Essay

LIVING IN JAPAN

Combini: Japanese Convenience Stores and Life in Modern Japan

Convenience stores ("combini") in Japan are everywhere. But what do people use them for? A look at combini and everyday life in…

CULTURE

The Myth of Japanese Indirectness and “Subtlety”

Stereotypes of Japan as a land of vague meaning and blunted expression are just straight up Orientalism that obscure a complex reality.

BOOK REVIEWS

Review: Poetry and Prose Dance in Ito Hiromi’s The Thorn Puller

Ito Hiromi's The Thorn Puller tackles subjects like aging, death, and suffering while also illuminating the bittersweet joy of being alive.

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

Mama, Papa: How the Japanese Words for Parents Lost Out to English

"Mama" and "papa" are such ubiquitous parental terms in Japan that it's easy to forget they're foreign words - words the government…

WOMEN

Kitamura Harue: The Legacy of Japan’s First Female Mayor

A look at the life of Japan's first female mayor, Harue Kitamura, and the legacy she left behind for aspiring women in…

HISTORY

Meiji Mura: A Journey to Japan’s Modern Past

In Japan, the recent past is often obscured beneath endless concrete. Meiji Mura is one of the few places to discover the…

HISTORY

Tanabata in Sendai: An Old-School Star Festival

Tanabata is one of Japan's most famous holidays. In northern Sendai, however, it's a little extra special. Discover the story of one…

FEATURED

The Disappearance of Meiji: Why it’s Hard to Find Tokyo’s Recent Past

In Tokyo, the recent past is often obscured beneath endless concrete. Take a journey through the city's history to discover why.