OWL Magazine Korea

During my recent trip to Tokyo, I explored several bookstores in Shinjuku. I visited the main store of Kinokuniya, a prominent bookstore in Shinjuku, and explored various other bookstores in the vicinity. On the second day of my journey, I also visited the Kanda Bookstore District, where I could browse through stores selling used and rare books. The reason behind ...

Major cities around the world display sculptures with the word “LOVE.” These sculptures can be found in major cities such as Tokyo, Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philadelphia, and New York. In South Korea, you can also find the LOVE sculpture, and in Tokyo, Japan, there is a notable LOVE sculpture. “Created by Robert Indiana” The LOVE sculpture is the work ...

In Tokyo’s Shinjuku, you can find various places to explore, and one of the places worth a brief visit is “Mosaic Street (モザイク通り).” This is a small alley located to the west of Shinjuku Station, and its distinctive feature is the ceiling adorned with chandeliers. While it may not be a place you intentionally seek out due to its short ...

In Tokyo’s famous bustling district, Shinjuku, there is a place known as “Omoide Yokocho,” which translates to “Memory Lane” in English. This alley has preserved the atmosphere of the past and is filled with small bars and restaurants, starting to emerge around 1946. “The Narrow Alley” The alley is quite narrow, making it challenging for two adult men to pass ...

While arcades have become scarce in South Korea, Japan still boasts numerous large arcades featuring games like crane machines. In Tokyo, buildings adorned with the sign “SEGA” can be easily found, housing arcades filled with crane machines, video games, and more – akin to the prevalence of PC bangs in South Korea. “Large SEGA Arcade in Shinjuku Kabukicho”: Even in ...

Travelers in Japan often purchase various medicines from large pharmacies readily found across the country. These stores, with signs displaying the character for “medicine” (藥), offer a variety of medications that can be purchased without a prescription. Japan has many large pharmacies where you can buy non-prescription drugs. Some well-known franchises include “Daikoku Drug Store” and “Matsumoto Kiyoshi.” Famous Medications ...

The area around Tokyo Shinjuku is divided into several districts, and among them, you can find a place called “Kabukicho.” This area was developed as part of the post-World War II revival effort in Japan. The urban development project in Shinjuku started in 1948, and due to plans to build a performance hall in Kabukicho, it was named “Kabukicho.” Ironically, ...

Slam Dunk is a basketball manga serialized by Japanese author Takehiko Inoue, gaining tremendous popularity in Japan. It has surpassed 170 million cumulative views in Japan, earning a spot in the Boy Jump 100 Million Club and setting records as the top-selling sports manga, both overall and per volume, as well as ranking third in overall Japanese manga sales. This ...

In Tokyo Shinjuku, you can find one of Japan’s largest bookstores, the “Kinokuniya Bookstore.” It’s a franchise bookstore found throughout Japan, with its main store located in Shinjuku. Comparing it to South Korea, it’s akin to the feeling you get from major bookstores like Kyobo Bookstore, and the main store has a vibe similar to Kyobo Bookstore Gwanghwamun Branch. Kinokuniya ...

Japan, being an advanced nation and a neighboring country to South Korea, naturally hosts global companies. In Japan, you can find McDonald’s outlets similar to those in South Korea. McDonald’s has grown into a global giant, with locations worldwide. The concept of the “Big Mac” menu item led to the creation of an economic index measuring purchasing power based on ...

With Starbucks now a ubiquitous presence worldwide, it has established itself as the largest global coffee chain, offering a popular and comfortable space concept. However, there is another coffee franchise that takes a different approach and competes with Starbucks. While not as large in scale yet, Blue Bottle has been expanding its business with a strategy that focuses solely on ...

In the Shinjuku area of Tokyo, there are various attractions to explore. Particularly, Kabukicho in Shinjuku is known as one of the most famous places. This area is not only a well-known tourist spot but is also considered somewhat risky in Tokyo, earning its reputation as a major entertainment district not only in Japan but also in Asia. “Originating from ...