Wait! Before You Go...
Let’s stay in touch. Get our free newsletter to get our best stories every week on Japan travel, culture, and news.
Want a preview? Read our archives.
Read our privacy policy
Women
Until 1933, women in Japan were forbidden from being lawyers. This is the story of how Mibuchi Yoshiko overcame the law - and even her own mother - to become a lawyer and, ultimately, an influential judge.
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.
In Taisho era Japan, Tamura Toshiko emerged as one of the preeminent writers of the "New Woman" movement. Her legacy extends farther still, beyond Japan's borders.
A former anime voice actress discusses the sexual and power harassment she faced in the industry - and what needs to be done to fix it.
How one woman found herself without resources or assistance after she was sexually assaulted in the JET Program - and how she fought back.
A Japanese woman's first-hand account of how Japan's law requiring joint spousal surnames impacted her life and sense of identity.
A look at the life of Japan's first female mayor, Harue Kitamura, and the legacy she left behind for aspiring women in politics.
A former apprentice geisha at a Kyoto geisha house has created a flurry of online activity after describing abuses in the traditional industry.