Essay

CULTURE

Ancestral Ainu Remains Returned by Tokyo University

A long fight by Japan's indigenous Ainu results in a hard-won victory - but much more remains to be done.

FOOD

Wasabi Kit Kat: Disgusting? Or Delicious?

You probably know wasabi as the spicy, sinus-clearing green paste that goes on sushi. But would you ever pair it with chocolate?

FEATURED

Japan’s Whiteness Problem, Part 2: The Propaganda Machine

How Japan went from a paternalistic relationship with the US after WWII to a co-dependent one that reified whiteness.

CULTURE

The Anatomy of Stereotypes: Japan and the “Amae” Myth

Dependence, or "amae", is by no means unique to Japan. So how - and why - did it become viewed as a…

FOOD

Vegan in Japan: All You Need to Know

Can you adhere to a vegan lifestyle while traveling in Japan? Survey says... YES! Here's all you need to know about veganism…

FEATURED

Japan’s Whiteness Problem, Part 1: Colorism

Thalia Harris analyzes Japan's preference for whiteness in foreigners, where it comes from, and why it continues to persist.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

You Can’t Do That in Japan (Anymore!): Hanzawa Naoki and Japan’s Modern Business World

The revival of a popular drama is met with huge fanfare and ratings - but some are pointing out that its depiction…

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

Japanese Writing: The Kanji Debate of the Meiji Period

The story of how modern Japanese came to assume its current written form - and how kanji nearly got left on the…