CULTURE
When Plushies Take a Seat: Japan’s “Nuikatsu” Boom Collides With Restaurant Manners
A couple of viral incidents online highlight how some restaurants are struggling to handle customers bringing their stuffed +1s.
Essay
CULTURE
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Calbee Strips Color From Its Potato Chip Bags as Iran Crisis Reaches Japan’s Snack Aisles
Starting May 25, Calbee will ship 14 of its flagship snacks, including Potato Chips and Kappa Ebisen, in austere black-and-white bags. The…
ESSAY
The Ultimate Ranking of the Studio Ghibli Universe: #5-1
Our Studio Ghibli countdown wraps up with a bang. Find out which films from Miyazaki and Co. made our reviewer's top five!
ESSAY
Silence is Golden? Moving from “Quiet” Japan to the Wild, Wild West
Japan as an island nation is known to be respectful and quiet. Emma Ford describes what it's like to live this reality…
ESSAY
Platonic Sex: The Wild Ride of Japanese Porn Star Iijima Ai
Middle school dropout. Troublemaker. Hostess. Porn star. Author. Media darling. The wild journey of Japan's Iijima Ai.
ESSAY
Nara Dreamland: How It Became a Nightmare
It was meant to be a paradise. But it ended up a nightmare instead. The story of how Nara Dreamland came to…
ESSAY
Kasamori Osen: The Idol Star of Edo Japan
At the height of her fame, Osen suddenly disappeared.
ESSAY
A Tale of Two Cancers: The Short, Full Lives of Kobayashi Mao and Kuroki Nana
The tale of two very similar women, and their very similar struggle.