Living in Japan

Syphilis Cases in Tokyo Keep Climbing, Rise Seven-Fold in 10 Years

New data from Tokyo shows that syphilis keeps spreading thanks to increased opportunities for hookups in the digital age.

Bad Benches: Shinjuku Uses Hostile Architecture Against Street Drinking

Has hostile architecture come to Japan? Social media users decry the rise of benches in Tokyo that seem designed to prevent the one thing a bench was meant to enable: sitting.

At This Japanese Gym, You Can Sing Karaoke and Wash Your Laundry

Want to get in some reps but also need to do your laundry AND belt out some karaoke hits? Good news! This gym in Japan's got you covered.

Combini: Japanese Convenience Stores and Life in Modern Japan

Convenience stores ("combini") in Japan are everywhere. But what do people use them for? A look at combini and everyday life in Japan.

Tornadoes in Japan: A Rotating Rarity?

October 25, 2021
Essay, Living in Japan, News, Video

Tornadoes are far from the first natural disaster one thinks of in association with Japan - yet they occur more often than you may realize.

Ranking Japan’s Best Cities for Immigrants

Perhaps it's surprising, or perhaps not—but when you weigh all of these factors, Tokyo is not the winner.

What Is My Worth as a Foreigner in Japan? A Pandemic Query

Our author discusses how the pandemic has laid bare elements of how the Japanese public and government perceive the foreign residents in their midst.

Appreciating the Moon in Japan, Land of the Rising Sun

Although Japan is the land of the rising sun, with its indigenous religion centering around the sun goddess, we cannot overlook the importance of the moon in Japan's culture.

Tsukimi (月見), The Season of Moon Viewing

Tsukimi, the season of moon viewing, starts next week in Japan. Learn more about this day's origins, how to make Tsukimi Dumplings, and why the rabbit in the moon is pounding a rice cake.