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Zuzu-ben: How Japan’s Northern Dialects Became Shorthand for “Hick”

Why a wide range of local dialects in Japan's north are intrinsically - and unfairly - associated with rural backwardness.

Some anime are more than political. In fact, our author argues, two of the most well-known anime in history are downright revolutionary.

How one man's journey reflects the struggles of the Uilta people in defining themselves in the wake of Japanese colonization.

Before you give your next ii ne in the ripuran, study our guide to online Japanese slang and start tweeting like a native.

Anime may be entertainment, first and foremost. But art is almost always political. Anime is no exception.

Mori Yoshiro's derogatory statements about women, some critics say, are reflective of much more systemic problems in Japan.

For Japanese learners, online Japanese can be befuddling. Here's a guide to the terms you likely won't learn from your textbooks.

Learning Japanese requires a lot of memorization. But this simple tidbit of knowledge makes learning some words just a little bit easier.

Japan's lunar calendar traditionally influences how people select their wedding days. But how many still abide by it?