cat

Nyan Nyan Ji: A Majestic Temple Where All the Monks Are Dignified Cats

February 23, 2025 by Japan Daily Leave a Comment

In the heart of Kyoto, Japan, lies a temple unlike any other—Nyan Nyan Ji (にゃんにゃん寺), a sacred space dedicated entirely to cats. This whimsical yet deeply spiritual place is a must-visit for cat lovers and curious travelers alike. What makes Nyan Nyan Ji truly special is its head monk: a white cat named Koyuki, who presides over the temple with the help of fellow cat assistants … [Read more...] about Nyan Nyan Ji: A Majestic Temple Where All the Monks Are Dignified Cats

Top 10 Cat Islands of Japan (Photo Feature)

September 3, 2024 by Japan Daily 1 Comment

In the never-ending debate as to whether cats or dogs are the superior animal, it’s pretty safe to say felines have the edge as far as tranquility is concerned. For example, an island full of stray dogs is likely to be visited by animal control, whereas an island covered in cats instead gets visited by tons of tourists. This ability to live in general harmony with the human … [Read more...] about Top 10 Cat Islands of Japan (Photo Feature)

Japanese Billionaire Builds $200 Million Private Racetrack To Race His Wife and Kids

What do you do when you have an insatiable love for supercars, more money than you can spend, and a family that shares your passion? If you’re a Japanese billionaire with limitless resources, you build your very own private racetrack, a $200 million playground carved into the mountains of Chiba Prefecture, exclusively for your loved […]

The Origins of Cosplay

If you’re in Japan right now you might have noticed the hordes of Cosplay enthusiasts in Nagoya and also Tokyo this year. Yes, it’s that time of the year again – the WCS – or World Cospay Summit is once again underway, bringing with it incredible costumes, dedicated fans, and perhaps one or two questions of why people […]

Getting an International Driver’s License

A few years ago, I was hired to translate for an engineer who was being sent to the US to meet with customers. I imagined it would more or less consist of sitting in boring meetings and looking up a lot of scientific mumbo jumbo in the dictionary. I later found out that, at least […]

Anarchism In The School Sports Undokai In Japan

If you are a parent in Japan and you have attended your child’s undokai (運動会) or school sports day, then guess what: You’re an anarchist. When I first mentioned this idea that the undokai system was an example of anarchism to a group of Japanese people in a talk I did in Tokyo radical centre […]

Revolutionary Cargo System: Japan’s 310-Mile Automated Conveyor

Japan’s Ambitious Solution to a Logistics Crisis Japanese government plans to connect major cities with automated, zero-emission logistics links to transport millions of tons of cargo quietly and efficiently, removing tens of thousands of trucks from the roads. The project has been under discussion since February by a panel of experts from the Ministry of […]