Women
Working Mothers Now Exceed 81% of Japanese Households With Kids, a Record
Working mothers have hit their highest record ever in Japan. But that's not necessarily a sign of growing equality.
Articles by K. Lou
45 articles
Women
Food
Celebrity Japanese Chef Says “Nagoya Has No Good Restaurants” – and the City Erupts
A remark from influencer chef Ryuji ignited a firestorm in Nagoya, but there's a lot more than meets the eye to Nagoya's…
Travel
How an Ex-Engineer Revived A Public Bath in Tokyo
Japan's neighborhood bathhouses are disappearing, but some are bucking the trend. See how one ex-engineer keeps his family's sento alive.
Japanese Language
You Say Tsuyu, I Say Baiu: How Japanese Jukujikun Make Kanji Even Harder
Why do the same two kanji for Japan's rainy season change pronunciation based on context? Blame the phenomenon known as jukujikun.
Culture
Japan Sells “Oshikatsu Insurance” for Fans Whose Concert Trip Falls Through
Japan's booming oshikatsu (fandom support) economy has inspired a new insurance policy. And it makes a lot more sense than you might…
Japanese Language
Japanese Social Media Auto-Translation: a Blessing, or a Curse?
Is auto-translation on Japanese social media breaking language barriers or creating new problems? We look at the illusion of certainty and its…
Women
“Masquerade Couples”: Why Partners in Japan Would Rather Stay Silent Than Get Divorced
One Japanese couple has barely spoken to one another in four years. But they refuse to divorce. How Japan encourages these so-called…
Travel
Japan Just Made Visiting More Expensive: Departure Tax, Visa Fees Jump
On the same day that departure tax and visa fees for travelers went up, passport application fees for Japanese nationals went down.