America-mura in Osaka is a place that exudes a mix of the atmosphere found in Seoul’s Hongdae and Itaewon in South Korea. Among the establishments, there is a shopping mall called “Big Step,” which serves as a landmark in America-mura. At Big Step, you can discover various unique stores, with many shops dealing in eccentric items that catch the eye. ...
In Akihabara, the hub of Japanese subculture, you can discover various general stores. Many of these stores primarily sell character goods related to manga, animation, and figures. Sofmap is one such store, and what sets it apart from other general stores is its offering of a diverse range of products, including books. “Sofmap Merged with Bic Camera” Sofmap was absorbed ...
Japan can be considered a paradise for subculture enthusiasts, as you can easily find stores selling products related to subcultures throughout the country. “Animate” is one such specialty store dealing with various products related to manga and animation. Operated as a franchise, Animate has numerous stores across Japan, surpassing the number of outlets of major bookstores like Kyobo in South ...
While in South Korea, KakaoTalk is widely used by the entire nation, in Japan, it is no exaggeration to say that almost the entire population uses an online messenger called “LINE.” LINE is a mobile messenger created by Naver in South Korea, and although it failed to dominate the market against KakaoTalk in South Korea, it succeeded in Japan. Currently, ...
Japan can be considered a paradise for subculture enthusiasts, with many stores offering products related to subculture. “Animate” is one such specialty store dealing with various products related to manga and anime. As a franchise, it operates throughout Japan. “Animate – Largest Number of Stores in Japan” Animate is recognized as the animation and manga-related store with the most extensive ...
In the past, collecting figures was considered part of otaku culture, but recently, the atmosphere around figure collecting hobbies seems to have become more mainstream. Now, you can find stores selling figure-related products in various locations throughout Seoul, and shops selling goods related to comics and animation are gradually appearing. Of course, compared to Japan, which can be considered the ...
KakaoTalk has become an integral part of daily life to the extent that imagining a day without it is challenging. Leveraging the success of KakaoTalk, Kakao has developed and sells character products based on the emoticons used in KakaoTalk. The place to find such products is the “KAKAO FRIENDS” store. “Gangnam KAKAO FRIENDS Store” You can also find the KAKAO ...
Seoul’s Gangnam area is considered one of the representative bustling districts in Seoul, attracting a large number of people with various shops and brands densely packed. A short distance away from the “KAKAO FRIENDS” store, which sells various products featuring characters from KakaoTalk, one can find the “LINE FRIENDS” store. “More widely used overseas than domestically, LINE Messenger” While in ...
Myeongdong Cathedral is the principal church of the Archdiocese of Seoul in the Catholic Church, an architectural masterpiece constructed in the Neo-Gothic style. The hill in Myeongdong where the cathedral stands was once known as ‘Myeongrye-bang,’ the site of the residence of Thomas Kim Beom-woo, the first pilgrim of the Catholic faith in Korea. This area witnessed the first Catholic ...
Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 commenced operations on January 18, 2018, as a response to the growing number of international travelers, necessitating the expansion of Incheon Airport. Originally planned to be situated south of Incheon Airport Terminal 1, technical constraints led to the decision to place Terminal 2 on the north side of the airport. “Incheon Airport Terminal 2, Travelmate” ...
The area in front of Hongik University in Seoul is aptly nicknamed the street of youth. Known for its youthful population, it’s a trendy and culturally sensitive area where you can find people and shops expressing diverse personalities. Thanks to this, in the vicinity of Hongdae, you can discover many shops that showcase strong individuality. Even within the “AK Plaza” ...
In the heart of Tokyo, there’s a place known as ‘Kanda Jinbocho,’ often referred to as a used bookstore or antiquarian bookshop street. You can find bookstores of various sizes here, known for primarily dealing with used books, hence its name. Some establishments also sell extremely old publications, adding another layer to its character as an antiquarian bookshop street. “Exploring ...