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2026 Kumamoto earthquake charity concert flyer for the August 9 fundraiser in Torrance

EVENT AND NEWS IN LA EXPERIENCE WHAT’S HOT

Kumamoto Earthquake Charity Concert Comes to Torrance on August 9

japanup_akane 08/06/2026

The Nanka Kumamoto Kenjinkai (Southern California Kumamoto Prefectural Association) and Mikaela Kai Flamenco are holding the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake Stand Together Charity Concert in support of those affected by the recent Kumamoto earthquake. It takes place Sunday, August 9, at The Moose – Torrance Lodge 785, with a bazaar during the day and ticketed stage performances in the afternoon. Proceeds go toward relief for the disaster-affected areas in Kumamoto. Two Shows in One Afternoon A single ticket covers two back-to-back concerts. At 4pm, an authentic flamenco show features special guest artists Paco and Yolanda Arroyo, followed at 5:30pm by a…

Wasabi Pixels photographer capturing a family portrait session

EVENT AND NEWS IN LA EXPERIENCE WHAT’S HOT

Wasabi Pixels Is Now Booking Back-to-School Photo Shoots

japanup_akane 08/06/2026

Wasabi Pixels helps you capture life’s once-in-a-lifetime moments in the best possible way, from pre-wedding shoots to family portraits. With professional equipment and a sure creative eye, the studio frames the moments that matter beautifully. Right now, Wasabi Pixels is also taking bookings for back-to-school portraits and photo shoots of all kinds. If you are interested, reach out using the contact details below. What Wasabi Pixels Offers Led by photographer Maki, the studio covers weddings, engagements, family portraits, and seasonal shoots, with a knack for documentary-style candids alongside warm, artful portraits. Based in Las Vegas, Wasabi Pixels also serves the…

Fatburger Japan Okinawa store exterior in Kadena Town

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Why Did Fatburger Skip Tokyo and Reopen in Okinawa?

japanup_akane 08/05/2026

For decades, the playbook for an American restaurant brand entering Japan has been almost boringly consistent: land in Tokyo, ideally in Shibuya, ideally somewhere a teenager will photograph. Fatburger followed that playbook once, in 2018. It did not end well. So when the Los Angeles institution came back to Japan, it did something nobody expected. It skipped Tokyo entirely. Quick Answer: Fatburger Japan is back, and this time it is in Okinawa. The Kadena store opened on January 7, 2026, as the first of four locations planned over five years. The company pointed to Okinawa’s tourism and the steady foot…

Koshien 2026 schedule opening day bracket must-see games

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Japan Now! Koshien Opens Tomorrow. Here Are the Games Worth Losing Sleep Over (8/4)

japanup_akane 08/04/2026

For the past week, 49 high school baseball teams across Japan have been packing buses, and tomorrow the country stops to watch them arrive. However, this year’s Koshien did not wait for the first pitch to deliver drama: the bracket draw, held online on August 1, produced an opening game between two northern powerhouses and, buried in Day 6, a first-round collision so big that Japanese media are already calling it a final arriving eleven days early. As we covered last week, Koshien is Japan’s most beloved sporting event. This is your guide to the Koshien 2026 schedule, which opens…

Pink's Hot Dogs Japan Tokyo opening La Brea Los Angeles landmark

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Japan Now! Tokyo Is Getting Pink’s Hot Dogs. Yes, THAT Pink’s. Yes, Really (7/31)

japanup_akane 07/31/2026

For decades, the food traffic between Los Angeles and Japan has flowed one way: ramen shops, onigiri counters, and izakaya crossing the Pacific to feed LA. However, this week the current officially reversed. Pink’s Hot Dogs, the pink-awning institution that has anchored La Brea Avenue since before World War II, announced it is opening in Japan, with a Tokyo flagship planned by the end of 2026 and twenty stores across the capital region by 2030. If you have ever stood in the 40-minute line at 1 AM, you understand what Tokyo is about to learn. The Pink’s Hot Dogs Japan…

Jagariko Maji Calpas FamilyMart limited Japanese snack

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Japan Now! Jagariko x Calpas? Japan’s Beloved Potato Snack Just Went “Seriously” Meaty (FamilyMart Only) (7/31)

japanup_akane 07/31/2026

For American snack fans, the cruelest phrase in the Japanese language might be “convenience store exclusive.” However, Japan keeps producing reasons to learn it. Starting Tuesday, August 4, FamilyMart stores nationwide will carry a new limited Jagariko flavor: “Maji Calpas Aji bits,” a short-stick version of Japan’s iconic potato snack seasoned like calpas, the peppery mini salami that generations of Japanese kids grew up buying for pocket change. And the name contains a joke worth unpacking. Quick Answer: Jagariko Maji Calpas Aji bits launches August 4, 2026, exclusively at FamilyMart in Japan. It combines Jagariko’s famous “crisp at first, then…

Jiro-style ramen with thick noodles and rich broth at Garlic High inside Tokyo Central

EVENT AND NEWS IN LA EXPERIENCE FOOD RESTAURANTS WHAT’S HOT

Jiro-Style Ramen, a NorCal Sensation, Has Landed in LA

japanup_akane 07/30/2026

Jiro-style ramen, the bowl taking Northern California by storm, has arrived in the LA area. Known for a rich broth simmered for 15 hours and thick, seriously satisfying noodles, this is the real-deal flavor that earned an overwhelming following up north. You can find it at Garlic High, operating inside the food courts at Tokyo Central Yorba Linda and Tokyo Central PCH in Torrance. Whether it is a treat on the way home from work or a weekend indulgence, come take on the one-of-a-kind volume and satisfaction. What Makes This Jiro-Style Ramen Special The broth is simmered for a full…

puroresu Japan pro wrestling day Rikidozan history

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Japan Now! Happy Puroresu Day! Why Japan Treats Pro Wrestling as a National Art Form (7/30)

japanup_akane 07/30/2026

For Americans, pro wrestling means WWE: pyro, promos, and sports entertainment. However, Japan took the same raw material and built something closer to a martial religion, and today is its official birthday. July 30 is Pro Wrestling Day (Puroresu Kinenbi) in Japan, marking the day in 1953 when a former sumo wrestler named Rikidozan founded the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance and accidentally created modern Japanese television, a national mythology, and the puroresu fighting style your favorite WWE and AEW stars grew up on. Quick Answer: Pro Wrestling Day commemorates July 30, 1953, when Rikidozan, the “father of Japanese pro wrestling,”…

EVENT EVENT IN LOS ANGELES POPULAR

[GIVEAWAY] Win a Pair of Tickets to Yuki Saori’s Concert! 🎁 Saturday, August 22

japanup_akane 07/30/2026

YUKI SAORI in LOS ANGELES ~From 1969 to the Future~8/22(sat) in Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center YUKI SAORI in LOS ANGELES ~From 1969 to the Future~ Concert tickets are now on sale and receiving great attention 🎙️‼️ After achieving a worldwide hit through her collaboration with Pink Martini, Saori Yuki has captivated audiences around the globe with her timeless and enchanting voice. This will be her first U.S. performance in approximately nine years — a special opportunity you won’t want to miss. 🗓 Saturday, August 22, 2026　3:00 PM — Doors Open　4:00 PM — Concert Begins 📍 Redondo Beach Performing Arts…

Exterior of the Square Enix Cafe Los Angeles in Little Tokyo

EVENT AND NEWS IN LA EXPERIENCE FOOD RESTAURANTS WHAT’S HOT

Square Enix Cafe Los Angeles Is Now Open in Little Tokyo

japanup_akane 07/29/2026

The Square Enix Cafe Los Angeles is open in Little Tokyo, the first permanent, officially licensed Square Enix cafe with a full menu in the United States. Inside, you will find official menu dishes, drinks, and desserts themed around popular games, along with official merchandise and cafe-exclusive novelty items. It is a destination where fans can soak in the worlds of Dragon Quest and other beloved titles while enjoying a special outing. What to Expect at the Square Enix Cafe Los Angeles The menu draws on franchises like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and NieR:Automata, with themed food, drinks, and desserts…

mizukake gohan water over rice Yamagata Japan summer dish

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Japan Now! Mizukake Gohan? Japan’s 1,000-Year-Old “Water Over Rice” Hack Is Back, Thanks to Record Heat (and an Idol Radio Show) (7/29)

japanup_akane 07/29/2026

For Americans, “rice with cold water poured over it” sounds less like a recipe and more like a kitchen accident. However, in Japan’s record-breaking summer of 2026, it is suddenly the most talked-about dish on late-night radio. It is called mizukake gohan, a nearly forgotten regional tradition from Yamagata Prefecture, and it is having a viral moment after members of idol group Nogizaka46 championed it on their All Night Nippon show, with member Nagi Inoue taste-testing it live on this week’s broadcast. Quick Answer: Mizukake gohan (literally “water-poured rice”), known in Yamagata as mizu mama, is chilled cooked rice rinsed…

One's Rent-A-Car special plan for Dodgers games in Los Angeles, with car, tickets, and parking

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One’s Rent-A-Car Brings Japanese-Quality Service to Dodgers Game Days

japanup_akane 07/28/2026

One’s Rent-A-Car is now offering a special plan for fans heading to a Dodgers game, and it comes with something the big American rental chains do not: the attentive, Japanese-style service you would expect back home. The plan bundles a rental car with game tickets and stadium parking in one deal, and every location is staffed by Japanese-speaking team members, so booking, pickup, and any questions along the way all happen in your language. Why Rent from One’s Rent-A-Car For anyone who misses the reliability and thoughtful touches of renting a car in Japan, this is the closest thing in…