Essay

HISTORY

Saboru: The Strange Origins of “Cutting Class” in Japanese

Mass strikes, the creation of the 8-hour workday, and an early 20th-century vogue for foreign words - all led to the most…

HISTORY

How Sakura Blossoms Gained Cultural Significance in Japan

The sakura (cherry blossom) is practically synonymous with Japan. Here's a deeper look at the history of this fascinating flower's popularity

SOCIETY

In Japan, Rental Family Services Let You Hire Actors to Play Family Roles

Would you hire a stranger to be your spouse or your parent? For some in Japan, the rental family is the answer…

HISTORY

The Last Samurai Vendetta: The Revenge of Usui Rokuro

In 1873, the newly-minted Meiji government banned the age-old practice of kataki-uchi: blood revenge. Seven years later, the son of a murdered…

NEWS

Renewed Tension in the Southern Kuriles Amidst Ukraine War

Rhetoric on the southern Kuriles, long disputed between Japan and Russia, is again on the rise. We help you get up to…

ENTERTAINMENT

Bankara: Meiji Japan’s Anti-Fashion Movement

As the era of the samurai ended and Japan rushed towards modernization, a rough-scrabble fashion movement called the Bankara rose in opposition.

BOOK REVIEWS

“Night in the American Village” Gives the Women of Okinawa a Voice

Akemi Johnson has created a great work of social and oral history granting primacy to the experiences of Okinawan women.

HISTORY

The Last Daimyo: The Life of Hayashi Tadataka

Amidst the backdrop of World War II's start, one last survivor of the old Edo period order died. Who was Hayashi Tadataka,…