CULTURE
Japan’s Extreme Heat is Killing Off Its Cultural Traditions One by One
As Japan gets hotter, age-old cultural rituals such as radio calisthenics, going to the beach, and even Obon dances are suffering.
News
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CULTURE
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Why Does Japan Have So Many Last Names Compared to China and Korea?
Why does Japan have hundreds of thousands of surnames while China and Korea rely on a handful? The answer lies in a…
FOOD
Ōsawa Takamasa’s Tokyo Restaurant Only Serves Biryani. It’s Earned Him Michelin Praise
Inside Biriyani Osawa: a tiny, reservation-only Tokyo spot serving one pot of biryani per seating, praised in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2026.
TRAVEL
Japan Is Building a Separate Transport Network for Tourists’ Luggage
A new hands-free travel service is part of Japan's latest effort to separate the flow of people from property.
TRAVEL
The Tokyo Neighborhoods With Japan’s Most Acclaimed Restaurants, According to Its Harshest Reviewers
Which Tokyo neighborhoods really have the best food? Tabelog scores from 794 restaurants reveal surprising winners and losers across the city.
TRAVEL
Why Japan’s New “Sleeper Shinkansen” is a Big Hit with Japanese Women
A "sleeper" run of JR Central's Tokaido shinkansen was a huge hit. It also offered something other shinkansen don't: safety for women.
LIVING IN JAPAN
“Katakana Hell”: The Culture Shocks Japan’s Asian Immigrants Actually Face
What surprises Asian immigrants in Japan? From corporate jargon to the country's famously indirect "no," there's a lot to navigate.
WOMEN
Japanese Woman Scolded for Taking Menstrual Leave That’s Protected by Law
Why do fewer than 1% of Japanese women use legally protected menstrual leave? One viral complaint has reignited the national debate.