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.
Articles by K. Lou
58 articles · Page 3
Japanese Language
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.
Culture
Japan’s New “Maid School” Trains Professionals for the Mansion, Not the Maid Cafe
Forget maid cafés. Japan Maid School is training professionals for luxury private homes, focusing on housekeeping, etiquette, and discretion.
Society
Japan’s Hikikomori “80/50” Crisis is Putting a Strain on Elderly Parents
Japan coined the word "hikikomori" for its withdrawn young people. But its reclusive population has quietly aged.
Business and Economy
Genericide, Japan Edition: How Japan’s Famous Names Slipped Into Common Speech
Like escalator and aspirin, Japan has its own list of trademarks that have succumbed to popular usage. But while some companies aggressively…