For all its skyscrapers and modern conveniences, Tokyo still has myriads of stores and businesses keeping old traditions alive in the streets of the city. One of these places is a little shop called ...

It’s said to be the oldest known human habit. Picking teeth. We’ve all been there, done that. The humble toothpick comes handy when the tongue can’t dislodge those annoying bits of food. Studies have ...

A gigantic toothpick is seen in this photo posted on Kikusui Sangyo Co.'s official X account on April Fools' Day. TOKYO -- Various manufacturers in Japan took to social media with an April Fools' Day ...

OMI-HACHIMAN, Shiga Prefecture--Shigenobu Sato found himself at a loose end after he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60. But over a meal one day, he had a flash of inspiration when he caught ...

Here’s a typical toothpick dispenser, which is often spotted at Italian restaurants or pizza joints: Now here’s a Darth Vader toothpick holder, which might soon be spotted in the homes of Star Wars ...

TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. About the Archive This is a digitized version of an article from The Times’s print archive, before the start of online ...