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ANN in Japan 2023 Tour Deadline Friday
Come join us in Japan! Tomorrow is the last day to sign up for our ANN in Japan 2023 Tour with PacSet.
― Back in 2020, Anime News Network was planning an amazing trip to Japan for our readers. Unfortunately... things happened... Now that Japan is welcoming visitors again, our plans to go to Japan with a few of our readers are back on track! PacSet was founded in 2011 by Evan Miller, a former ANN writ...
Ghibli Park, Universal Studios Japan, Nintendo Osaka Temporarily Close Due to Typhoon Lan
Parks/store close on Tuesday
― Ghibli Park, Universal Studios Japan, and Nintendo Osaka announced on Monday that they will be temporarily closed on Tuesday due to Typhoon Lan (also known as Typhoon No. 7 and Hurricane Lan). Typhoon Lan is the seventh tropical storm of the season. It is expected to make landfall in Japan on Tuesday, approaching the Pacific coasts of the Tōkai region from the Kansai re...
ANN in Japan 2023 Tour Deadline Extended
Come join us in Japan! Our 2023 Tour in Japan is confirmed, so we're able to extend the sign-up dates until August 18th. Sign up now and have the trip of a lifetime (7 to 18 days in Japan depending on your options).
― Back in 2020, Anime News Network was planning an amazing trip to Japan for our readers. Unfortunately... things happened... Now that Japan is welcoming visitors again, our plans to go t...
ANN in Japan 2023 Trip Winner Announced
Congratulations to our winner!
― ANN IN JAPAN 2023 CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF ANIME NEWS NETWORK WITH A ONE-OF-A-KIND ADVENTURE! In October and November, Anime News Network is going to Japan with PacSet Tours, and we want to bring you with us! More information about this amazing trip can be found on the ANN x PacSet site; we hope you'll join us on tour! On Sunday, July 2nd at Anime Expo, ANN will choose...
Win a Trip to Japan with Anime News Network and PacSet Tours
Almost your last chance to win! The winners will be selected and announced on Monday at Anime Expo!
― ANN IN JAPAN 2023 CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF ANIME NEWS NETWORK WITH A ONE-OF-A-KIND ADVENTURE! In October and November, Anime News Network is going to Japan with PacSet Tours, and we want to bring you with us! More information about this amazing trip can be found on the ANN x PacSet site; we hope you'l...
Win a Trip to Japan with Anime News Network and PacSet Tours
Almost your last chance to win! The winners will be selected and announced on Monday, July 3rd at Anime Expo!
― ANN IN JAPAN 2023 CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF ANIME NEWS NETWORK WITH A ONE-OF-A-KIND ADVENTURE! In October and November, Anime News Network is going to Japan with PacSet Tours, and we want to bring you with us! More information about this amazing trip can be found on the ANN x PacSet site; we ...
Pokémon Summer Festival Coming in August
Experience the fusion of a traditional Japanese festival and Pokémon.
― Pokémon is getting its own Japanese festival! Taking place over the Obon holidays, “Pokémon Summer Festival Park” will feature many familiar Obon festival sights and activities, but with a Pokémon twist. At the center of the festival grounds will have a tower that holds a giant Pokéball and taiko drummers. Encircling the tower w...
Lycoris Recoil and Pizza Hut Collaboration Puts Chisato and Takina in Polka Dot Skirts
Pizza Hut in Japan runs a collaboration with the summer 2022 anime Lycoris Recoil. Moreover, they have a pizza they'd like you to try.
― Pizza Hut in Japan is currently running a collaboration with the summer 2022 anime Lycoris Recoil. As part of this collaboration, fans and customers can get their hands on various items that feature Lycoris Recoil protagonists Chisato and Takina in Pizza Hut polo s...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan - Can A Maid's Kindness Save the World?
It's easy to give into cynicism when confronted by unabashed kindness, but visiting at-home Maid Café changed my perspective.
― When Kim Morrissy visited the at-home café in Akihabara last year, I was intrigued. There is something about maid culture that was enticing to me; the optimism seemed infectious. It was hard to wrap my brain around as a cynical (and clinically depressed) 36-year-old. Many of...
Win a Trip to Japan with Anime News Network and PacSet Tours
In October and November, Anime News Network is going to Japan with PacSet Tours, and we want to bring you with us!
― ANN IN JAPAN 2023 CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF ANIME NEWS NETWORK WITH A ONE-OF-A-KIND ADVENTURE! In October and November, Anime News Network is going to Japan with PacSet Tours, and we want to bring you with us! More information about this amazing trip can be found on the ANN x PacSet site...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan - The Final Day
Jacki closes out her whirlwind trip with a spooky castle in Kyoto and a surprise cosplay event at Tokyo Tower!
― I've been back in the United States for two days now, and I woke up at 4:30 AM today, woo jet lag! So now, as I wait for the rest of the world to wake up, I will look back at one of the most epic trips of my life. I am not going to take us too far down memory lane here since many of you ha...
Go to Japan with ANN and PacSet Travel!
Are you enjoying the Anime Aunties Visit Japan feature ? Would you like to go to Japan with ANN and PacSet Travel?
― Back in 2020, Anime News Network was planning an amazing trip to Japan for our readers. Unfortunately... things happened... Now that Japan is welcoming visitors again, our plans to go to Japan with a few of our readers are back on track! PacSet was founded in 2011 by Evan Miller, a for...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan: Day 12 - What to Do at Kyoto International Manga Museum
They have all your favorite manga in a surprising number of languages!
― I hate to admit this, but many of the museums we've been to have been relatively empty, maybe a couple of people around. Not the case for the Kyoto International Manga Museum. It was packed (on a Thursday, no less). Dozens of people filled the store and lobby, multiple people in each room, eagerly looking at each display. It war...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan - Day 11: Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum Stirs Emotions
A Tezuka newbie, Jacki discovers why everyone should know the God of Manga and how is legacy persists into the future.
― The Father of Anime. The God of Manga. Articles about Osamu Tezuka have given the iconic artist, cartoonist, and animator numerous, glorious titles, but how many Americans know his name or works? I have no idea. I've been an anime fan since the age of 7, loved anime for nearly 30 y...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan - Day 10: Universal Studios Japan Guide for Anime Rides
What was the star attraction? A Jujutsu Kaisen rollercoaster that almost made Jacki blackout or seeing a real-life Loid Forger from SpyxFamily?
― Jacki: Do you want to see the Jujutsu Kaisen crew defeat a demon in 4D? How about flying around in a virtual reality rollercoaster with Doraemon? Or would you rather see Loid and Yor Forger IRL? Well, my dream became a reality at Universal Studios Japan, an...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan - Day 9: Trip to Awaji Island with Naruto, Godzilla, Dragon Quest & More!
See Hokage Rock in person, zipline into Godzilla's mouth, and squee along with Hello Kitty!
― Jacki: Awaji Island has a plethora of otaku attractions: NARUTO & BORUTO Shinobi-Zato, the Godzilla Museum, Crayon Shin-Chan Adventure Park, Dragon Quest Island, and Hello Kitty Smile. Okay, sign me up! I read some travel blogs about the island, but none explained how to tackle all of this fun at Nijigen no ...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan - Day 8: Traveling to Osaka
Jacki and Lynzee part ways as Jacki heads south to Osaka, and Lynzee questions her mortality while stranded at the San Francisco airport.
― Jacki: Sadness. Executive Editor Lynzee Loveridge is currently flying over the Pacific Ocean while I type this. The Anime Aunties — now divided — our fusion dance has come to an end. She returns home to the ol' U.S. of A, and now, I am in Osaka. Definitely sad t...
Voice Actresses Chinatsu Akasaki, Naomi Ōzora Announce Pregnancies
Naomi Ōzora also announces her marriage
― Two prominent voice actresses announced some big life moves this past week. First, on Tuesday, Chinatsu Akasaki announced that she is pregnant with her second child. She expects to give birth around fall. Akasaki added that she wants to take things at a moderate pace so that she can give birth to a healthy baby. She will continue to work while taking her body...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan - Day 7: Everything Gundam in Yokohama
It's 59 feet tall, and there's nothing else like it. Jacki and Lynzee check out the RX-78F00 "moving Gundam" at GUNDAM FACTORY YOKOHAMA!
― Jacki: Marvel, Disney, The Simpsons— I am trying to think of something that compares to how Mobile Suit Gundam is viewed in Japan so you can understand its weight, its immensity here — and nothing compares. Executive Editor Lynzee Loveridge will emphasize the she...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan - Day 6: Otaku Shopping at Nakano Broadway, Harajuku, and Mandarake
This is the day that Jacki and Lynzee spent too much money.
― Lynzee: Hi guys! Apologies for the delay on our day six write-up. We had a really early morning for day seven, which left me less time to write and both of my feet are swollen. This a reminder that if you do a big trip, drink lots of water and make sure you have time to rest because my feet currently resembled pickled pigs' feet. It was r...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan - Day 5: Nintendo Store, Hedgehogs, and FLAT STUDIO
We're back in Shibuya to cuddle with some spiny friends, power-up in the Nintendo Store, and finish off the day with okonomiyaki!
― Jacki: If you watch anime, you know the Shibuya Scramble. No, it's not a silly dance. It's one of the most iconic intersections on the globe. Every few minutes, all the vehicles on the road stop, and hundreds of people scramble every which way, eager to get to their dest...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan - Day 4: Akihabara, Maid Café, and the Real Sailor Moon Shrine
At anime's mecca, Lynzee and Jacki blow their luck on gacha, visit a maid café, and reenact iconic Steins;Gate scenes. Then Jacki visits the IRL Sailor Moon shrines for nostalgia.
― Lynzee: Today we hit the otaku mecca: Akihabara. The area has changed post-pandemic and wasn't as bustling as I expected it to be. Still, I can't argue that this place had everything an anime fan could want, whether that...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan - Day 3: Ikebukuro Round 2 and Shinjuku's Golden Gai Bars
Jacki explores more shops in Ikebukuro! We ventured into Shibuya today, tried our best moe moe kyun~ and had a Slam Dunk cocktail in Golden Gai!
― Jacki: I'm truly a kid in a candy store in Japan. Anime ads pop up on giant billboards. They hang on banners on the streets. They're on the little TVs on the train. I cannot get enough. I eyed so many captivating storefronts on Otome Road yesterday, so I d...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan - Day 2: Ikebukuro and the Birthplace of Anime
Jacki and Lynzee head to Oizumi Gate in Nerima, the home district of Rumiko Takahashi, Leiji Matsumoto, and more.
― Lynzee: The rain was off and on today, so Jacki and opted to save the your name. locations for better weather. Instead, we decided to head over to Oizumi Anime Gate in Nerima, followed by a trip to BL haven Otome Road in Ikebukuro and a full tour of the Tokiwaso Museum in Tokyo's Toshim...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan - Day 1: Demon Slayer IRL
Lynzee and Jacki head to Asakusa to see the area that inspired an arc in Demon Slayer. We also scoped out the futuristic boat designed by Leiji Matsumoto, bought too many sweets, and found Kamen Rider at Bandai HQ!
― And we're off! Jacki and I landed in Tokyo on May 13, but I was dead to the world after nearly 24 hours of travel time (two planes, multiple trains). The following day I was mostly huma...
Anime Aunties Visit Japan
Lynzee and Jacki are in Tokyo! Follow their day-to-day anime adventures from Asakusa to Nakano.
― Lynzee Loveridge and Jacki Jing are collectively spending two weeks in Japan, from Tokyo to Osaka! Follow our write-ups daily as we explore traditional candy stores, anime studios, interview creators, and more! You'll also want to make sure to follow our video blogs over at Anime News Network's YouTube,...
Go to Japan with ANN and PacSet Travel!
Anime News Network is going to Japan, and this time we want to bring you with us. Visit Ghibli Park, relax in an onsen and grab some amazing Japanese food with us this October.
― Back in 2020, Anime News Network was planning an amazing trip to Japan for our readers. Unfortunately... things happened... Now that Japan is welcoming visitors again, our plans to go to Japan with a few of our readers are b...
How Would You Spend Your Time in Japan
Two of our editors are headed to Japan next month! If you were going to Japan for the first time, how would you spend your trip?
Average Age of Hikikomori on the Rise in Japan
Anime paints a particular picture Japan's hikikomori population. They're often the stars of isekai series, leaving behind a solitary life of junk food consumption and video games to go on a grand adventure. Alternatively, sometimes they're featured in rom-coms like Eromanga Sensei as hermit-like artist types. In either case, hikikomori are high school or college dropouts, young adults shown to be ...
Kirin Beverage in Hot Water Over Sexist Tea Girl Ads
The official Twitter account of the Kirin Beverage company posted four "Afternoon Tea Girl" images on April 26 to promote its line of Gogo no Kōcha (Afternoon Tea) products. The images, drawn by illustrator Yuri Tsubo, depict stereotypical types of young women with the Gogo no Kōcha drink they might buy. Although the illustrations appear to have been intended as amusing and relatable, many people ...
Answerman - Are Japanese Offices Really That Horrible?
Aggretsuko paints a pretty bleak (and relatable) picture of the working office environment for women in Japan - but how close to the truth is it?
― Jacob asked:
I was watching the Netflix release of Aggresuko, which chronicles the life of a modern Japanese office lady. Thought the series her boss, who is represented as an overweight pig, makes her life miserable and demeaning. In a lot of ways he re...
'Ghibli Park' Reveals Concept Art, Plans to Open in 2022
Aichi Prefecture, Studio Ghibli collaborate on park
― Aichi Prefecture and Studio Ghibli revealed on Wednesday that they are aiming to open "Ghibli Park" in the 2022 fiscal year. The park was previously planned for 2020. The prefecture also shared one of the studio's designs for the park. The image is intended to show a 19th century science fantasy style, like something out of Howl's Moving Castle. T...
'Come to Japan' Campaign: Last Chance to Win a Trip to Japan!
Here is your last chance to win a trip to Japan! Follow Kizuna AI as she talks about Japanese traits.
― Hello! I'm Kizuna AI, the (self-proclaimed) world's first YouTuber. I'm also the ambassador of the ‘Come to Japan’ campaign, which is organized by the Japan National Tourism Organization's (JNTO) New York office and designed to encourage everyone to come to Japan! First, I want to thank everyone w...
'Come to Japan' Campaign: Visit the Kizuna AI Booth at Japan Week for Another Chance to Win a Trip to Japan!
Previously, Kizuna AI talked to us about Japanese culinary culture. This time, she'll be talking about Japan's amazing technologies!
― Hello! I'm Kizuna AI, the (self-proclaimed) world's first YouTuber. I'm also the ambassador of the ‘Come to Japan’ campaign organized by the Japan National Tourism Organization's (JNTO) New York office! Speaking of New York, I'm excited to announce that we will have ...
Win a Trip to Japan with Kizuna AI
You may have chance to win a trip to Japan! Join Kizuna AI as she shares some cool stuff in her Japanese culinary culture video!
― Hello! I'm Kizuna AI, the (self-proclaimed) world's first YouTuber! Thanks to your amazing support, I've been chosen as the Japan National Tourism Organization's (JNTO) ‘Come to Japan’ campaign ambassador! This campaign features many components, including a sweepstakes w...
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