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Essay
Why do love hotels exist in Japan? And how have they evolved to change with the times? Krys Suzuki examines the 400-year history of this cultural phenomenon. Pictured: The Grand Executive Room of the Hotel Grassino and Urban Resort in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
Do you think you hate Japan's famous beverage made from fermented rice? There's likely a simple reason for that.
A popular city mascot resumes her vaunted role. Learn about Japan's history of "discount banana hawking", and how it gave birth to Princess Banana, the tourist symbol of Kitakyushu City.
How did Japan become the birthplace of manufactured girl groups? A look into the historic roots of Japanese idol culture and how it's changed over time.
The stereotype holds that Japan is a meticulously clean country. Emma Ford looks at the difference between public and private behavior, and separates fact from fiction.
Netflix's MANIAC, directed by Japanese-American auteur Cary Joji Fukunaga, melds Japanese and American cultures convincingly. But in other ways, the series still shows how far Hollywood has to go.
The first time I ate raw horse in Tokyo, it was all a big linguistic misunderstanding.
Why does Japan save more money on average than the rest of the world?
Why, in a country littered with shrines and temples, does the majority of the population claim to practice no religion?