More than the news - a narrative. Come discover the Japan you don't learn about in anime.
Unseen Japan is an independent, reader-funded site. Since 2018, we've covered, not just the news, but a narrative: the story of an ever-changing, ever-evolving Japan. Our articles, based in local media, document the cultural shifts, history, language, underrepresented communities, and the everyday currents of life in modern Japan.
No pay-per-click ads. No "weird Japan" stereotyping. We pick stories because they matter. We tell them because someone has to.
Three writers anchor the publication day to day.
Publisher & Chief Writer
A full-time resident of Tokyo, Jay earned his JLPT N1 certification back in 2018. A software engineer and technical writer turned journalist. Jay founded Unseen Japan to cover the parts of Japan English-language media tends to miss.
Editor in Chief
BA in East Asian Languages, Master's in Global Studies, with seven years (and counting) in Japan. Noah leads our tours, manages our YouTube, and writes deep-dive features on culture, history, and politics.
Writer
Kristina hails from Michigan and now lives in Osaka. Born to a half-Japanese father, she grew up in a hometown with a large Japanese population - and didn't learn the English word for "beansprouts" until a classmate corrected her in university. A certified kimono teacher and sole proprietor of her own kimono business, she focuses on Nikkei issues and traditional Japanese culture.
Plus a network of contributing writers and translators across Japan and the Japanese diaspora, including past contributors Marin Akasaka, Himari Seamans, Krys Suzuki, Eric Margolis, Emily Boon, Alyssa Fusek, Nyri A. Bakkalian, and many others.
Use our contact form to send us tips, pitches, corrections, or general questions.
