As the final month of the year rolls in, many people around the world begin preparing for grand holiday feasts and festive decorations. While lavish Christmas displays are the norm in many countries, Japan welcomes the New Year a little differently: through cleaning.

Today marks the third annual celebration of Giving Tuesday in Japan! As our second full year with the Giving Tuesday Global team comes to a close, we have learned (and done) a lot and have a lot to look forward to in 2026!

Every day, there are wars, rumors of wars, and natural disasters happening around the world. It impacts more lives than we can imagine, and there is an affected group that often lacks a voice and the ability to make any changes: children. Today, we honor World Children’s Day, the promise behind the creation of the day, and the significance of the holiday.

Every autumn across the Kanto region, a lively festival called Tori no Ichi fills the air with cheers, lantern lights, and laughter. People come to wish for good health and successful business in the year ahead. Dating back to the Edo period, this celebration was originally seen as the first event to welcome the New Year.

If you are from a coastal town or a maritime nation that is plagued by earthquakes, it is something that you must be mindful of and prepared for. Today, as we observe World Tsunami Awareness Day, let’s look at the history and ways we can be prepared.

Japan, like many other countries, celebrates this wonderful spooky event. But just as every nation adds its own flair to this Irish-origin holiday, Japan has thoroughly adapted and curated its own unique version of the ghostly tradition. Festivities now start as early as the beginning of October and climax on the 31st.

Dwarves, fairies, ghouls, demons—mythical creatures have filled our world and our storybooks, sometimes whimsical and sometimes dark. It’s not surprising that a country like Japan has its own versions of supernatural beings—Yōkai, whose legends are still talked about to this day. With the rise of anime adaptations, it’s no wonder that the tales of Yōkai have found their way back into people’s imaginations—this time through cosplay. Let’s take a dive into the world of Yōkai Fe

The United States-Japan Foundation’s signature initiative, the US-Japan Leadership Program (USJLP), is now accepting applications for its 2026–2027 Delegate cohort through Monday, January 5, 2026. Since its founding in 2000, USJLP has brought together emerging and established leaders from both nations to build trust, foster dialogue, and shape a more connected, collaborative future.