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[Insider] Japan Invented MSG. Why Do Even Some Japanese Call It “Poison”?
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Japan May Charge for Mt. Fuji Rescues. But Tourists Aren’t the Real Problem
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Get a quote today → 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.…
JR East’s New “Luna Azul” Overnight Express Revives Japan’s Sleeper-Train Era
Do you miss Japan's sleeper trains? If JR East has its way, they may be mounting a comeback.…
Minoh: Discover Forest Trails, Temples, and Autumn Colors Beyond Osaka
Tired of the crowds in Osaka City? Enjoy some fresh air, a slower pace of life, and local…
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
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I Ate 7-Eleven Japan’s 1,595 Calorie Ramen Because I Have a Death Wish, Apparently
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Bar Lupin: Drink Where Japan’s Modern Literary Masters Hung Out
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Japanese Professor: Men Who Pick Up World Cup Trash Should “Do It at Home,” Too
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Japanese Announcer Uses Common-Law Marriage to Dodge Country’s Surname Law
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Japanese TV Station’s Sexist Program Title Has Men Arguing Against Themselves
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Kanji Forever? Why Japan Still Uses Chinese Characters, But Korea Mostly Doesn’t
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Japan’s Internet Wants Uchida Riko Executed. Here’s Why That Won’t Happen
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Japanese Man Arrested for Sexual Enslavement of Toyoko Minor
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20% of Japan’s Manga Artists and Illustrators Say AI Has Cut Their Income
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Galapagos Rock: Why It’s So Hard for Foreign J-Pop Fans to Buy Concert Tickets in Japan
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[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?
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A majority of voices are clamoring for Japan to criminalize prostitution buyers. Here’s why the country's sex worker…
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Japan finally has its first female Prime Minister. But that isn't translating into victories for ordinary Japanese women.
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The rules and agreements meant to help save women from the worst abuses aren't helping, as clubs have…
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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…
[Insider] The Worst Person You Know Has a Point About Japan’s AV Law
Few prominent figures or politicians in Japan are willing to talk about the negative impact the law has…