The latest Japan travel and culture news

SOCIETY

May Blues: Will Japan’s Regularly Scheduled Depression Be Worse in 2019?

Will the Japanese workforce's annual battle with depression be even worse after a 10-day vacation?

CULTURE

Momo: The Horror Hoax Appropriated from Japanese Legend

How a sculpture based on a Japanese horror legend became the mascot for a creepy Internet story - and how the artist…

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Unseen Japan Kaiwa 4: An Inconvenient Conbini

Why has the 24-7 Japanese convenience store suddenly become controversial? How critical are such stores to daily life in Japan? And why…

SOCIETY

Too Old to Drive? Mother/Daughter’s Death in Ikebukuro Sparks Debate

The death of a mom and her young daughter at the hands of an elderly driver has sparked anger and recrimination -…

TRAVEL

Tourism Pollution in Japan Sparks Strife – and Bans

How can Japan reduce "tourism pollution" problems without reducing tourism? And how can travelers help reduce friction when visiting?

CULTURE

A 10-Day Vacation: Behind Japan’s Epic “Golden Week”

How did Japan's notoriously long yearly holiday get even longer? Inside the holidays that make up Golden Week.

POLITICS

Japan’s Olympics Minister: From Faux Pas to Fired in Two Hours Flat

He was vilified worldwide as the cybersecurity chief who didn't use a computer. But Sakurada Yoshitaka's gaffes didn't stop there...

LGBTQ

In Japan, The Surge for Marriage Equality Builds

An uptick in public support has LGBT couples in Japan on the offensive, as a new series of lawsuits aims to turn…