Insider
“Never Hire Ugly Women”: Old Kinokuniya Hiring Memo Shows Japanese Business Has Changed
A resurfaced memo from the 1970s that came under fire when it was exposed in 1982 shows we've…
Insider
Society
In Japan, Parents Attend Matchmaking Events to Get Their Kids Hitched
Dairi konkatsu, or proxy marriage hunting, seems to be a modern twist on the old omiai tradition. But…
Race in Japan
Why French and Japanese X Users Declared War On Each Other
The riots in France somehow devolved into a nasty spat between the two nations on social media. Here's…
Women
Butsukari Ojisan: The Misogynistic Japanese Men Who Love Assaulting Women
Some Japanese men hate their lives so much that they've taken to body-checking random women to let off…
Recently popular
Most-read articles from the past 90 days
Travel
Overwhelmed Tourist Spot in Japan Closes After Only One Week
Exactly what caused this crater lake destination to close down after just one week? In a nutshell, operational…
News
Beyond Blurred Lines: Tokyo Art Exhibition Draws Backlash Over Explicit Images of Minors
One of Tokyo's ritziest hotels found itself in hot water over an art gallery exhibition that featured material…
Sex & Nightlife
Soaplands Explained: Are They Legal, and Can Foreigners Actually Go?
Soaplands are one of Japan's most euphemistic open secrets: “special bathhouses” where sex is sold under a legal…
Women
Butsukari Ojisan: The Misogynistic Japanese Men Who Love Assaulting Women
Some Japanese men hate their lives so much that they've taken to body-checking random women to let off…
Insider
A Tokyo Hotel Asked for Her Japanese Name. She Sued Instead
A Zainichi Korean woman is suing a hotel in Tokyo after they refused to let her check in…
Japanese Language
Why Are Fewer Japanese Men Calling Themselves “Ore”?
Japan’s masculine pronoun “ore” doesn't have the juice it used to. Instead, men are choosing boku, watashi, and…
Culture
Would You Live in a ‘Jiko Bukken’? Over Half in Japan Say Yes – If the Price Is Right
While such properties have long been stigmatized, attitudes may be changing as the cost of everything rises.
Sex & Nightlife
Coffee Shop Cool: Inside the Kabukicho Kissaten That (Almost) Never Sleeps
How a coffee shop with rock-bottom prices became a home away from home for the diverse denizens of…
If you read one thing today · Japanese Language
Kanji Forever? Why Japan Still Uses Chinese Characters, But Korea Mostly Doesn’t
Japan spent a century trying to abolish kanji, from an 1866 petition to the shogun to a postwar novelist who wanted Japan to adopt French. Here's why it failed.
Read the full story →
Japan, seen.
Personalized tours with knowledgeable, Japanese-speaking guides who'll take you where most travelers can't go.
Get a quote today → Overwhelmed Tourist Spot in Japan Closes After Only One Week
Exactly what caused this crater lake destination to close down after just one week? In a nutshell, operational…
It Takes Residents 2 Hours to Leave Home at This Nara Tourist Destination
Soni Village has beautiful fields of Japanese silver grass, and also a somewhat unique overtourism problem.
What Happens If You Get Sick While Traveling in Japan?
Sick in Japan? Don't panic. Learn where tourists can get care, what it costs, and why travel insurance…
Japan’s Love Hotels Advertising as Ordinary Hotels is Biting Travelers (Not in the Good Way)
Sometimes, love hotels mask themselves as ordinary hotels. Learn the key differences and what to look for when…
Happening Bars: Can Foreigners Actually Get Into Japan’s Sex Clubs?
What are happening bars? What actually "happens" in one? And the bigger question as a foreigner in Japan:…
A Crime-Free Kabukicho? Tokyo Police Start “Purging” Touts and Scouts
Touts and scouts in Kabukicho say they feel they're in the middle of a crackdown. Will this new…
21 Soaplands Shut Overnight, Leaving Japanese Sex Workers High and Dry
The incident highlights the shift in sex-related businesses in Japan - and the precarious situation of sex workers.
Japanese Women Increasingly Trafficked Overseas for Sex Work by Scout Groups
The groups have made a killing by recruiting financially vulnerable women. Ordinary Japanese travelers are feeling the blowback.
Vegetarian in Japan? Watch Out for the Fish Stock
While Japanese cuisine might seem vegetarian-friendly on the surface, one of its most common seasonings is fish-based and…
Shake (鮭) vs. Salmon (サーモン): How Norwegian Salmon Became a Sushi Staple in Japan
Curious why there are two names for salmon in Japanese? There's an interesting historical (and scientific!) reason behind…
“You’re a Woman, So Use Chopsticks”: The Yakitori Fight Over How Women Eat
A woman says her boyfriend seemed poised to break up with her for the way she ate yakitori.…
Is That Izakaya a Trap? Japanese Eaters Say Watch Out for These Warning Signs
What you need to know to avoid the typical izakaya traps: all about touting, snuck-in fees, and fishy…
Japan Doesn’t Trust JR East’s Suica Mascot Vote. Blame the Takanawa Gateway Affair
JR East is letting riders vote on its new mascot. But some expressed skepticism that their opinion would…
An Old Public Bathhouse in Kyoto Becomes a Concert Venue
Japan's public bathhouses are struggling to stay alive. Here's how one Kyoto venue found a unique solution for…
Why You Still Need Cash in Japan: A Cautionary Tale
You just finished your meal at a Japanese restaurant. Then you realize the store only takes cash. Don't…
Japan’s Extreme Heat is Killing Off Its Cultural Traditions One by One
As Japan gets hotter, age-old cultural rituals such as radio calisthenics, going to the beach, and even Obon…
Butsukari Ojisan: The Misogynistic Japanese Men Who Love Assaulting Women
Some Japanese men hate their lives so much that they've taken to body-checking random women to let off…
Japanese City Tries Gamification to Get More Husbands to Do Housework
Fukushima is launching an experimental app to see if gamifying housework will help close the chore gap in…
Why Police Advise Japanese Women Not to Claim Their Lost Property
How a legal oversight allows some men in Japan to turn a nice need into an excuse to…
The K-Pop Fashion Trend Protecting Japanese Women from Upskirt Photography
Japan's latest festival wear isn't just cool and comfortable: some women say it's the perfect protection from perverts.
Why Are Fewer Japanese Men Calling Themselves “Ore”?
Japan’s masculine pronoun “ore” doesn't have the juice it used to. Instead, men are choosing boku, watashi, and…
Why Did Japan Alone Keep Two Layers of Kanji Readings?
Languages can be stubborn things. You can see this clearly in Japanese, where multiple layers of kanji pronunciation…
Kanji Kentei: Inside the Japanese Test That Even Japanese People Find Difficult
Forget the JLPT. If you want to take a truly hard Japanese test, check out the Kanji Kentei,…
Japan Discovers Changing Your “Kira-Kira” Name is Cheap (But Not Easy)
A viral post brings to light that changing a name in Japan is much cheaper than you might…
“He’s a Victim Too”: People Defend Japanese Man Convicted of Female Streamer Mogami Ai’s Murder
Takano Ken’ichi stabbed Satō Airi, known online as Mogami Ai, 55 times. A brutal murder. So why are…
Why Did This School in Japan Quietly Fire a Teacher for Sexual Coercion?
A teacher emailed a student 192 times, ordering her to commit sex acts. Why did it take 18…
Japan’s Internet Wants Uchida Riko Executed. Here’s Why That Won’t Happen
The Internet is calling for blood in the brutal murder of a 17-year-old girl. But prosecutors are following…
“Accidental” Affair? Japan Supreme Court Reconsiders Cheating Damages Award
On June 5, 2026, Japan's Supreme Court issued its first-ever ruling on a question most Westerners don't know…
JLPT Seats Are Running Out as Japan Ties More Visas to Japanese Tests
Just as the government is adding Japanese-language requirements to certain visas, the twice-yearly JLPTs are getting seriously crowded.
“Katakana Hell”: The Culture Shocks Japan’s Asian Immigrants Actually Face
What surprises Asian immigrants in Japan? From corporate jargon to the country's famously indirect "no," there's a lot…
Japan’s New Permanent-Residency Rules Would Demand Foreigners Out-Earn Most Japanese
Japan may soon raise the income requirements for permanent residency, shutting out most workers here from ever qualifying.
Nara Deer Move Themselves to Osaka – and Nara Doesn’t Want Them Back
There are too many deer in Nara Park. To remedy the situation, it seems at least a few…
Dōjinshi Market Squeezed as Major Printers Fueling Comiket Close Shop
The printers who make fan manga possible are closing at an alarming rate. The Middle East ink crisis…
Universal Studios Japan’s First Adults-Only Attraction is Such a Scream, It Requires a Waiver
Exactly what is it about this year's Halloween event that requires a waiver and an R-18 rating? Psychological…
20% of Japan’s Manga Artists and Illustrators Say AI Has Cut Their Income
A new Nikkei survey finds that roughly one in five Japanese manga artists and illustrators say generative AI…
Galapagos Rock: Why It’s So Hard for Foreign J-Pop Fans to Buy Concert Tickets in Japan
Some overseas fans of Japanese music say the hassle is proof that "Japan hates foreigners." The truth is…
40% of Young Japanese Men Don’t Own a TV
The data shows people aren't just moving online - they're not watching content from traditional broadcast networks at…
Japan’s Anime and Manga Industries Are Feeling the AI Squeeze
Japan's anime and manga industries are growing wary of the impact of GenAI on their bottom line -…
Hanafuda: How a Banned Card Game Defined the Pre-Pokémon Era
Before Mario, Nintendo sold hanafuda cards to the yakuza. Read the 400-year forbidden history of the flower cards…
Japanese Sex Toy Firm Tenga Suffers US Data Breach
The company took pains to reassure its Japanese customer base that information about their masturbatory habits was safe.
Kaneko Fumiko: The Japanese Anarchist Who Died Young Defying the Emperor
The state never even recorded her birth. A century after the Japanese anarchist Kaneko Fumiko died in prison…
Suzuki Masa: The Samurai’s Daughter Who Helped Found Modern Japanese Nursing
NHK's 2026 morning drama Kaze, Kaoru modeled one of its heroines on a woman most people in Japan…
Kikuya: The Cast-Out Dancer Who Invented the Geisha
The Tatsumi Geisha were the first female geisha of Japan. And they owe their existence to a woman…
Sapporo Lets “Ainu Aren’t Indigenous” Panel Exhibit Run – Again – Despite Opposition
The city of Sapporo cleared a display that denies the legal status of the Ainu - and that…
In Japan, Parents Attend Matchmaking Events to Get Their Kids Hitched
Dairi konkatsu, or proxy marriage hunting, seems to be a modern twist on the old omiai tradition. But…
Divorced but Still Sharing a Futon: Inside Japan’s “Cohabiting Divorce”
As Japan's divorce rate goes down, some experts say the country is seeing a rise in couples who…
Every Employer in Japan Must Now Protect Its Workers From Customer Harassment
The new national legal requirement doesn't carry any direct fines, and customers face no potential punishment for crossing…
This New Japanese Service Will Ditch Your Partner For You
Want to break up with someone, but are afraid what their reaction might be? Japan has a service…
In Japan, LGBTQ Protections Depend on Which Town You Live In
Japan just approved its first national LGBT plan. But with no anti-discrimination law and partnership certificates that carry…
Tokyo Court Awards Damages to Outed Transgender Author
Award-winning author Li Kotomi won a small but symbolic ruling against a lawyer who had been involved in…
Love and Cherry Blossoms: Celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride in Japan’s Rural North
While Tokyo’s cherry blossoms had all but disappeared from the trees, Japan’s most iconic trees had just gone…
“Love Wins”: Marriage Equality Advocates in Japan Press Case Ahead of Supreme Court Ruling
As Japan's Supreme Court prepares to hear a pivotal case on marriage equality, a local advocacy group launches…
From the archive
Evergreen reads from our back catalog
Featured
How to Ditch Duolingo and Actually Learn Japanese
Want an alternative to Duolingo now that they're firing workers and resorting to AI slop? Here's a much…
Culture
The Scary Reasons Purikura Booths In Japan Ban Men
Purikura photo booths remain popular in Japan. But if you're an unaccompanied male, odds are you won't be…
Food
A Guide to High-Protein Eating at 7-Eleven Japan
Looking to pack on muscle while in Japan? Why the country's largest konbini chain may just be your…
Culture
The “Gaijin Hunter” Exists – But It’s Not What You’re Expecting
Most foreigners reported experiences with a "gaijin hunter". But the reality of these interactions is more complicated than…
Society
In Japan, Rental Family Services Let You Hire Actors to Play Family Roles
Would you hire a stranger to be your spouse or your parent? For some in Japan, the rental…
Featured
Furuta Junko: The Horrific Murder That Tested Japan
How the case of Furuta Junko led Japan's press to break the rules, and citizens to question the…
Japanese Language
Husband in Japanese: 6 Words and When to Use Each
Japanese is fraught with unspoken rules and meanings. For example: how should people refer to their husbands?
Japanese Language
Japanese Restaurant Menus: Reading the Kanji
Reading Japanese menus can be tricky, as you'll often find many kanji you don't encounter elsewhere. Here's a…
Insider is Unseen Japan's paid weekly tier. Subscribers get bonus articles, deeper investigations, and full archive access. Free readers can browse and read previews of every Insider post before subscribing.
“Never Hire Ugly Women”: Old Kinokuniya Hiring Memo Shows Japanese Business Has Changed
A resurfaced memo from the 1970s that came under fire when it was exposed in 1982 shows we've…
Japan Doesn’t Love AI As Much As You Think It Does
Does Japan REALLY welcome its new robot overlords? A deep dive into what Japan thinks about AI.
Why Japan’s Legal Nightlife Workers Get Publicly Shunned
A canceled baseball pitch demonstrates how Japan's nightlife workers are stigmatized, even after they move on with their…
A Tokyo Hotel Asked for Her Japanese Name. She Sued Instead
A Zainichi Korean woman is suing a hotel in Tokyo after they refused to let her check in…
25 Years Later, School in Japan Fires Teacher for Sex with Student
A former student said her teacher had sex with her in high school. The school fired him -…
How Kusama Yayoi’s Death Puts a Spotlight on Japan’s “Whiteness Problem”
The death of Japanese artist Kusama Yayoi prompted many English-language social media users to revisit her racist screeds.…
How Japanese Media Uses Language to Launder Sexual Violence
Four different media outlets reported a recent incident of sexual assault in four different ways. Only two of…
Maiko: I Tried to Leave the Geisha World. They Sent Me a Bill
A former maiko who says she was harassed and abused in Japan's geisha world is now telling her…