Village Vanguard’s most expensive Black Lucky Bag sets an ominous tone for 2026
I see a bag of goods and it’s all painted black. It’s the start of the new year, and that means it’s the season for fukubukuro, Japanese lucky bags sold…
First Good News of 2026!COCOS 4 Game Engine Goes Open Source
Previously proprietary, this game engine is now fully open source.
Should you dip your cake in sake? One Japanese brewer says no, but actually yes【 Taste test】
145-year-old Niigata brewery gives us some confusing but intriguing advice. The brewery Kikusui Shuzo has been in business in Niigata Prefecture in 1881, so they know a thing or two…
Maple Leafs after 41: How did injuries affect Toronto’s first half of the season?
The Leafs have yet to play a single game this season with a fully healthy lineup, but how bad do they have it relative to opponents?
NHL weekend rankings: On the Rangers, the Red Wings and the awful Pacific Division
The point of this column is to rank who's most likely to win the Stanley Cup. Normally that means a team from each division. Not today.
Sam Bennett still processing Team Canada omission after 4 Nations experience
Bennett, who is on the hottest scoring streak of his NHL career, scored to force overtime in the 4 Nations Face-Off gold medal game.
Building Team Sweden: Hallam on leaving off Ekholm and other top D, Wallstedt earning a spot, more
The Swedish coach had especially hard decisions to make on defense, passing on Mattias Ekholm, Hampus Lindholm and Simon Edvinsson.
World Juniors 2026 semifinals: Czechs knock out Canada again, Swedish draft eligibles stand out
The stage is set for the medal games at the 2026 World Juniors following Sunday's two excellent semifinals.
Play games, learn, and get your fortune at Ginza’s limited-time Tsunaguu “Shrine of the Future”
Even better, it’s a completely free way to spend some time in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza shopping district. Ginza 456, created by major Japanese telecommunications operator KDDI, is a futuristic facility…
Japanese beef bowl chain Sukiya’s 2026 Smile Box lucky bag basically pays for itself
This year’s lucky bag is all about everyday usefulness. Every New Year in Japan, lucky bags (“fukubukuro”) appear everywhere, often with some great deals. We always like to keep an…