Insider
How “Cool Japan” Ruined Japan’s Cool
Japan could have won big by embracing "Otaku Japan." Instead, it tried to redefine a cool it already had. Here's how it…
The latest Japan travel and culture news
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Law & Crime
“He’s a Victim Too”: People Defend Japanese Man Convicted of Female Streamer Mogami Ai’s Murder
Takano Ken’ichi stabbed Satō Airi, known online as Mogami Ai, 55 times. A brutal murder. So why are men online defending him?
Travel
How an Ex-Engineer Revived A Public Bath in Tokyo
Japan's neighborhood bathhouses are disappearing, but some are bucking the trend. See how one ex-engineer keeps his family's sento alive.
Japanese Language
You Say Tsuyu, I Say Baiu: How Japanese Jukujikun Make Kanji Even Harder
Why do the same two kanji for Japan's rainy season change pronunciation based on context? Blame the phenomenon known as jukujikun.
Travel
“Insta-Pests”: Why A Kyoto Temple Reportedly Banned Kimono-Clad Visitors
The temple's crackdown on visitors wearing flashy clothing isn't aimed just at tourists, but at influencers in general.
Culture
Japan Sells “Oshikatsu Insurance” for Fans Whose Concert Trip Falls Through
Japan's booming oshikatsu (fandom support) economy has inspired a new insurance policy. And it makes a lot more sense than you might…
Sex & Nightlife
Why Japanese Nightlife’s “Attention Economy” Is Better Than Sex
Why do people in Japan pay so much for non-sexual companionship? A look at how an industry born in the Edo Era…
Insider
The Yani Neko Mirror: Why Japan Won’t Look at Poverty
A new anime tells a complex story of addiction and discrimination. It also sheds a light on a problem many in Japan…