The latest Japan travel and culture news

Ukiyo-e: The Floating World of Edo Japan

From beautiful bijinga to scandalous shunga, a history of the evolution of Ukiyo-e, and how it changed the world of Edo Period…

CULTURE

Holidays in Japan: The Complete Guide

Japan ranks seventh worldwide for most public holidays. Learn about all the official (and a few unofficial) holidays in Japan and how…

SOCIETY

Community Restores Defaced Japanese Incarceration Memorial at US College

An act of censorship by a high-ranking college administrator caused outrage in a Seattle-area community - and brought attention to the area's…

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Guaranteed Sick Days in Japan Are Not a Thing

While some companies offer them, Japan as a whole doesn't give workers guaranteed sick days. That's complicating its complicated response to COVID-19.

WOMEN

Cinderella Weight: A Deadly Standard for Japanese Women

A Twitter trend from 2018 has more than a few Japanese women chasing their "Cinderella weight." Health experts in Japan say that's…

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

Japanese Language Classes are Awesome. Here’s How to Start

Thanks to the Internet, Japanese language classes are within most everyone's reach. Learn how they can help improve your Japanese.

BOOK REVIEWS

Underground: The Stories of Japan’s Sarin Attack Victims

How the Murakami Haruki book UNDERGROUND captured the impact of the Tokyo sarin subway attack on survivors.

POLITICS

Cherry Blossom Party: Hotel Casts Doubt on Abe’s Defense

ANA Hotel's comments directly contradict Abe Shinzo's latest defense against impropriety in the cherry blossom viewing party scandal.