We’ve included some events and scandals that were big in Japan, so be sure to find out what they are!
Amy Chavez
Amy Chavez lives on a Shiraishijima, a small island in Japan's Seto Inland Sea, with 563 other crazy people. She also writes for the Japan Times, blogs for HuffPo, and has authored two books: Japan, Funny Side Up and Running the Shikoku Pilgrimage: 900 Miles to Enlightenment. She loves running really long distances, skiing super steep mountains and sailing the calm waters of the Seto Inland Sea. Her motto in life is: "Surround yourself with beauty and peace."
Posted by Amy Chavez
The status of women in Japan is changing and the Japanese language is being modified along with it. Let’s see how women are viewed these days by surveying some of the modern Japanese words used to describe them.
We’ve talked before about a few of the discriminatory measures against women in Japan, but there are still a few more. Let’s take a peek!
Japan must be one of the cleanest countries in the world. What’s behind it all? Find out what makes Japan so pika-pika!
We’ve talked before about geisha as one of Japan’s distinctly female professions, so this time we’re going to share with you a few fun facts about the geisha and their floating world.
The Japanese are known for being incredibly efficient, so you’d expect them to also have the most efficient gizmos. Today, we’re looking at eight Japanese gadgets that we’ve become so dependent on, we can’t live without them!
The Setouchi Triennale Art Festival takes place every three years on the art islands of Japan’s Seto Inland Sea–and this year is a festival year! Let’s check it out!
We recently visited the new Nadeshiko Hotel and were truly impressed. Find out what this women-only capsule hotel has to offer!
“You know you’ve been in Japan too long when you start bowing on the telephone” is an old classic. But how about those things that, even if you haven’t been here long, still make you stop and think, yup, this is definitely Japan!
We spent a day taking photos from the back of a pick-up truck in the Philippines. This is what we saw…
If you’ve ever wanted to swim with whale sharks but weren’t sure if it’s an eco-friendly idea or not, then this article is for you.
Bear sacrifice, female tattooing and fish-skin boots are all hallmarks of Ainu culture. Join us as we learn about Japan’s indigenous people and watch an intriguing video about their way of life.
Believe it or not, there’s a Japanese Way of taking photos. We’ve compiled some cultural guidelines as well as language tips to help you take happy snappies on your next trip to Japan!
Today, we present five phases Western expats go through, from arriving fresh off the boat to thinking about retirement, when living in Japan.
Today we’re introducing you to the basics of Japanese Buddhism, plus highlighting some of the Buddhist images you’ll see in Japan and help you distinguish them from Shinto ones.
The culture of tea in Japan goes back one thousand years. Today, we’re going to scratch the surface with this short introduction to the wonders of the Japanese tea ceremony.
There’s a lot to look forward to in the Year of the Monkey—Here are just a few of the top Japan-related events you won’t want to miss in 2016!
We asked expats living in Japan if they thought that simply living here has made them a better person. Find out the results: the good, the bad and the ugly!
The Japanese are known for their politeness, so it’s only natural that visitors to Japan want to know what to do, or not do, to avoid appearing rude. Check out this list of little behaviors that you won’t find in your guidebook.
We asked Japanese people to tell us the things foreigners say or think about Japan that really gets their goat—and they were happy to oblige! How many of these faux pas are you guilty of?
MOST POPULAR
Now
Japanese communities giving their skylines a spring clean and saying goodbye to power lines
Foreigner accidentally allowed to vote in Japanese election, ballot will remain valid
Shibuya Halloween had a very different feel this year
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
Masahiko Ozumi Paris in Osaka makes the comfiest desserts around
Kyoto becomes City of Yokai, with Night Parade of One Hundred Demons festival this autumn
New Akita Inu and Hachiko marshmallows are the best and squishiest souvenirs from Japan
Shinjuku izakaya’s all-you-can-eat-and-drink plan is one of Tokyo’s best secret cheap eats
Starbucks releases a tiny Matcha Frappuccino as part of new miniatures collection in Japan
Clear tonkotsu ramen becomes a cult hit at “Ramen Runway” in Japan
Weekly
- Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
Tokyo Disneyland loses top-attendance crown for Japanese theme parks for second year in a row
American gun owner opens our eyes to a different way of life in Tokyo
Foreign man arrested for grabbing former AKB48 idol on Tokyo street, forcing her to ground
Starbucks Japan unveils new limited-edition Christmas menu at Reserve Roastery Tokyo- New Akita Inu and Hachiko marshmallows are the best and squishiest souvenirs from Japan
Burger King Japan creates Kyoto Whopper, its most Japanese burger ever, with Kyoto rice merchant
Non-tourist trap fish market in northeastern Japan captures our hearts with amazing sashimi
Adorable Totoro embroidered bags return with anti-reselling protection in place【Photos】
McDonald’s Japan debuts new anime girl mascot character with incredibly long name
Monthly
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Studio Ghibli releases new insect whistle necklace from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Totoro sequel anime Mei and the Baby Catbus will screen at Ghibli Park this winter- Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
Starbucks Japan unveils Halloween Frappuccino for 2024, and it’s like drinking a magic spell- Tokyo Disneyland loses top-attendance crown for Japanese theme parks for second year in a row
Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno returning to anime with new project for 50-year-old franchise
Studio Ghibli releases new Howl’s Moving Castle goods that capture the magic from the anime movie
Adult Jam Bread causes a stir at store in Tokyo- Kyoto becomes City of Yokai, with Night Parade of One Hundred Demons festival this autumn
Yearly
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengers
[Deleted] Article written for April Fool’s Day 2018
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design- Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
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Kyoto becomes City of Yokai, with Night Parade of One Hundred Demons festival this autumn
New Akita Inu and Hachiko marshmallows are the best and squishiest souvenirs from Japan
Shinjuku izakaya’s all-you-can-eat-and-drink plan is one of Tokyo’s best secret cheap eats
Starbucks releases a tiny Matcha Frappuccino as part of new miniatures collection in Japan
Clear tonkotsu ramen becomes a cult hit at “Ramen Runway” in Japan
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
The Vatican now has an official anime-style mascot character【Video】
Sanma-men, the best ramen type that everyone in Japan forgets about
Should DJs be the next big thing in Japanese preschools? This principal seems to think so
Japan’s Kanji of the Year announced for 2021, and it’s a familiar choice
Pompompurin and his cute little butt take over Shinjuku’s famous 3-D billboard
This super-compact raincoat from one of Japan’s 100-yen stores can literally fit in your pocket
Police officer arrested for repeatedly clogging women’s toilets, watching them get upset about it
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