Society
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 for that.
Articles by Himari Semans
136 articles
Society
Japanese Language
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 exist to this day.
Food
“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. Does Japan really have…
Japanese Language
Why Do Japanese People Say That Chinese Sounds “Scary”?
A recent social media discussion that could have turned dicey instead became a referendum on a single Chinese particle.
Entertainment
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 is only one cause.
Culture
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 be taken seriously.
Society
Why Renting a House With Friends Is So Hard in Japan
Japan's economy is forcing more young people to consider sharing living expenses. But many are finding that's easier said than done.
Travel
Shinjuku Moves to Ban Airbnb-Style Rentals Where People Actually Live
The move by the city that hosts 9% of the country's vacation rentals is part of a wave of restrictions sweeping the…