Film Jul 2, 2022

Thailand bets on dramatic 'boys' love' tourism boom

Thailand has begun a campaign to attract international tourists, and especially Japanese travelers, using the popularity of homegrown productions of "boys' love," or BL dramas.

Lifestyle Mar 19, 2016

Flash mob marriage proposals gaining popularity

Flash mob marriage proposals are growing in popularity, especially among young people, with event planning agencies offering services from arranging dance lessons to providing dancers. Osaka-based Emotion Rise, which was launched about three years ago, is one such agency helping to organize flash mob events. ...

National Nov 23, 2015

Kansai's 'omotenashi' hospitality to foreigners may be model for all Japan

Omotenashi hospitality services introduced by transportation companies in the Kansai region for foreign visitors are increasingly expected to be a model for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Dong Fang, a 28-year-old staff member of a West Japan Railway Co. affiliate, works as a helping hand for ...

National Aug 13, 2013

After closures, caviar producers breathe new life into old schools

When Naoki Itasaka, owner of an interior finishing company, heard his alma mater was likely to be demolished after being closed down, he came up with an idea for a new business that would, instead, make good use of the existing campus — sturgeon ...