Examining what it’s like to live, work and play in Japan, our experts guide you through the nuances that define its culture.

Beer has been a part of Japanese culture since the 1800s, becoming the country’s most popular bar drink. But alcohol consumption habits are changing. Young Japanese people do not feel inclined to drink as much as their predecessors did, signalling a need for brands to adapt to new preferences.

What’s behind Japan’s long love affair with beer?

Young Japanese workers are paying ‘resignation agents’ to help them with the complications of quitting their jobs. In the context of intense work culture, the move speaks to how Gen Z are hacking their way through difficult circumstances and finding novel ways to avoid uncomfortable situations. 

Young Japanese workers turn to resignation agents

Booze culture is shapeshifting in the home country of ‘kanpai!’ With drink experimentations, financial concerns, and changing work-life perceptions buzzing in the mix, does alcohol still have a special place in Japanese society, and where can opportunities be cultivated for brands?

The Japanese are rethinking their relationship with booze

Despite being seen as high-tech, Japan has been slow to adopt fintech solutions. The country ranks among the top in APAC that are slow to embrace cashless payments. However, this situation may soon change as Olive tailors its app and all-in-one card to promote cashless living in Japan.

How Olive manages Japanese people’s cashless confidence

Amid economic and societal pressures in Japan, more and more people are choosing not to get married. Many also work as ‘nonregular workers’ and like being alone. What does the future of dating and relationships look like in Japan, and what can brands learn from these shifting preferences?

Why Japanese people are choosing to stay single

Despite a data breach and disputes over its ownership, most of Japan’s population and millions around Asia continue to use LINE, the messaging platform-turned-super app that has become a must-have for everyday needs. How has it embedded itself in people’s lives and provided a safe space online?

How LINE connects Japan’s netizens to easy self-expression

Japanese youth are using social media to explore their hobbies and, by proxy, their deepening community engagement to meet new friends. However, they still prefer in-person socialisation over online conversations, causing them to turn to disruptive platforms that are community-centric. 

Japanese youth turn to social media for hobbies

Thanks in part to TikTok virality, Fujifilm is struggling to keep up with demand for their X100VI camera. The speed of digital innovation has influenced a renewed appreciation for tactile tech, and people are looking to add friction back into otherwise seamless processes.

Fujifilm sees surge in demand for physical cameras

After declining in popularity for years, J-pop is catching up to K-pop on the world stage. By keeping their identities hidden, J-pop stars have allowed listeners to focus on their music rather than their personal lives. What does this say about how Gen Z feels about influencers and social media?

Anonymous J-pop stars connect with Gen Z’s desire to stay incognito

Japanese footwear brand Asics and Danish design brand Hay have collaborated in a lifestyle manifestation of the interest in ‘Japandi’ design cues. As consumer pressure to slow the pace of fashion consumption grows, the permanence of interior design could prove fertile grounds for more collaboration.

Asics x Hay brings 'Japandi' design cues to fashionistas

Geopolitical tensions, economic and election anxiety, and overarching stress make it difficult to see the bright side. In response, Loewe partnered with a Japanese ceramic studio to create designs that capture beauty and happiness in small, everyday moments, offering escapism through the mundane.

Loewe celebrates beauty of the mundane with Suna Fujita

As luxury giants like LVMH and Kerring report stalled or negative sales elsewhere in the world, they’re experiencing up to double-digit growth in Japan. With this continuing boost in tourism, the Japanese government is seeking different ways to spread spending from inbound travellers.

Luxury tourists cause a flood in the Japanese bargain market

Japan faces one of its most pressing concerns yet – a sinking birth rate. To address this nationwide problem, the country’s government wants to play a more significant role in people’s dating lives and marriage, with children (hopefully) being the ultimate outcome of its efforts.

Japan’s grappling with a sinking fertility rate – who’s winning?

Yuriko Koike, governor of Tokyo, has enlisted the help of an AI version of herself to communicate policy decisions and news updates more effectively to constituents. The innovation is undoubtedly practical, but it may seed Japanese people's mistrust of AI and the government’s handling of it.

Tokyo governor speaks to constituents with AI avatar

For nearly a century, Yakult probiotic milk has captured ‘childhood in a bottle’. Health-conscious shoppers are rediscovering it, driving the market boom for functional foods in Asia. As global wellness goals shift, the Japanese brand finds its way into more refrigerators and formative years.

Why Yakult became a symbol of Asian care and childhood

For travellers who want to skip tourist traps, historic snack bars in Japan offer moments of novelty steeped in culture unique to the area, feeding visitors hungry for authenticity. These spaces allow people to immerse themselves in local culture through hidden gems.

Japanse snack bars offer tourists hyper-local novelties

An ageing population and declining birth rates are poised to significantly impact shopping trends in Japan’s booming luxury market. Luxury brands seem to be expanding their reach to include older generations with disposable income and wealth and younger generations who prioritise mindful spending.

How Japan's different generations are changing luxury consumption

Motorbike rentals are surging in popularity across the globe thanks to favourable cost-efficiency and convenience in the context of both regular commuting and leisurely road trip transport. Changing spending habits are resulting in changing relationships with transport and automotive ownership.

Cost-savvy commuters are turning to motorbike rentals

Le Creuset and Pokémon have collaborated on a limited-edition crockery set that appeals to growing nostalgia and kidulting behaviours. The raft of nostalgia-tinted collaborations seeks to intensify niche fandoms and build deeper relationships with brands beyond the products.

Le Creuset x Pokémon crockery appeals to kidulting ideals

Despite being known for their strong work ethic, Japanese employees are becoming frustrated with outdated workplace values and expectations, leading to more quiet quitting than anywhere else in the world. As younger generations shake up norms, the meaning of work is changing in Japan. 

Japanese employees rank highest on quiet-quitting scale

Japanese nationals living abroad are feeling more lonely than their counterparts at home due to language barriers and culture shock as they adjust to new countries. Amid an epidemic of loneliness, people are looking for support in finding community and forming connections with others. 

Japanese nationals abroad feel particularly lonely

By prioritising affordability, convenience, and entertainment, the Japanese discount chain Don Quijote has netted record profits for the 14th year in a row. Popular among tourists, thanks to late hours and rows of souvenirs, it creates a uniquely Japanese experience that puts fun back into shopping.

Why Don Quijote turns Japanese stores into adventures

Meagre wages and demanding work are causing interest in teaching to plummet worldwide, causing acute staff shortages at schools. In Japan, the government has decided to waive graduate scholarship loan repayments for teachers across the country in an attempt to recruit more teachers.

Japan waives graduate loans to tackle teacher shortages

Sony is planning to launch an academy aimed at developing talent involved in the creation of anime. As the art form continues to grow in popularity among young people worldwide, brands have the opportunity to immerse themselves in fandoms by funding and collaborating with local creators.

Sony expands offerings with anime academy

The popular manga Haikyu! has been transformed into an anime and now a feature film. But this series doesn't exist in isolation among otakus and weebs – it's fostering new volleyball fans and players who are inspired by the show's emphasis on friendship and overcoming obstacles.

Manga inspires young fans to become involved in sports

Yayoi Kusama is one of the world’s most successful living artists – partly because of her philosophies and partly because of her Instagram-friendly aesthetics. Her collaborations with luxury brands show how the powers of art and the opulent can work together to elevate each other.

How Yayoi Kusama connects the dots of high art and virality

In an era when young adults are keen on reclaiming their childhood, Ocean Teabags captivates its patrons with playful animal-themed products, riding the booming ‘kidult’ phenomenon and redefining the traditional tea experience. What can brands do to help people reconnect with their inner child?

How Ocean Teabag steeps childhood warmth into Japan’s kidults

Families of children with special medical needs are often excluded from the labour market, which is not geared to accommodating their circumstances. Responding to this, a cafe in Sendai is staffed exclusively by such people to give them a sense of purpose and belonging beyond their homes.



Sendai cafe makes employment a reality to caregivers

While Japan has introduced a growing number of measures to increase the rate of paternity leave, survey results show that uptake has been slow. Workplaces can provide greater support to young parents by helping to ease the societal and economic pressures young parents face.


Survey reveals barriers to paternity leave in Japan

Japanese fast-food chain MOS Burger is launching its first-ever record label, MOS Records, to uncover, support, and globally distribute its employees' music. Programs like these highlight how brands can actively celebrate and champion non-traditional paths to career success.

MOS Burger boosts music aspirations of employees

With growing stress and a fresh focus on best practices for healthy living, Japanese people are moving away from supplements and towards functional foods instead. With the shift comes new possibilities for brands to cater to health-seeking snackers – so what opportunities are on the horizon?

Stressed Japanese workers are hungry for healthy, functional food

The release of Netflix's animated series Blue Eye Samurai has sparked a global interest in the intersection of Japan's history and culture with a story of blood, revenge, and violence. Its strategic marketing efforts pulled non-viewers of animation and Asian women looking for cathartic media.

How Blue Eye Samurai reanimates a rage for Japan’s history

The Tokyo-based start-up Orange has secured $19 million in investments to develop AI software that can translate manga titles into English. While the tech may broaden global readers’ access to Japanese media, it could also threaten the role of the fan translator in the proliferation of such content.

Orange uses AI to speed up manga translations in English

Japan is facing a population crisis, primarily stemming from challenges within its dating scene. With marriages and romance growing out of fashion locally, Pairs jumps in to reignite love’s flames by creating a safe space for serious relationships to develop and empowering women.

Why Pairs lets women reignite Japan's dating scene

A renewed interest in theatres post-pandemic, Japanese box office dominance, cultural sentimentalities, and innovative storytelling marked Godzilla’s 70th anniversary. How did Godzilla Minus One comfort audiences globally during a time of permacrisis, and what does this say about moviegoers today?

Why Godzilla Minus One helps people cope with permacrisis

How is Japan’s shrinking, ageing population impacting locals’ decisions? Are government efforts to regulate work hours actually leading to shifts in Japan’s notoriously overworked society? This Cultural Snapshot uses local stats to explore the behavioural norms shared by people in Japan in 2024.

A Cultural Snapshot of Japan: 2024

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s Sho-Time! The Los Angeles Dodgers’ prodigious Japanese two-way player is stealing hearts faster than he can steal bases with his unmatched capabilities. Despite being mired in controversy, Shohei Ohtani maintains a rapidly growing popularity that brands can learn from.

How Shohei Ohtani scores a home run with sports fandoms

A 200-year-old Japanese ceramics company has seen its stock prices double as a result of its products having newfound use as heat dissipators in AI server farms. The convergence of traditional craftsmanship and new technologies raises questions about how we best tackle AI energy consumption.

Japanese ceramics help to reduce heat caused by AI

Japan has long been a haven for music lovers and a bastion of nostalgia, particularly for fans of vinyl records. Recently, the country got a breath of fresh air from the unexpected but welcome crowd of Gen Z listeners. What’s fuelling the younger generation’s desire to connect with analogue music?

Why are Japanese Gen Zers obsessed with vinyl records again?

J-pop singer Crystal Kay’s comeback rides a wave of 2000s nostalgia, ignited by the viral TikTok remix of her 2003 hit ‘Boyfriend (Part II).’ Kay’s enduring charm now bridges generations and showcases J-pop’s international allure as a testament to how timeless hits can find a new fan base.

How Crystal Kay brings back the charm of Y2K J-pop

Tokyo's unique Toilet Shuttle tour, inspired by the film 'Perfect Days,' showcases artistically designed public restrooms. Shibuya's local government recognised that tourists are seeking offbeat experiences beyond typical attractions, catering to film buffs and hidden gem hunters.

Tourists flock to Tokyo toilets following 'Perfect Days'

The Senior Papa Project is an initiative to support older fathers in Japan who are struggling to balance responsibilities with demanding work schedules and continued social stigma. As milestones modernise, social structures will need to adjust to accommodate changing behaviours with empathy.

The Senior Papa Project supports older fathers in Japan

Yuidan shrinks full-sized butsudan Buddhist altars to fit small Japanese homes, and they're becoming increasingly popular among younger generations. Merging heritage preservation with modern minimalist living, Yuidan aligns with the degrowth movement challenging social and environmental issues. 

Yuidan's mini Buddhist altars adapt to modern lifestyles

Economic challenges, marketing saturation, changing relationship patterns, and the move towards digital interaction have diminished the vibrancy and engagement usually associated with Valentine’s Day and White Day – one example of Korean and Japanese people’s fatigue surrounding ‘Day’ marketing.

Does the decline of White Day prove people are getting tired of ‘Day’ marketing?

Once aspirational and teeming with tenants, Japanese complexes on the outskirts of cities are now being abandoned – except by the elderly and the recluse. To usher in new life and youth in these areas, Muji started a renovation project that upgrades yet preserves these heritage neighbourhoods.

How Muji helps battle loneliness among Japanese tenants

Maataso stands out from her fellow J-beauty influencers by downplaying her looks with refreshing hilarity, maintaining relatability even after undergoing trendy plastic surgery. Her fans' positive response says a lot about Japanese beauty ideals and her talents as an entertaining Mom YouTuber.

Why Maataso glamourises the ‘ugly’ parts of J-beauty

Japanese fitness group Sogo Fitness has exploded in popularity, attracting a young clientele by blurring the lines between group workouts and social clubs. People are looking to make connections where they build healthy habits, and group fitness is becoming a go-to social activity for many.

Sogo Fitness offers socialisation for healthy Japanese

Japanese transit companies like JAL are leading in sustainable upcycling, while Ace Luggage transforms retired train lines into chic travel goods. The collaborations with designers and transit enthusiasts elevate waste into aspirational accessories, aligning with travellers' sustainability goals.

Transit firms turn old vehicles into eco-collectibles

Japan Arigato Lager by Utage Brewing is a sustainable beer made from leftover rice at Narita Airport's lounge. As part of Japan Airlines' sustainability efforts, it educates travellers on food waste and environmental issues through small daily choices, such as grabbing a cold IPA eco-alternative.

Arigato Lager turns leftover rice into craft beer

TBS Radio has collaborated with Japanese apparel brand Fruit of the Loom to create a pop-up that allows people to steal. As young Japanese look for opportunities to indulge in bad behaviour and assert authenticity, brands can tap into playful transgression to appeal to novelty-seeking crowds.

Japanese streetwear pop-up beckons customers to shoplift

Concerns about loneliness are rising worldwide, with older adults and young people being the most vulnerable. To address this, Muji is teaming up with a local developer in Japan, UR, to reinvigorate seniors' housing complexes and make them more attractive to younger crowds.

Muji helps seniors combat loneliness in Japan

Arc'teryx's Tokyo museum showcases the heritage and evolution of its outdoor apparel, reflecting its growth and the blending of fashion with art and community. This move symbolises a broader trend of integrating cultural expression into fashion, as well as integrating experiences into retail.

Arc’teryx take gorpcore to the art world with museum

Work booths are taking off in Japan, with companies like Fujifilm implementing private workspaces in subway stations across Tokyo. These reflect a post-pandemic shift in workplace preferences, where individuals prioritise personalised, controlled, and private spaces over socialisation in the office.

Private work booths gain popularity with Japanese staff

Re:COIN transforms beach plastic into currency – promoting waste collection and community ties with local businesses. While sustainability is a priority for many, there is often an inaction gap – focusing efforts on local areas, and offering rewards, are approaches that could help to close it.

Japanese cities use RE:COIN to turn trash into cash 

After opening up to foreign workers to address an ageing population, a record number of foreign employees have entered Japan. However, there's a significant lack of regular interactions between Japanese citizens and foreigners, causing social friction and further polarising society.

Japanese locals and foreigners are living divided lives

Mondial's Deep Sea Funeral features an eco-friendly urn that sinks to the ocean floor before dissolving and a virtual grave marker to pinpoint the 'burial' site. The service provides a poignant goodbye and enables people to stick to their eco values by reimagining rituals around death.

Deep Sea Funeral offers a eco-farewell in Japan's oceans

BeReal once dominated the charts of app stores in 2022, but its glory days are ending in the western parts of the world. Meanwhile, the platform has rebirthed itself in Japan, captivating young Gen Z users thanks to the respite it offers against the norms of its society.

How BeReal relieves Japanese Gen Zers from social curation

In Japan, the sauna industry is booming and influencing people’s approaches to health, wellness, and self-care. It has evolved from an activity for older men into a thriving, identity-shaping subculture that attracts people across demographics, including women and young people.

How sauna culture is shaping the Japanese wellness economy

Tokyo's Dial cafe encourages couples to converse with specially designed tables and conversation cards. The space – dedicated to distraction-free dialogue – aims to provide a haven for reflection and meaningful communication amidst busy lives, appealing to the desire for lovers to reconnect.

Interactive cafe brings Japanese couples closer together

Japanese dating app company Tapple has created Koi Suru AI, a dating simulator that uses generative AI to tailor gameplay. As dating woes continue to plague young Japanese, there’s an opportunity to harness tech as a means to facilitate – not replace – meaningful IRL connections.

Tapple encourages romance in Japan with AI dating sim

As Japan grapples with the impact of the Noto earthquake, Nintendo is offering support with free repairs for products damaged in the natural disaster. This showcases unique brand backing and support, strengthening existing customer relationships and fostering new ones through real-world action.

Nintendo offers free repairs in wake of Noto earthquake

Craft beer hype is rising rapidly in Hokkaido, but market oversaturation is lowering quality. Local brewers are concerned about the industry's rapid growth, and a lack of education persists. Because of this, brands can position themselves as authorities with a rich history and deep knowledge.

A craft beer buzz is brewing in Northern Japan

Shiseido debuted a digital tool at CES 2024 that employs AR to provide users with precise, step-by-step skincare instructions. Not only is it offering personalised beauty coaching, but it is also busting myth-busting common beauty misconceptions to help people get the most out of their routines.

Shiseido introduces AR-enabled skincare routines

Dodgers megastar Shohei Ohtani’s endorsement of Japanese skincare brand Decorté has sparked more interest in the brand among Japanese men. It’s reflective of sports fandom as the gateway to brand discovery, where companies are increasingly leaning into athletes to reach under-served audiences.

Baseball star piques Japanese men’s interest in beauty

As the ageing Japanese population grows, so does the number of dementia cases. Mistaken Orders’ restaurant and cafe pop-ups create an environment where older people and those living with dementia can still live their lives by making dining a warmer, educational experience for patrons.

Why Mistaken Orders hires servers with dementia

Responding to the crisis of authentication in digital photography, major players in camera manufacturing have developed a digital signature to help assure creators and publishers alike. In the meantime, some people are turning to forms of art where human-made authenticity isn’t a concern.

Digital signatures ease AI disruption for photophiles

Japanese attitudes toward thrifting are changing as people revitalise fashion aesthetics and embrace secondhand clothes. Rising prices have made secondhand shopping more appealing, reflecting a shift in consumer sentiment beyond just style considerations and sustainable values.

Secondhand garments get a second life in Japan

The "Light Blue Embryologist" explores the hurdles of infertility treatments in Japan. It sheds light on women's stress and depression in infertility treatments and educates men on the stressful process of IVF. The manga offers an accessible way for men to learn more and support their partners.

Manga demonstrates how husbands can support IVF process

New data reveals that consumer debt has risen significantly in Japan as people’s appetite for feel-good spending shows no signs of slowing. There’s an opportunity for brands to help customers buff up their financial wellbeing in the face of continued economic headwinds.

Revenge spending is driving Japanese shoppers into debt

Fendi has unveiled a collaboration with Hiroshi Fujiwara’s streetwear label Fragment and Pokémon to celebrate the upcoming Year of the Dragon. These limited-edition, NFT-accompanied collabs offer consumers ever-expanding ways to signal status and exclusivity while remaining culturally relevant.




Fendi drops Pokémon collab for the Year of the Dragon

Popular Japanese virtual influencer Imma has released a capsule collection through her fashion label Astral Body. Despite virtual influencers losing steam in the West, there’s a healthy appetite for such KOLs in Asia, where they’re steadily eclipsing human celebrities and brand ambassadors.

Virtual influencer Imma makes waves with fashion drop

In Japan, flexible "spot worker" side-hustle gigs alongside full-time jobs are gaining popularity. While some people finding joy in optimising spare time, spot workers are largely fuelled by economic pressures, including karoshi hustle culture, with extra work generating stress and anxiety. 

Japanese spot workers are trying to make ends meet

Hoshino Resorts has begun the process of converting the Nara Prison in Japan into a luxury hotel experience for tourists. The move demonstrates the continued rise of luxurious and experiential travel and also caters to the demand for holiday experiences that value local histories.

Hoshino Resorts prison conversion woos luxury travellers

Femtech start-up BeLiebe is teaming up with Japanese firms to provide female employees with at-home fertility test kits. As reproductive health takes centre stage in Japan’s DE&I landscape, people will be expecting businesses to walk the talk and show up for their employees in more actionable ways.

BeLiebe democratises fertility tests for Japanese women

Research has found that young Japanese social media users have a burgeoning appetite for challenger apps like BeReal and Threads. The findings speak to audiences' growing fatigue with legacy social platforms and their desire for a more organic approach to digital intimacy.

Japanese youths seek out community-centric socials

Japanese sports media company B& is partnering with femtech brand Otte c. to develop absorbent activewear for athletes who menstruate. Beyond generic calls to destigmatisation, brands can consider engaging with the diverse spectrum of period experiences across different contexts and cultures.

Japanese firms debut period shorts for women athletes

Many older adults in Japan are being deceived by 'dark patterns' online, which trick them into unknowingly parting with their money or providing false information on purchases. Educating less digitally fluent shoppers on these techniques could empower them to make more informed financial choices.

'Dark patterns' are misleading online shoppers in Japan

Any Wear, Anywhere is a service from Japan Airlines that allows passengers to rent clothes for their trip to Japan. Offering twin benefits of sustainability and hyper-convenience, it motivates people to make more sustainable choices by fitting into and serving busy, time-poor urban lifestyles.

Why Japan Airlines is renting clothes to travellers

Post-pandemic, Japan has seen high tourism levels – but with that has come an increase in littering. Rather than focusing on fines, authorities are looking to solutions based on the behaviour science theory of 'nudging' – encouraging positive behaviour instead of punishing negative actions.

Japanese wards use nudge theory to end tourist littering

In Japan, a campaign sees an AI model showcasing the health benefits of green tea, shifting from an elderly woman to a young lady after a sip. However, people were unsettled by the ad, which comes at a time when people are prioritising authenticity over artificially created content.

Hyper-realistic AI ad makes Japanese citizens uneasy

A wave of Triple-A games have updated their accessibility options to support gamers with severe phobias in their adventures. Accessibility is becoming more than a compliance concern, as people get hyped for the innovation and personalisation it brings – a shift which could ripple out to TV and film.

Phobia-settings innovation further personalises gaming

Nike Japan has launched a campaign inviting Gen Z girls to escape the pressures of perfection and express the power of sport. With mental health a major concern for Gen Z, the ad looks to release them from their self-imposed pressures and live their lives unapologetically.

Nike Japan asks girls to defy the pressure to be perfect

Uniqlo has launched its first-ever pop-up store for pre-loved clothing in Tokyo’s Harajuku district. As people look to balance their eco-conscious intentions against their budgets, there’s an opportunity to close the intention-action gap that remains prevalent in Japan.

Uniqlo courts eco-conscious shoppers with thrift pop-up

Japan's birth rate is continuing to decline, but improved work policies could make parenthood more enticing. Local governments have improved paternity leave to empower dads and soothe their fears about salary loss during difficult financial times, boosting equal parenting practices.

Japanese firms boost parenthood with paternity policies

Nissin has released caffeinated instant meals in Japan in the form of noodles and curry. Specifically targeting gamers, this is the first time a functional, caffeinated meal has been launched. Gamers are an increasingly important and discerning demographic with high product expectations.

Nissin Foods launches caffeinated cup noodles for gamers

Bridging the language gap of Anglophone generative AI, Japan is launching its own LLM. As AI innovation proliferates, people expect technology to be tailored towards their cultural needs, and brands can expect an uptick in hyper-specific preferences when it comes to digital touchpoints.

Japanese AI-based LLM eases lost in translation woes

The evacuation drill app Nigetore was designed for users to choose their evacuation routes and prepare for disaster in the most relevant ways. As people grapple with more climate emergencies, personalised platforms like this can help address more specific needs rather than spark more panic.

App helps Japanese people prepare for natural disasters

To encourage Japanese shoppers to eat their greens, 7-Eleven has launched Veggie-Check, scanning customers' palms to analyse their vegetable intake. As healthtech becomes more commonplace, affordable, and accessible, there are growing privacy concerns over the price of convenience.

7-Eleven launches wellbeing Veggie-Checks in Japan

Japanese cosmetics giant Pola has teamed up with aviation company ANA to create skincare products that the country’s astronauts will use. With space exploration no longer a remote possibility for the masses, beauty brands are mining the extraterrestrial for innovation inspiration.

Japan's Pola releases skincare designed for space travel

The Japanese luxury hotel chain is launching a package that allows guests to sing karaoke while floating in a private tub in the open sea. As one-of-a-kind experiences become currency in luxury travel, brands are dialling up both novelty and seclusion to win over HNW tourists.

Hoshino Resorts’ ocean karaoke spices up luxury travel

McDonald’s created a chart-topping J-pop jingle to promote a relaunch of its Taste of Japan burgers in Indonesia. The success of this campaign demonstrates a unique go-to-market local strategy, where leveraging the right experiential codes in food and music can transcend language differences.

McDonald’s jingle gives Indonesians a taste of Japan

A study has found that employees in Asia often feel they have to appear busy at work even if they're not doing anything productive. Employers have an opportunity to champion a refreshed mindset towards productivity and help employees manage their time, careers, and social lives.

Employer pressure forces people to performatively work

Legislators in Japan are preparing guidelines for businesses on the use of AI. However, it will only outline direction for safe and unbiased integration of AI and won’t be legally binding for companies. As anxieties around AI continue to build, people seek support and guidance around new tech.

Japan pens business AI guidelines to quell anxieties

The Gacha Pop Spotify playlist is aiming to encapsulate the global reach of J-Pop that has grown out of anime fandoms and gaming communities. The playlist spotlights unique Japanese artists who are challenging the status quo within East Asia and helps to deliver a global reach for the genre.

Gacha Pop captures the serendipity of J-Pop songs

Eram Fragrances’ three-month programme offers Japanese consumers the opportunity to try and test various scents until they find the one for them. Perfume brands are actively tapping into beauty consumer’s explorer mindset as a way to provide a more personalised product, and encourage daily wear.

Scent exploration subscription taps experience hunters

Renowned for its otherworldly and immersive illustrated universes, Studio Ghibli fans can now express their fandom through a perfume capsule. With fans desiring more immersion, brands are innovating beyond expected touch points to build new forms of engagement with their audiences.

Studio Ghibli enchants fans with fragrance capsule

Luxury real estate company Hotela has made its debut in Japan with a co-ownership scheme that aims to capture the luxury second home segment in the country. It speaks to the growing popularity of fractional ownership models in APAC alongside the surging demand for high-end holiday homes.

Hotela brings luxury home co-ownership to Japan

Takashimaya’s Nagoya outlet has quadrupled the retail space for men’s cosmetics to cater to the burgeoning demand for male beauty products. Beyond branding efforts that target men, there’s an opportunity to rethink beauty store experiences and make them feel more welcoming for male shoppers.

Takashimaya makes cosmetics shopping stress-free for men

Japan is struggling to fill tech roles, despite the untapped talent of female STEM professionals. Underrepresentation in these roles and patriarchal expectations placed on girls from a young age are being challenged by a wider rejection of conventional career paths in the country.

Japanese firms aim to attract more women into STEM jobs

Gens Y and Z are driving demand for secondhand luxury goods across the APAC region as attitudes to resale shift. There's an opportunity for brands to reinforce the connection between the longevity of luxury items and consumers’ growing concern about more sustainable consumption habits.

Japan