Entertainment
Is “Oshikatsu” an Addiction? Survey Shows Dark Side of Japan’s Fan Culture
Oshikatsu is a booming business in Japan. But data shows many fans are concerned about the toll supporting their faves takes on…

Writer
Jay is a resident of Tokyo where he reports and conducts tours for Unseen Japan. His work on Japan has been cited in numerous publications, including USA Today, the Washington Post, Fortune, TIME, NPR, The Guardian, and The World. In his spare time, he loves reading Japanese novels. You can follow Jay on Bluesky.
1,147 articles · Page 59
Entertainment
Oshikatsu is a booming business in Japan. But data shows many fans are concerned about the toll supporting their faves takes on…
Travel
Japan's planning to change how tourists shop: the country's new duty-free laws will now require requesting a refund at the airport.
News
"Customer harassment" remains a significant problem in Japan. Kuwana City in Mie Prefecture will fight it with a new weapon: shame.
Politics
Japan's Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru says he can hardly sleep and no one even compliments him in the papers.
Travel
A plan to extend the current five-year visitor visa to 10 years for China's elite has many on Japan's far right up…
Travel
A popular onsen in Yamagata Prefecture brings in so much traffic that the city has instituted new rules to reduce congestion.
Entertainment
A member of ultra-famous Japanese boy band SMAP paid a woman an eye-watering settlement. Fans and the media want to know why.
Business and Economy
Would you pay to shop in a bookstore? Many in Japan would. Here's why Bunkitsu and other admission-based bookstores are booming.