Omotesando, Tokyo is home of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade for Japan biggest city. This year’s parade is on March 14 and starts from Omotesando Hills; it runs from 2 p.m. till 4 p.m.

Tokyoites aren’t the only ones that think they have a little Irish in them. Other areas in Japan also hold parades and more.

Preparatory education for university entrance examinations is an important rite of passage for many Japanese teenagers. This period of preparation can be a time of profound personal growth, confidence-building, and personal triumph for many of these ambitious youths. Toward that end, Tokyo-based, Mustard Seed Academy (MSA) recently celebrated the debut of its new campus in Shizuoka City last month, introducing to the community a unique approach to preparatory education in Japan. According to author, school dean, and senior English instructor Hajime Nakazawa, “If students deeply experience their worth and value, …

The 33rd Japan Academy Awards were presented on Friday at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa. The film “Tsurugidake: Ten no Ki,” received 6 of the 15 awards presented. The film is the directorial debut of cinematographer Daisaku Kimura.

Sakura-Con is going to be bigger and better than ever this year!
With Appearances by:

Tsuyoshi Nonaka is a Mechanical designer known for his work on D.I.C.E. (TV) and Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z-Hen. This will be Nonaka-San’s first Sakura-Con.

Yasuhiro Imagawa has directed several unconventional updates of classic Japanese robot stories, such as Giant Robo, Mobile Fighter G Gundam, and most recently, Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z-Hen. He also wrote scrips for Pet Shop of Horrors, Violinist of Hamelin, Beserk and Harelya II Boy. This is Imagawa-San’s first Sakura-Con.

Yutaka Minowa is …

Currently the museum is exhibiting “She Draws Comics: 100 Years of American Women Cartoonists” with Wednesday the 27th of January being a special open day for the museum with the opening of the Kyoto Seika University Graduation Exhibition. Student works will be on display. Also, from Wednesday the 27th to Sunday the 31st of January during the Kyoto Seika University Graduation Exhibition admission to the museum will be free.

Entering its 61st year, the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan will take place in the Hokkaido region of Japan from February 6 through February 11. Not only attracting local Japanese visitors, the Sapporo Snow Festival draws international interest as well and more than 2 million visitors are expected to converge in the downtown Sapporo area to see the stunning snow and ice sculptures, entertainment and sample the Japanese cuisine.

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on Friday received New Year’s greetings from other imperial family members and government leaders at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Among the well-wishers were Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, Prince Akishino and his wife Princess Kiko, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, heads of the Diet’s two chambers and the chief justice of the Supreme Court.

Japan said Wednesday it would offer 1.75 trillion yen (19.5 billion dollars) to developing nations under a climate deal, offering a major boost to the summit in Copenhagen.

The figure amounts to more than half of the money as part of a plan to assist developing nations, a key sticking point at the 194-nation conference in the Danish capital.

Abercrombie & Fitch is opening it’s new store in Ginza and like other grand openings has a line around the corner already. The TV news is covering the event as a spectacle of consumerism in hopes that a single store can end the looming economic times and somehow boost the economy into life again. Well, let’s hope that preppy clothes can do just that. It’s reported that the first few people in line will receive a free poster similar to the photo below.

Photos by: gniliep and …

Japan’s envoy to climate change talks expressed doubt Wednesday that a final agreement would be reached at the UN summit on tackling global warming that starts next week in Copenhagen.

“Due to time constraints … we would have to say it will be difficult to agree on a legally binding text” at the December 7-18 meeting, said Environment Minister Sakihito Ozawa.