Gacha Gacha

In the land of onomatopoeia, "Gacha Gacha" is the sound of surprise you make after trying your luck at Gachappon, a plastic capsule dispenser. Turns out, Japan is full of surprises...

Discover Off-beat Japan

In Japan, the “washlet” combines Western toilets with Japanese hygiene standards. A clever combination of comfort and cleanliness, they're considered a basic essential for people in Japan, although visitors may be left baffled as to how to use them. They have dozens of functionalities.

Toilets, Perfected

Japanese toilets make the bathroom experience a high tech luxury

Gacha Gacha (1/9)

Eating ramen in Japan is a unique sensory and auditory experience. Here, the noodles are noisily slurped up. Considered rude in the West, in Japan this every day gesture is imbued with meaning.

Zuru Zuru: The Sound of Street Food

In Japan, far from being rude, slurping is all about appreciating ramen's unique palette of flavours

Gacha Gacha (2/9)

In Tokyo, sounds blair at you from all sides: the traffic lights that sound like chirping birds, the beep that signals when you enter a shop, and most of all, the delicate and detailed train station jingles. Every station has its own aural identity, crafted by a dedicated composer who has been writing train jingles for decades. 

Eki-Melody: Japan's Train Jingles

 Every station has its own aural identity, crafted by composer who has been writing train jingles for decades

Gacha Gacha (3/9)

Almost every public place in Tokyo is spotless, rubbed and polished clean by government workers. But there are places even their hard-working hands don't quite reach: grimy neighbourhoods full of character and down-in-the-heel charm. And in those streets, roams an elderly ramen seller making his living feeding drunks in the middle of the night.

The Old Ramen Seller

In grimy neighbourhoods full of character, an elderly ramen seller ekes out a living feeding drunks

Gacha Gacha (4/9)

In Japan politeness is deeply codified depending on your place in the hierarchy. Where you stand in the lift, how you get into a taxi, and especially how you greet others, depends on your social standing. The concept of Ojigi is instilled in every Japanese child, and adults go on to hire consultants to make sure they get the nuances just right. But if it sounds deeply constraining, it is supposed to provide balance and stability.

Ojigi, The Art of Deference

In Japan where you stand in the lift, how you get into a taxi, and especially how you greet others, depends on your social standing

Gacha Gacha (5/9)

Daruma is doll that is supposed to grant wishes. Derived from Buddhism, Daruma is steeped in Shinto tradition. Once a year, at the Jindai-ji temple near Tokyo, a fete full of food, prayer and wishes in dedicated to him. It's a chance for believers to make their wishes for the year ahead. 

Daruma, A Nation's Lucky Charm

Once a year, at the Jindai-ji temple near Tokyo, a fete full of food, prayer and wishes in dedicated to Daruma

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In Japan, finger pointing is a technique that standardises security checks. This practice is a choreography of gestures that keeps trains running safely and on time. Pointing the finger in Japan, far from denoting blame, focuses the mind.

Yubisashi Kakunin: It's Polite to Point

Pointing the finger in Japan, far from denoting blame, focuses the mind

Gacha Gacha (7/9)

It can be hard to make new friends as an adult, but sometimes catching up with old friends can feel more like keeping up with the Joneses. But the Cheerful cheerleading group is different. They are all about discipline, energy, and mutual support. 

The Cheerful Squad

How a disparate group of women bonded over their shared love of cheerleading

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In a city as crowded as Tokyo, even the rooftop space isn't wasted, but converted instead into golf courses, or football pitches. But it's not just a place to decompress. For some, it's compulsory. 