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Three ghostly women from Japanese horror films in kimono with outstretched arms layered on top of each other.

Five Japanese Horror Films for a Haunted Halloween

In the mood for the eerie world of Japanese horror this haunting season? Look no further than these five classic films.
Kanto Massacre

The Kanto Massacre: A Story of Disinformation and Denialism

Rumors and disinformation sparked the Kanto Massacre in the wake of the Kanto Earthquake. Today, denialism continues to dishonor the victims.
Book with light emitting from it

Advanced Japanese Reading Practice with Side-by-Side Readers

Want to read Japanese newspapers or essays? Preparing for JLPT N1? Here's how to level up your Japanese game with side-by-side readers.
Standees of a cartoon boy in a white t-shirt with a "T" logo as he puts his hands to his face in shock upon seeing a standee of himself in a state of decomposition, looking like a cartoon zombie, at the showroom floor at ENDEX.

Japan’s Booming Death Business: ENDEX, The End Of Life Exhibition

Japan’s rising death rate is good business For ENDEX: The End Of Life Exhibition. We discover that it’s more than just Hello Kitty urns!
Couple pictured on Buddhist altar

Why Post-Death Divorce is Popular in Japan

Why do some people - particularly women - go out of their way in Japan to divorce their spouse's families after death? Learn why shigo rikon has been on the rise since the 1980s.
Obon horse and cattle - Obon Pokemon

Japanese User Celebrates Obon with Cucumber and Eggplant Pokemon

A clever social media user in Japan put a modern spin on an Obon tradition, giving their ancestors a ride home in a stylish Pokemon.
The book Emergent Tokyo held in front of a line of Zakkyo buildings on Tokyo's Yasukuni Street.

Emergent Tokyo: What Makes Japan’s Capital so Alluring?

Ever wondered what makes up the 'secret sauce' for the world's biggest city? Then this book is required reading.
painted background feating the American civil war. Text reads "how the samurai saw the U.S. Civil War."

How the Samurai Saw the U.S. Civil War

When the U.S. Civil War broke out in 1861, samurai still ruled Japan. How did the samurai - recently forced into trade with the US and on the cusp of their own war - react?
Modern Girl of the Taisho Era

Moga: Japan’s “Modern Girl” of the Taisho Era

She was a symbol of prewar prosperity - and controversy. How the "modern girl" of Japan's roaring 1920s defined a new path for women.