Food fight! Are these foods cultural adaptations, or abominations? Students take up issue with their university’s menu.
culture (Page 41)
‘Tis the season for grumbling about cultural differences, but does it have to be?
Experience the samurai spirit first-hand with original swords and armour at the recently opened Samurai Museum.
After a week in China, one of our Japanese writers brought home a list of thoughts to share with us.
Studies show that only 60 percent of Japanese 20-somethings are able to correctly solve this math problem, compared to a whopping 90 percent 30 years ago.
From fashion to extracurricular activities, the lives of an American colleges students are an ocean apart from their counterparts in Japan.
See this tanuki? Aren’t his balls cute? Welcome to Japan, where raccoon-dog genitals are universally admired.
14 Japanese volunteers tell us about moments in their lives that seemed to come straight out of an anime.
What would be the ultimate luxury in personal service for a highborn aristocrat? Someone to draw your bath? Peel your grapes? Fan you with palm fronds? How about a servant whose job it is to take the blame for your farts.
After these passengers got stranded, they walked the rest of the way in such a precise line they practically became a train themselves.
Despite Japan’s relative safety, abundance of delicious food, fascinating culture, and friendly people, the country still lags behind as a tourist destination for foreign travellers. So the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games are the perfect opportunity for Japan to show off its famed omotenashi hospitality to the droves of foreign visitors who’ll be pouring into Tokyo to spectate.
As foreigners who’ve been living in Japan for a while, we think we might have some pretty good ideas about certain things Japan could do in order to make things a little easier on this influx of foreign guests…
Earlier this month, we looked at a collection of photos taken by the late Kusakabe Kimbei that showed the cityscapes of Japan as they looked in the late 1800s, right before the country’s rapid modernization. But Kimbei didn’t just photograph Japan, he also photographed the Japanese, so today we’re taking another trip back in time, but with a more personal touch, with dozens of photographs that show what daily life was like for the people of Japan generations ago.
In the past few months the Japanese word mottainai, which conveys a sense of regret over waste, has begun to spread into the Western world, and the concept of mottainai can be seen most clearly in every bowl of rice.
Transplanting yourself into another country can help you learn the language, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll absorb every bit of the culture. This image is a perfect example of that: Your understanding will depend entirely on how familiar you are with Japanese culture and history. So, we’ve broken this package down into five degrees of cultural awareness! And don’t feel bad if you don’t “get it,” because quite a few Japanese people were lost as well.
Most schools expect their students to attend classes punctually and students are commonly penalized when they fail to do so. At a certain school in China, a teacher used to punish his students by making them write English sentences when they were late for class, until he came across the “most complicated” Chinese character, which now has become an effective measure in keeping his students on the ball where punctuality is concerned.
If you’ve ever faced such a punishment and felt that writing “I will not be late for class again” over and over again was a dreadful experience, try writing this!
Any expat, exchange student, or anybody who has otherwise spent a long period of time abroad will tell you that, while the local food is exciting and fun and delicious for a while, eventually you’ll start to experience intense urges for the comfort foods and products of your native land. For some, these urges may be occasional, mild pangs, but for many, the urges are so strong they can’t resist stocking up on boxes and boxes full of their favorite items from home every time they head back.
Recently, a Japanese female expat who has been living in America for years introduced our sister site to the top 10 items that she likes to stock up on when she visits Japan:
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Now
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Is a snow day the perfect day to beat the crowds at a popular ramen restaurant? [Experiment]
Sanrio changes Hello Kitty lead designer for first time in 46 years
Our reporter is willing to die on the pseudo-Italian restaurant Olive Hill
Paying for prostitution isn’t illegal in Japan, but it could be soon
Japanese city paints well-known prostitution street bright yellow, adds fish art【Video】
What’s on the all-you-can-drink menu at Denny’s Japan? 【Family Restaurant Drink Bar Showdown】
Man arrested in Japan after leaving car in coin parking lot for six years, racking up three-million-yen bill
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Weekly
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Three beautiful places to see Japan’s plum blossoms after starting your day in downtown Tokyo
Downloads of 39-year-old Guns N’ Roses song increase 12,166 percent thanks to Gundam
A look back on 40 years of Japanese schools banning stuff- Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Huge Evangelion Unit-01 head appearing in lights in Japan to celebrate anime’s 30th anniversary
New Family Mart cinema opens inside Japanese airport- Man arrested in Japan after leaving car in coin parking lot for six years, racking up three-million-yen bill
Monthly
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Japan releases first official sakura cherry blossom forecast for 2026
Archfiend Hello Kitty appears as Sanrio launches new team-up with Yu-Gi-Oh【Pics】
China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning looks to be affecting tourist crowds on Miyajima- Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
- Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
Studio Ghibli releases new “komorebi” plush toys from Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away
Yokai are descending upon Tokyo this spring in the latest immersive art experience
Japan’s Naruto theme park now offering real-world version of Minato’s kunai ninja weapon
New Studio Ghibli stamps leave an impression on your stationery…and your heart
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo- Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
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Paying for prostitution isn’t illegal in Japan, but it could be soon
Japanese city paints well-known prostitution street bright yellow, adds fish art【Video】
What’s on the all-you-can-drink menu at Denny’s Japan? 【Family Restaurant Drink Bar Showdown】
Man arrested in Japan after leaving car in coin parking lot for six years, racking up three-million-yen bill
Hunter x Hunter teams up with Shimamura clothing chain for clothing and more treasures galore
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McDonald’s Japan hack: What happens when you put an apple pie inside a Big Mac?
Foreigner and skiing pals get lost in Japan, call cops for help, ignore them when they call back
Yoshinoya’s new Super-Special-Large Bowl: A gigantic three-animal 1,700-calorie fest【Taste test】
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Hayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the Horse
Anime and video game backgrounds now free to download for video conference calls
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