This celebration throws everything you thought you knew about Japanese culture out the window.
Yankee
Every year all eyes are on the flashiest fashions at Kitakyushu, but there’s another side to the story.
Never get into pointless arguments on the Internet, especially if the other person is friends with a yakuza member.
Kimonos and gangsta flair to celebrate freedom and individuality before conforming to Japanese society.
Rather than some social program saying farming is good for “troubled youth,” Vegefru Farms says “troubled youth” are the answer to farming’s prayers.
Just because you’re an alpaca, doesn’t mean you can’t have the hair and the attitude of a Shibuya bad-boy. Meet Nagasaki’s “Yankee Alpaca.”
To most people around the world, the word ‘Yankee’ is used as a (sometimes derogatory) slang term for Americans in general. To most Americans, ‘Yankee’ refers to a person living in one of the six northeastern states of New England. To die-hard Red Sox fans, just hearing the phrase ‘New York Yankees’ is enough to make their blood boil. But that’s a different story…
Curiously enough, the word ‘yankee’ (ヤンキー) has also established itself within the Japanese lexicon, albeit with extremely different connotations. In Japan, a ‘yankee’ conjures up images of juvenile delinquents and biker gangs (more on that later). While this Japanese subculture may have died down considerably since its heyday in the 1980s, one museum in Hiroshima Prefecture has just opened a special exhibit titled ‘Yankee Anthropology’. This exhibit explores Yankee culture from a serious, academic perspective and includes various related realia. If you’ve always been fascinated by this aspect of Japanese subculture, now’s the perfect excuse to head over to Hiroshima!
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Japan’s instant ramen snack theme park features an athletic course even adults can enjoy
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Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
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Weekly
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Monthly
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The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home- Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
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Studio Ghibli launches huge new anime movie T-shirt collection with special design details
Yearly
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
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
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
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Memorial bell inside Hiroshima’s Peace Park has been silenced, but for a sweet reason
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You’ll never win cash or prizes or cash at this Tokyo pachinko parlor, and that’s why it’s so cool
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7-Eleven Japan adds macaroni cheese sandwiches to its convenience store food range
Pokémon Company to require Japanese government ID cards for some online Pokémon card purchases
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