Law & Crime
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…
Law & Crime
Business and Economy
Genericide, Japan Edition: How Japan’s Famous Names Slipped Into Common Speech
Like escalator and aspirin, Japan has its own list of trademarks that have succumbed to popular usage. But…
Insider
[Insider] Urine Nation: Japan’s 150-Years-Long War Against Peeing in Public
During Japan's Edo Era, peeing in the street wasn't a crime, but a contribution to the economy. Here's…
Travel
How Much Does a Private Guide in Japan Cost?
What does a private guide in Japan actually cost? Here's what you need to know and how to…
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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…
Insider
[Insider] New Zealand Deported a Japanese Porn Star. Is Japan’s Porn Law to Blame?
Japanese adult video actress Fukuda Yua says she was turned away at the New Zealand border. While she…
Travel
Why Some Japanese Restaurants Insist on “Japanese Language Only”
Here and there in Japan, one sees restaurants putting up signs refusing non-Japanese speakers. Is that necessarily a…
Law & Crime
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…
Insider
[Insider] Japan Wants to Jail Men Who Buy Sex. Sex Workers Say That’ll Get Women Hurt
A majority of voices are clamoring for Japan to criminalize prostitution buyers. Here’s why the country's sex worker…
Law & Crime
“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…
Women
Japanese Professor: Men Who Pick Up World Cup Trash Should “Do It at Home,” Too
FIFA praised Japanese fans for cleaning the World Cup stadium. A Chubu University professor's viral reply, however, asked…
Women
Japanese Announcer Uses Common-Law Marriage to Dodge Country’s Surname Law
TBS announcer Yamamoto Erika kept her name by choosing common-law marriage over a legal one - but she'll…
If you read one thing today · Travel
Shimokitazawa: How Tokyo’s Funky Neighborhood Has Kept Its Cool
Here's how Shimokitazawa has avoided overdevelopment, and why it should be on your list of must-see spots in Tokyo.
Read the full story → How Much Does a Private Guide in Japan Cost?
What does a private guide in Japan actually cost? Here's what you need to know and how to…
Ashiya: How to Visit Japan’s Most Exclusive Small Town
Ashiya, a leafy enclave between Osaka and Kobe, carries a cachet no other Japanese town quite matches: old…
Inside Supreme Class: Japan’s New Private Shinkansen Cabins
Now you can travel Japan's smoothest ride in luxury. JR Central's new Supreme Class offers lockable doors, dedicated…
Japan May Charge for Mt. Fuji Rescues. But Tourists Aren’t the Real Problem
Shizuoka Prefecture considers the measure as more inbound tourists than ever find themselves in distress during the off-season.…
Happening Bars: A Guide to Japan’s Hidden Sex Hotspots
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.
The World Loves Japanese Food. So Why Does Japanese Bento Get Kids Bullied Abroad?
A Japanese mother in Canada took to social media after her daughter started bringing her homemade bento home…
Japan’s Bear Crisis Is Putting Bear Meat on the Menu
As bear populations expand and attacks increase, Japan is looking to turn an environmental challenge into a culinary…
I Ate Edo-style Sushi for Less than $10 at a Japanese Train Station
Want to eat sushi like they ate it during the time of the shogun? A shop in Shinjuku…
I Ate 7-Eleven Japan’s 1,595 Calorie Ramen Because I Have a Death Wish, Apparently
7-Eleven Japan's new 810-gram, 1,595-calorie frozen 'G-Type Ramen' recreates a Jirō-style gut-punch at home. I ate the whole…
Bar Lupin: Drink Where Japan’s Modern Literary Masters Hung Out
In a Ginza basement, Bar Lupin has poured drinks since 1928 for Dazai Osamu, Ango, and other Japanese…
Muslim Burial in Japan: Government Surveys Cities as Tensions Rise
Plans for Muslim burial grounds in Japan face local resistance and racist threats as the country's Muslim population…
Japan’s Zine Boom: Self-Made Magazines Take Off in the AI Era
Why more people in Japan are forsaking YouTube and TikTok videos and crafting their own magazines by hand.
“Friendflation”: Japanese Youth Are Saving Money By Cutting Out Friends
Japan joins a worldwide trend of limiting your social network as the cost of having friends becomes prohibitive.
Why Japan’s Kyushu Got Labeled The Country’s Most Sexist Region
In early 2025, the net slang “sasu-kyū” branded Japan’s Kyushu its most male-dominated region. When Japanese gender experts…
Japanese Professor: Men Who Pick Up World Cup Trash Should “Do It at Home,” Too
FIFA praised Japanese fans for cleaning the World Cup stadium. A Chubu University professor's viral reply, however, asked…
Japanese Announcer Uses Common-Law Marriage to Dodge Country’s Surname Law
TBS announcer Yamamoto Erika kept her name by choosing common-law marriage over a legal one - but she'll…
Japanese TV Station’s Sexist Program Title Has Men Arguing Against Themselves
If the show's producers were hoping to grab a negative reaction from women, they didn't succeed. But it…
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…
The “Dead” Slang Words a Japanese Dictionary Officially Killed
In English, words are rarely deleted from dictionaries. So why in 2021 did a Japanese dictionary publisher give…
Why This Japanese Phrase from Kansai Sounds Strange to the Rest of Japan
It's a phrase that confuses Tokyoites. But to many in the Kansai region, it's a daily expression rooted…
Why Are More Japanese Girls Calling Themselves “Boku”?
How do you refer to yourself in Japanese? For most women, it’s some variant of "watashi." But for…
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…
GPS Trackers on Stalkers? Japan’s Ruling Party Pushes Solution to Rising Problem
Japan may soon fit stalkers with GPS ankle monitoring devices that would alert their victims when the offender…
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…
Tokyo Citizens Protest That the Rent Is Too Damn High
Tokyo is becoming hard to afford for more people, with the cost of a one-bedroom home reaching record…
Immigrant Crime in Japan Is Dropping as Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric Soars
Right-wingers in Japan claim that the country is becoming more unsafe due to immigrants. The data doesn't back…
Japan to Expand Entry Screening and Raise Visa Fees
Traveling and moving to Japan is about to get a lot more expensive, thanks to a proposed set…
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…
Are Japanese Teens Leaving Manga Behind?
One prominent journalist argues the youth market is slipping away. Others say they've heard this false cry before.
Swimsuit Snow Performance Lands Japanese Idols in Hot Water (and They Don’t Give a F$*!)
Planck Stars isn't a group to shy away from controversy. Indeed, it seems to be reveling in its…
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…
4,000 Singles, One Theme Park: How Japan’s Mass Blind Date Brought People Together
A unique event in Saitama opened up an amusement park to men and women. The catch? You needed…
Why These Special Edition Pokémon Goods Ask for Your Japan National ID
To fight scalpers, the Pokémon Company will use Japan's My Number national ID to verify buyers of its…
Japan Chain’s Women-Only Gyms Spark New Debates Over Safety vs. Fairness
A gym chain in Japan has come under fire from women for not enforcing gender restrictions - and…
Is Japan REALLY Trying to Ban Saying “Itadakimasu” at Schools?
Japan's "War on Christmas" is a viral online claim framed as an attack on Japanese culture. Just one…
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…
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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 combini 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…
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[Insider] Urine Nation: Japan’s 150-Years-Long War Against Peeing in Public
During Japan's Edo Era, peeing in the street wasn't a crime, but a contribution to the economy. Here's…
[Insider] Japan Invented MSG. Why Do Even Some Japanese Call It “Poison”?
MSG has been pilloried for decades in the United States. But Japan's "additive-free" movement has also labeled glutamate's…
[Insider] New Zealand Deported a Japanese Porn Star. Is Japan’s Porn Law to Blame?
Japanese adult video actress Fukuda Yua says she was turned away at the New Zealand border. While she…
[Insider] Japan Wants to Jail Men Who Buy Sex. Sex Workers Say That’ll Get Women Hurt
A majority of voices are clamoring for Japan to criminalize prostitution buyers. Here’s why the country's sex worker…
[Insider] Why Gender Equality is Stalling Under Japan’s First Female Prime Minister
Japan finally has its first female Prime Minister. But that isn't translating into victories for ordinary Japanese women.
[Insider] The Three Tactics Japan’s Hosts Use to Saddle Women with Soul-Crushing Debt
The rules and agreements meant to help save women from the worst abuses aren't helping, as clubs have…
[Insider] “Utility Pole Girls”: Japanese Media Has a Demeaning New Buzzword for Women
A survey of 3,000 women found 58% identified with the phenomenon. But it's the label that has people…
[Insider] How a “Library War” Helped Japan’s Communists Elect a New Mayor
A plan to shutter four of Kiyose City's six libraries angered citizens so much that it gave the…