Every year watermelon lovers gather in Tomisato City in Chiba Prefecture to participate in an epic physical challenge knows as the Tomisato Suika Rōdo Rēsu (冨里すいかロードレース). This peculiar event involves people of all ages eating watermelon as they race to be the first to complete the 7 km course. This year the event was held on June 16th and featured …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re joined by baseball historian and expert on all things Japanese baseball Robert Fits. About Robert Fitts Robert Fitts is a baseball historian and expert ont he history of Japanese baseball. He has written numerous books on Japanese baseball including Banzai Babe Ruth: Baseball, Espionage, and Assissination During the 1934 Tour of Japan. …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, journalist Justic McCurry talks about his new book The War on Wheels: Inside the Keirin and Japan’s Cycling Subculture. About Justin McCurry Justin McCurry is the Japan anc Korea correspondent for The Guardian. He is also the author of the new book The War on Wheels: Inside the Keirin and Japan’s Cycling Subculture (Pegasus …

 On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, manga creator and boxer Kofi Bazzell-Smith (a.k.a. Kofi Manga) stops by to discuss manga, the Japanese language, and the importance of perseverance. About Kofi Manga Kofi Bazzell-Smith is an American manga creator and boxer. He is active on YouTube and Instagram under the name Kofi Manga. Topics Discussed The anime/manga Hajime …

 Today’s Question On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: What is the Curse of the Colonel? Topics Discussed What the famous Curse of the Colonel is How tall and how heavy the statues of Colonel Sanders that are seen at Japanese KFC locations are How the tradition of the Dotombori Dive began The Hanshin Tigers How the Hanshin …

An overview of why the Tokyo 2020 Olympic marathon will be held in Sapporo, Hokkaido. With just months until the start of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently decided to move the Olympic Marathon events from Tokyo to Sapporo, the capital city of the northern prefecture of Hokkaido. This sudden change was met with mixed reactions …

Perfect for those who want to game after they sightsee… or just game instead of sightsee. Preparing for a trip overseas can be stressful. Just finding lodging that is both convenient and won’t break the bank can be a long and frustrating process. This task gets even more challenging when you’re picky about certain amenities. For example, if you want …