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Curious Japan

The four seasons of Japan on one table: cherry blossoms, a summer fan, red maple leaves and a New Year kagami mochi
Curious Japan

Japan Festival Calendar 2027: Seasonal Events by Month, with Dates

Japan's festivals by month with 2027 dates: Sapporo Snow Festival 4–11 Feb, Sanja Matsuri 14–16 May, moon viewing 15 Sept – plus Nov–Dec 2026 and 2027 holidays.

A Japanese strawberry shortcake and a bucket of fried chicken next to a small Christmas tree
Curious Japan

Christmas in Japan 2026: A Workday With KFC and Pre-Ordered Cake

No, Christmas isn't a holiday in Japan: Friday 25 December 2026 is a workday. For a cake on the 24th, order at Seven-Eleven by 19 December. How to order KFC and cake.

Japanese New Year: kagami mochi with a mandarin, an osechi box and red and gold lucky bags
Curious Japan

Fukubukuro Lucky Bags: 3 Ways to Buy One from Abroad Before They Sell Out

The most wanted lucky bags go early: Starbucks Japan's 2026 bag (¥8,800) was sold only by online lottery, 4–14 Nov 2025. How to buy from abroad, plus 2027 card dates.

Curious Japan

Who Is Airi Suzuki? The J-pop Singer Who Sang Bibbidiba with hololive

Airi Suzuki sang Suisei's Bibbidiba with two hololive VTubers on a TV Asahi anime-song show. Her ℃-ute years, Kaguya-sama songs, and how to listen and buy abroad.

An empty concert stage at night with a DJ booth of two turntables and a mixer, a single microphone on a stand in front, and purple and gold light beams through haze
Curious Japan

Who Are Creepy Nuts? The Duo Behind Bling-Bang-Bang-Born and Otonoke

Creepy Nuts are a rapper and a DJ, both national or world champions. Bling-Bang-Bang-Born, their anime songs from Mashle to Dandadan, and their 2027 Japan tour.

An empty, softly lit clinic recovery room at night, with a white bed, a folded towel, a small round mirror on a side table and the lights of Tokyo through a tall window
Curious Japan

Plastic Beauty on Netflix (Downtime): Cast, Season 2 and What the Title Means

Plastic Beauty is a Japanese Netflix drama, not a K-drama. The cast and their roles, its Top 10 run, season 2 news and the Japanese words behind it – no spoilers.

A lone dark four-wheel-drive car raising dust on a dirt track across a wide desert steppe at dusk, with jagged rocky ridges and an orange and blue sky
Curious Japan

VIVANT Japanese Drama: Season 2, Where to Watch and What to Know First

VIVANT season 2 is on air in Japan now. Where to watch season 1 and 2 from abroad, the cast, and the Japanese things behind the story – with no spoilers.

A Showa-style diner table with omurice, napolitan spaghetti on an iron plate, doria, hayashi rice, tenshinhan, ebi chili, hiyashi chuka, Nagasaki champon and pan-fried gyoza
Curious Japan

Yoshoku meaning: omurice, napolitan and Japan's own 'Chinese' food

What yoshoku and machi-chuka are, where omurice, napolitan, doria and champon were born, where to eat the originals today and what is in the sauces. Checked Oct 2026.

Limited-edition autumn sweets in Japan: pumpkin treats, purple sweet potato desserts and a jack-o'-lantern
Curious Japan

Halloween in Japan 2026: Is It Banned? Dates, Events and Costume Rules

Is Halloween banned in Japan? No, but Shibuya bans street drinking. The 2026 events with dates (Ikebukuro, Disney, USJ), costume rules and where to buy one.

A box of chocolates, heart-shaped truffles and a White Day gift with marshmallows and cookies
Curious Japan

Valentine's Day and White Day in Japan: Who Gives Chocolate to Whom

Valentine's Day in Japan explained: why women give chocolate on 14 February, giri, honmei and tomo choco, White Day gifts on 14 March, and tips for February visits.