Essay

Miyazaki Goro’s New Biography Sheds Light on Ghibli’s Successor

The son of Studio Ghibli's famous founder talks in a new book about the strange path he took to directing - and about his often strained relationship with his father.

Japanese-Brazilians: The Story of Their Return to Japan

December 18, 2020
Featured, History, History, Video

The epic tale of the 300,000 Japanese-Brazilians that Japan insisted it needed - until it suddenly didn't.

How to Translate a Haiku into English

Translator Eric Margolis covers the major points involved in translating haiku into English well, providing a step by step example.

Will AI Technology Ever Translate Japanese Accurately?

Machine translation has come a long way in recent years. But what use, if any, does machine translation actually have for a language like Japanese?

Dared to Death: Wealth, Sexism, and Tragedy in Tokyo

A "drinking game" in a high-end Tokyo bar that ended in a young woman's death has drawn attention to the abusive power wielded by rich men.

The Japanese Who Came to Call Brazil Home

Why are there so many Brazilian-Japanese in Japan? The answer goes back to the Meiji era, and the government's need to get rid of its own citizens.

Why The “24” Japan Remake Was Such a Spectacular Failure

It coulda been a contender. Sadly, 24 Japan - a Japanese remake of an American classic - was dead on arrival. What went wrong?

Review: “Ainu Mosir” Paints Reality of Japan’s Northern Indigenous People

A film currently streaming on Netflix provides a sensitive and nuanced introduction to the modern lives of the Ainu people.

10 Cultural Differences in Japan That Surprise Foreigners

We asked our readers about the surprising cultural differences in Japan they experienced while living there. Here's what YOU had to say!

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