To tackle the problems of population imbalance and an increasing number of vacant homes, a new group has come together to promote long-stay tourism to old Japanese houses. The Kominka Tourism Promotion Council was established on July 9 by travel...
Sharing economies don’t always get the kindest of spotlight. And can we blame it? What used to be a promise to disrupt wasteful consumption by building a network of trust within a community, is now a leverage for capitalism to do what it does best...
The third Monday in July in Japan is a national holiday known as Marine Day, dedicated to the ocean and its blessings to Japan as an island nation. The day fell on July 15 this year, and the seaside lifestyle and Shonan travel guide website BYTHESEA...
“Mottainai” has become a globally acknowledged term. It connotes a “respect” for something that could have been utilized. This “mottainai” concept forms the basis of actions to not waste any food in Japan, which supports today’s movement...
Unilever Japan has set itself the goal of shifting all of its product packaging away from polyethylene-terephthalate, or PET plastic, to 100% recycled plastic by the end of 2020. As a first step, from August 5, the packaging of new products under...
Parishioners at Shoden-ji Temple, in Tokyo’s central Minato Ward, have been on the decline since the end of World War 2. This is in part of land prices steadily rising, eventually pushing residents out. In a bid to survive, the temple is now using...
Anyone attending the Shikoku Share Summit 2019 was bound to learn something new. Covering a plethora of industries, attendees discovered the uniqueness of each industry and the steps in which problems were solved. In this article, we will pick a few...
The best season to cool off with iced-cold drinks has come. There is a cool “ethical drink” named “Chocolappé Kara Mandarin” in Kamakura city. This float is made with rich bitter chocolate with Kara mandarin citrus juice which has distinctive...
Vintage clothing and second-hand shops have exploded throughout Japan in the past decade. However, even though the market has remarkably increased over the past ten years, some concerns regarding purchasing used clothing remain. Although the used...
What does the term “Sharing Economy” mean to you? The term “sharing economy” often conjures up the examples of Uber and Airbnb. But these companies always seem to have something missing for me. In hindsight, these companies did not fulfil its...