Culture

The appreciation of local art and culture has found an enormous platform in the digital world. Through the power of technology, Japanese art is able to create an impact on...

When most people think of martial arts, they think of self-defence. Although there is a lot to learn about that, it's not the only thing you'll gain from training in...

Introduction As you watch your twentieth slice-of-life Anime series – walls covered in posters of all your favorite waifus – Do you ever wonder what it takes to...

Cryptocurrency has been all the rave for the past year. Even the far corners of the world aren’t immune to its influence, sparking conversations over Bitcoin, Ethereum, Blockchain, and NFTs....

We're thrilled to announce BFI: Japan 2021, the UK's largest Japanese film festival. Film screenings were postponed last Autumn 2020 due to COVID, so we're overjoyed to watch some...

Lo-fi beats have been getting more love these days. Whether you're listening to them on a sunny, rainy, or cloudy day, you're guaranteed to stay chill, productive, and focused alongside...

Few things are constant in this world: change, scientific laws, and people wanting to wear clothing with their favorite characters on it! It’s the easiest way to show your love...

The term 'Less is More' truly resonates with many people worldwide, wishing to cut unnecessary clutter from their lives, only to use what's needed to live a more spiritual existence. In...

We sat down with ​​Michael Bobrove Founder & CEO of HealthyTOKYO - a company pioneering the use of CBD in Japan. All of their products are made in Japan. All...

Dope Gallery launched in 2013 and has since discovered and promoted a selection of fresh young artists dominating the online and urban markets today. The gallery's commitment to global arts...

Taking place from Monday 27th September to Sunday 3rd October 2021 in Covent Garden and across the city, the Japan Week Festival, in association with Grand Seiko, will celebrate London’s...

David Watts Barton, award-winning writer, editor, musician, and author of the recently published book Japan from Anime to Zen, joined us for a chat. David's book provides all those intrigued...

For decades, Japanese pastry chefs learned their trade in Paris and upon returning to Japan, infused French patisserie-style recipes with their own twists. The delicious fusion from the added Japanese...

Mr O’s Book of the Dead it's the last movie in the experimental Butoh dance film trilogy that happened when celebrated dancer Kazuo Ohno and director Chiaki Nagano joined forces....

Revisiting older forms of media can often be a challenge. What was once new and pretty can feel outdated and cliche today. Watching old special effects in movies or playing...

Some people may be quick to point out the release date of this movie, its genre and its premise and just write The Boxer off as a Japanese version of...

When it comes to learning a new language, needless to say that speaking is often the hardest part. While you can learn a lot from reading and watching shows, nothing...

In partnership with the Japan Foundation, we’re super excited to announce the Japanese Avant-Garde and Experimental Film Festival of 2021: Bodies. Bodies explores how we interact with other beings, spaces...

The NFT boom, according to sceptics, was nothing more than a hype-driven “lockdown-era” bubble that had burst. But many experts believe the landscape is evolving and that the crash was...

Historical fiction has always had a tricky role to play. First and foremost, it must be a historically accurate portrayal of the time period; otherwise, you risk offending those who...

Satoshi Kon is regarded as one of the most groundbreaking and influential directors who ever set foot in the industry of animation and, to a larger extent, cinema. He only...

Ismail Hasan is the head coach and director of Aikido of London, a traditional martial arts school in Archway North London, and where he teaches adults and children...

On TikTok, creativity reigns supreme! This makes it the ideal platform for  unique subcultures to thrive and grow. With the rise of viral Japanese trends such as "ichi ni san...

This week, our friends at Akita Inaka School shared with us their excellent new online course, which is available to everyone wishing to study real Japanese and available for all...

Among Japan's many izakaya pubs, laughter and delight amongst brimming glasses of beer, as the word “Kanpai!” echoes across the city back streets may enlighten passers-by with a FOMO (fear...

Japan’s a pretty big deal in streetwear as some of the most iconic designers and brands are coming straight out of Harajuku. Sneaker culture is undoubtedly a massive part of...

Taking inspiration from Japan’s many Shōtengai (local market streets) and their capacity for serving as community centres and gathering spaces, Coal Drops Yard will be hosting a Shōtengai Japanese Market...

The evolution of traditional Japanese sake serves as a magnificent trip through history for those who genuinely appreciate authenticity. In many ways, sake is a cornerstone of Japanese tradition, and...

Let's face it, we all have those nostalgic feelings when missing Japan, especially when a lo-fi mix appears on Youtube or purple anime sunsets find a place on Instagram.  The...

When you sprinkle a pinch of Japanese flair over movie posters it makes magic! The 20th century was the golden age of film, and when the international blockbusters entered the...

Charlotte Perriand: The Modern Life is open now at the Design Museum, an exhibition covering the life and work of the 20th-century designer. The French designer came to be one...

We chat with Max, the creator of Japan Poster Shop, a company that collects and sells vintage Japanese movie posters. Max has spent almost his entire life collecting...

Sneakers Unboxed: From Studio to Street is now open at the Design Museum in London, a brand new exhibition exploring one of the most universal and influential fashion items of...

The word Kimono is a relatively new term, only being adopted in the 19th Century. Still, the garments and textiles have existed for centuries, and globally the term refers to...

With a history dating back over seven decades, Onitsuka Tiger is one of Japan’s best-known sportswear names and has had an influence globally across the worlds of sport, fashion and...

Those who love Japan understand how special the occasion of Japanese tea ceremonies is to this land of ancient rituals, which are still practised today. Perhaps our nostalgic love comes...

Ever wonder how or where that trendy high street coat you've been showing off is made? Unfortunately, the evolution of the garment industry over the past 100 years often goes...

Japanese music has, whether you’re aware of it or not, had a huge influence on culture and music worldwide.  From the underground scene that emerged post-war in the 20th century,...

Just off Boundary Street in Shoreditch, London, is a hidden gem known as Haco Hair. The front is trailed with plants, and inside it’s got all the makings of a...

So often, in today’s rampant capitalist and consumerist world, people are desperate for more. More things; more money; more holidays, more friends, you name it. And this...

While the term “self-care” is having a bit of a moment in the UK and America right now, it’s existed in many forms in East Asia for centuries. And it’s...

Over the years, the popularity of ‘Anime Subscription Boxes’ has boomed. Combining monthly subscriptions for Anime fans is a great way to express their loyalty as part of the Anime...

Tokyo Time - a symbol of fashion forged on the cuff where East meets West has globalized itself into a headwear sensation. Inspired by Japanese streetwear and western trucker heritage,...

Rie Takeda and Japanese Calligraphy Rie Takeda's Mindfulness Method Japanese Calligraphy in UK and the rest of Europe Why is Calligraphy important to Japan?...

Lockdown has got us all wishing we had a furry companion at home. Don’t we all wish we had a little creature around that we can show off at our...

“Have you ever been curious about the daily life of a Japanese student?” In Japan, it is mandatory to go to elementary for 6 years and junior...

The consistent occurrence of earthquakes in Japan has made the country a geographical nightmare for natural disasters. One-tenth of the world's earthquakes occur in and around Japan. On average, the...

The image of James Dean leaning against a wall in a white t-shirt, red jacket and rolled-up jeans is iconic. Rebel Without A Cause’s “bad boy from a good family”...

Origin of Kintsugi The Philosophy of KintsugiWhat happens when things break? Most of us throw that...

From Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) to Hadaka Matsuri (the Naked Festival), Japan has always been known to celebrate festivals and traditions in its own unique way. Therefore, it may not...

Cyberpunk 2077 was one of the most anticipated video games of all time. Set in the futuristic megalopolis of ‘Night City’ (on the Californian coast), the first-person...

Happy 2021! As England plunges into its third lockdown, many of us may be finding it hard to accept this is how we begin the new year. If your days...

Japan is a design powerhouse, we’ll all been left in awe at the artful conceptions brought to life by Japan’s architects. From minimalist sleek surfaces to naturalistic representations of...

From a tiny city south of Osaka, comes 200 years’ worth of tradition in the artisan creation of fude, or brushes. A beauty enthusiast’s dream - Kumano has become the...

2021 will hopefully be the year where life (semi) gets back to normal. The adventure of moving to Japan is now a reality as student visas and working holiday visas...

Have you ever experienced the Japanese countryside? If you happen to come across Akita Inaka School, located in Kosaka, then off the beaten track, you went. The school opened its...

As Japan moves forward with the recommencing of work and student visas, an optimistic feeling of adventure can not reframe from filling our hearts. A feeling we have all missed...

In 1981, a 250-year-old juniper bonsai tree reportedly sold for a mind-blowing $2,000,000 US dollars, but a picture remains to be found. More recently, in 2011, a white pine bonsai...

Japan often flexes its muscles as a tech-savvy nation with break-dancing robots and toilet/computer seats being the forefront of its technological advancements. It turns out, Japan in the 90s isn't...

Get 20% off your first Kokedama plant at Handspun Botanics, using the code JAPAN20. It was on a cold, dreary October morning when a sharp knock on the door...

Across the globe, dating app users have shot up like crazy since COVID-19 knocked on our doors. The use of dating apps in Japan was already rising as 2019 showed...

If you aren’t greeted by a wagging tail and a booming bark when you enter the door, you are living in a house, not a home. The Architecture for Dogs...

2015 was a moment in history that changed Japanese whisky forever. (And yes – it is whisky without the “e”, spelt the same way as its closest neighbour, Scotch whisky)....

Dating in Japan can be tricky at the best of times!  Getting a foreign perspective is handy before arriving as It's easy to come off as rude or out of place when trying to impress a cute local who...

About the Shiba Shiba Inu Temperament History and Origins of the Shiba Inu What about Akita Inus? Akita Inu Temperament History and Origins of the...

Set in feudal Japan (during the Kamakura period) in the late 13th century, the Ghost of Tsushima is an open-world, third-person, action-adventure samurai game, released exclusive to PlayStation 4 (PS4)...

Five months or so since we were trapped inside our homes, the global pandemic left us all in a state of wanderlust -- having a strong desire to travel and...

The Auteur Coinciding with the BFI’s major season on Japanese cinema, we here at Japan Nakama have aspired to...

In our last filmic review, we discussed the transcendent efforts of the late Akira Kurosawa to distinguish the intricacies of human fallibility in his seminal crime drama, Rashomon. Dissecting the...

Green tea is deeply entrenched in Japanese culture, history and tradition. Tea ceremonies were a universal aspect of everyday life in Japan; from feudal lords settling political...

The Kamakura Period The Significance of the Kamakura Period The Legacy of the Kamakura Period Landmarks of the Kamakura periodKamakura is...

Akira Kurosawa is arguably the most well-known and celebrated filmmaker in Japanese cinematic history, bar perhaps one Yasujiro Ozu. With a prominent style and narrative diversity that has duly inspired...

With an endless array of captivating cinema dating back to 1894, Japanese films make up one of the largest, oldest, and universally admired film industries in the...

Japan rightly holds the reputation as being one of the tastiest and most popular cuisines on the planet. But while many across the globe stuff themselves silly with irresistible Japanese...

Next level soundsystem music is flowing through Vomitspit, the Japanese record label run by the dubstep demons, Dayzero and Karnage. Individually, the duo’s tectonic tunes have been released worldwide on...

Japan doesn’t immediately spring to mind as a literary hub. Its popular culture is usually hidden under the canopy of anime, Harajuku style, and kawaii souvenirs; but there are a...

Whether you like to unwind in front of a Studio Ghibli film, lose yourself in the fantastical worlds of Haruki Murakami’s novels, or gobble up succulent sushi until your bank...

As we all wrestle with living through the lockdown in our homes we make sure to nail down a routine that keeps us sane, be it finding new recipes, being...

Japanese musical innovator, Ryuichi Sakamoto, has recorded a touching live performance for those in isolation around the world. Special guest, Hidejiro Honjoh, joins the session with his shamisen expertise. Sakamoto...

We're big fans of Japanese music as you may have noticed. At Nakama, we've promoted Japanese Ongaku Yoru in London and always swap tracks with each other on new finds...

WHEN we think of America we think of burgers. When we think of the UK, Tea, and when we think of Japan we think...

Almost nine months after the launch of the #MeToo movement, questions relating to its impact – whether the campaign has gone too far;...

Kamon are Japanese emblems or symbols used to identify the ancestral bloodlines of samurai warriors and Japanese nobility. Kamons are an example of Japanese...

Double Method, by photographers Tokyo Rumando and Hideka Tonomura, their exhibition takes a truly intimate look at the concept of reality through the eyes...

With a focus on time and perception, London-based artists Iyamari’s UK debut exhibition ‘Stay-’ aims to construct a model of ‘a moment’ and human...

As early as the eighth century, Japan’s Sakura season has been celebrated annually between the months of March and May,...

We've gathered some of the funniest moments from Japanese Comedy Prank Shows, Comedy Sketches and Game shows. You'll just never guess what they get away with in Japan, Hillarious![ultimate_spacer height="20"...