Â鶹´«Ã½

Tag - o-shogatsu

 
Â鶹´«Ã½
Search
 
August 12, 2026
 

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access

O SHOGATSU

Pop trio Mrs. Green Apple was joined by tuxedo-clad dancers for its glee bomb of a track, ¡°Good Day,¡± toward the end of NHK¡¯s annual New Year¡¯s Eve music contest, ¡°Kohaku Uta Gassen.¡±
CULTURE / Music
Jan 5, 2026
NHK¡¯s 76th ¡®Kohaku¡¯ was over the top and oddly comforting
With pyrotechnics, celebrations for major milestones and a sea of dancers, the year-end music bonanza went all in on excess and reminded viewers why it still matters.
On Dec. 31, rock duo B¡¯z appeared on NHK's year-end "Kohaku Uta Gassen" music extravaganza for the first time in a career spanning more than three decades.
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Jan 10, 2025
An explosive B¡¯z set on ¡®Kohaku¡¯ hints at a strategy to win over viewers
Â鶹´«Ã½ best selling act delivered one of the biggest moments of the year-end music blowout and reinforced the importance of catering to a more middle-aged market.
The number of passengers who used express services operated by Japan Railways Group companies during the 10-day period through Sunday was 2% higher than in fiscal 2018, surpassing the level seen before the COVID-19 pandemic for the first time.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 7, 2025
Number of passengers on JR express services during New Year rose 11%, firms say
The figure for the 10-day period through Sunday surpassed the level seen before the COVID-19 pandemic for the first time.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year ceremony at the Imperial Palace on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 2, 2025
Emperor wishes for peaceful year for those affected by disaster
Emperor Naruhito expressed his wish on Thursday for a peaceful year for people affected by disasters, following a strong earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula a year ago.
On the first day of the 2000s, the world was relieved that the Y2K computer glitch was mostly nothing. And in Russia, Vladimir Putin came to power.
JAPAN / History / Japan Times Gone By
Jan 1, 2025
Japan Times 2000: Japanese celebrate new year
Check out what was on the front page on Jan. 1 in 1925, 1950, 1975 and 2000.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako pose for a photo at the Imperial Palace Small Hall in Tokyo on November.
JAPAN
Jan 1, 2025
Emperor prays for world peace in New Year¡¯s message
Emperor Naruhito stressed the ¡°importance of people recognizing their differences and working hand in hand to realize a peaceful world.¡±
The start of the 2024 Hakone Ekiden in Tokyo's Otemachi district. Every year on Jan. 2 and 3, Hakone Ekiden brings millions of fans across Japan to a standstill.
MORE SPORTS
Dec 31, 2024
A newcomer¡¯s guide to the Hakone Ekiden experience
Every year on Jan. 2 and 3, Hakone Ekiden brings millions of fans across Japan to a standstill, even people who normally don¡¯t care about running.
At each shrine and temple, priests create festive, decorative go-shuin stamps, and you can collect the marks of all seven of the lucky gods on one piece of paper (called a shikishi) to serve as a good-luck talisman.
LIFE / Travel
Dec 27, 2024
Start the new year not with one temple visit, but seven
The seven lucky gods pilgrimage is a less hurried alternative to the often-crowded first temple or shrine visit of the year.
Writer Baye McNeil and his wife, Miki, host a Kwanzaa gathering in Yokohama together. The end of the year at the McNeil¡¯s home is a mix of several different holiday traditions, including those of Kwanzaa.
COMMUNITY / Voices / Black Eye
Dec 23, 2024
A holiday season built on creativity and care
Fusing African heritage with Japanese spirituality, our columnist crafted a holiday season that celebrates cultural understanding.
Japan's traditional New Year cuisine has a long history, though modern developments have led to slight changes in the way things work.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 22, 2024
A brief history of ¡®osechi ry¨­ri,¡¯ Â鶹´«Ã½ edible tradition for the new year
In addition to wordplay, color and shape often determine the reason why certain foods are part of Â鶹´«Ã½ New Year holiday menu.
Passengers at the check-in counters of Haneda Airport in Tokyo on Jan. 3. The average budget for domestic trips during the upcoming year-end and New Year holiday period is estimated to hit a record high for the second straight year.
JAPAN
Dec 6, 2024
Domestic travel budget for holiday period projected to hit record
The increase reflects soaring accommodation costs and growing demand for travel to distant destinations, JTB said.
The average price of osechi traditional food for the 2025 New Year stood at ?27,826 ($185), a 1.3% increase ¡ª or ?360 ¡ª compared with that for the 2024 New Year.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 2, 2024
Osechi ry¨­ri prices climb for a third consecutive year
The latest increase, at ?360 ($2.40), is the smallest in three years, at less than half the increase for the 2024 New Year.
Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and their daughter, Princess Aiko, wave to members of the public for the Emperor's 64th birthday at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Feb. 23. The imperial family will greet the public at the palace on Jan. 2.
JAPAN
Dec 2, 2024
Imperial family New Year¡¯s event to be held for first time in two years
Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and other imperial family members will greet the general public.
Emerging Gen Z J-pop group ME:I will perform on this year's "Kohaku Uta Gassen," national broadcaster NHK¡¯s New Year's Eve spectacle.
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Nov 24, 2024
¡®Kohaku¡¯ still matters for J-pop bragging rights
The recently announced 2024 lineup underlines how capturing a year of J-pop in one broadcast bonanza is impossible these days.
Many of the acts making their debut at this year's "Kohaku" song contest came out for the lineup announcement at NHK's studios in Tokyo.
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Nov 19, 2024
NHK announces Number_i, Illit and Glay for ¡®Kohaku¡¯ lineup
Acts from the former Johnny¡¯s were frozen out for a second year as NHK opts for new names and old favorites.
Aeon is selling an assortment of 'osechi' (traditional New Year's cuisine) curated with the support of artificial intelligence.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Sep 13, 2024
AI fried chicken, retro chic collabs: Retailers rebrand Â鶹´«Ã½ New Year¡¯s cuisine
Major department stores and supermarkets are trying unorthodox methods to entice younger generations to buy traditional New Year¡¯s dishes in Japan.
J-pop duo Yoasobi performed its 2023-defining hit, ¡°Idol," during the 74th edition of NHK¡¯s ¡°Kohaku Uta Gassen,¡± giving the show its best moment ¡ª and drawing anger from netizens.
CULTURE / Sound Off
Jan 12, 2024
Yoasobi delivered the standout moment of ¡®Kohaku.¡¯ Why did some music fans hate it?
The J-pop duo brought artists from J-pop and K-pop together on stage for the night¡¯s best performance, but it didn¡¯t take long for negative voices to emerge on social media.
BUSINESS
Jan 6, 2024
JR passengers up 8% during year-end and New Year¡¯s holidays
The combined number of users of bullet trains and other rail services came to around 9,869,000 for the period from Dec. 28 to Thursday.
Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and Princess Aiko pose for a photo at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 1.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 1, 2024
Japan emperor hopes for expanded support for needy people
Emperor Naruhito, in a New Year¡¯s message on Monday, expressed his wish that support will expand for people facing difficulties.
Visitors strike a giant bell to mark the new year as a Buddhist monk looks on, at Zojoji temple in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2023.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 31, 2023
Ring in the new year on your phone: Apps offer alternate to Japan temple tradition
Smartphone apps are aiming to offer alternative ways to enjoy a noisy New Year¡¯s tradition.
¡®Total whiplash¡¯: Foreign residents react to Â鶹´«Ã½ changing permanent residency rules
The entrance to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward, Tokyo, in March. For some foreign residents of Japan, tightening measures for permanent residency have become one factor in a broader calculation over whether remaining in the country makes financial sense over the long term.
Yasukuni Shrine introduces ban on military attire and cosplay
People gather in front of thousands of lanterns on display at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on July 15 during the Mitama Matsuri, one of the capital's largest summer o-Bon festivals.
Many Indonesians named after Japanese anime characters
Some people in Indonesia are named Doraemon, the name of a lead character of the blockbuster anime series with the same title.
Strong wind and heavy rain forecast as tropical storm approaches Japan
Tropical Storm Chan-hom is expected to make landfall in northern Kanto between late Tuesday and early Wednesday.
Severe tropical storm Chan-hom makes landfall near Tokyo
Severe Tropical Storm Chan-hom made landfall around Ibaraki Prefecture, near Tokyo, on Tuesday night.
¡®Total whiplash¡¯: Foreign residents react to Â鶹´«Ã½ changing permanent residency rules
The entrance to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward, Tokyo, in March. For some foreign residents of Japan, tightening measures for permanent residency have become one factor in a broader calculation over whether remaining in the country makes financial sense over the long term.
As Â鶹´«Ã½ concrete jungles sizzle, urban forestry offers an all-natural fix
People and birds find relief from the sun in Tokyo's Nakano Ward earlier this month. While experts agree that urban greening is crucial to mitigating the impact of climate change, trees are becoming even more scarce in Japanese cities.
Â鶹´«Ã½ brewers experiment with a secret ingredient: music
At Smoke Craft, a craft beer brewery in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, music isn't just a background to the brewing process ¡ª it's an ingredient.
As countries ban social media for children, Japan mulls a different approach
Data from NTT Docomo¡¯s Mobile Society Research Institute released in June found that 55% of respondents across all age groups said they fiddled with their phones when they had nothing to do, even when another person was in front of them.
J. League enters new era as league kicks off first fall-spring campaign
Players from each J. League club pose during a kickoff event on Monday ahead of the start of the 2026-27 campaign.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

Disaster relief workers Taichi Kato (left) and Seiji Yoshimura enter the collapsed living quarters at Kyuganji temple in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture.
What Kumamoto revealed about Â鶹´«Ã½ earthquake readiness
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER