Culture

What’s Japan Doing for Christmas? Here’s Why Many Say…Nothing

It's beginning to look a lot less like Christmas in Japan. Here's why many say this year they'll be tuning out of the holiday.

The Hidden Culture Behind Japan’s Bag-Charms Craze

Experts say "oshi-katsu" and this age-old religious trend have helped fuel the rise of character dolls dangling from bags and backpacks.

Rail Enthusiasts in Japan Keep Causing Headaches for Passengers, Locals

Tourists aren't the only ones causing ire in Japan: incidents of badly behaved railway photographers are on the rise.

Photo Contest in Japan Rescinds Award for Stolen AI-Generated Pic

The submitter confessed that they didn't even "create" the work themselves but instead took a pre-generated image from a website.

“Zombie Cigarettes” Are Japan’s New Recreational Drug Scare

The increasing popularity of the drug has some in the country calling for a complete ban on vaping to stop it in its tracks.

Japanese Webcomics Group Restricts Sexually Explicit Online Ads After Uproar

As Japan debates whether to restrict sexually explicit ads shown to minors, a group of 11 webcomics companies responds to public pressure.

Why the Japanese Sport of Gateball is Dying in Japan

Gateball, Japan's homegrown version of croquet, once had over half a million enthusiastic and engaged fans. Where did they all go?

Japan’s Proposed New Bicycling Fines Anger Riders

Japan will institute tough new bicycling fines next year. But some cyclists say the country should concentrate on infrastructure instead.

Unseen Japan Rebranding to “Seen Japan”

The site will re-focus on soft-hitting content that dives softly into well-trodden subjects such as oh my god Becky did you know JAPAN HAS FOUR SEASONS?!

Culture

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