Travel
Agoda’s Japan Hotel Listings Describe Pools and Buffets That Don’t Exist
From nonexistent swimming pools to reservations that never reach hotel desks, Japan's hotel industry has a bone to pick with Agoda.
The latest Japan travel and culture news
Travel
Food
“Women Shouldn’t Make Sushi”: Ex-HKT48 Idol Runs Sushi Counter Despite Blowback
Former HKT48 idol Tomonaga Mio has traded the stage for sushi, but her new career has sparked criticism over gender and professional…
Travel
Half of Inspected Airbnb-Style Rentals in Osaka Were Breaking the Rules
Upon inspecting some problem properties, Osaka has found that a good chunk of them are either breaking the rules or aren't even…
Women
An Ex-Gyaru Built Share Houses for the Single Mothers Japan’s Landlords Won’t Take
Japan's rental market can be tough on single mothers. Meet the former gyaru building share houses for families that landlords often turn…
Japanese Language
Keigo Overload? Why Being TOO Polite in Japanese Can Backfire
Why some Japanese people are tired of hearing "sasete itadakimasu": changing attitudes toward keigo and the backlash against over-politeness.
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 come a long way,…
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 how well does it…
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 how it went down.