K. Lou

Food

Vegetarian in Japan? Watch Out for the Fish Stock

While Japanese cuisine might seem vegetarian-friendly on the surface, one of its most common seasonings is fish-based and hard to spot.

Travel

Overwhelmed Tourist Spot in Japan Closes After Only One Week

Exactly what caused this crater lake destination to close down after just one week? In a nutshell, operational difficulties.

Japanese Language

Why Are Fewer Japanese Men Calling Themselves “Ore”?

Japan’s masculine pronoun “ore” doesn't have the juice it used to. Instead, men are choosing boku, watashi, and jibun in everyday life.

Women

Japanese City Tries Gamification to Get More Husbands to Do Housework

Fukushima is launching an experimental app to see if gamifying housework will help close the chore gap in Japanese households.

Travel

It Takes Residents 2 Hours to Leave Home at This Nara Tourist Destination

Soni Village has beautiful fields of Japanese silver grass, and also a somewhat unique overtourism problem.

Living in Japan

JLPT Seats Are Running Out as Japan Ties More Visas to Japanese Tests

Just as the government is adding Japanese-language requirements to certain visas, the twice-yearly JLPTs are getting seriously crowded.

Travel

What Happens If You Get Sick While Traveling in Japan?

Sick in Japan? Don't panic. Learn where tourists can get care, what it costs, and why travel insurance matters.

Food

Shake (鮭) vs. Salmon (サーモン): How Norwegian Salmon Became a Sushi Staple in Japan

Curious why there are two names for salmon in Japanese? There's an interesting historical (and scientific!) reason behind that.