and worry about high cost of …