HISTORY
Banei Racing: Hokkaido’s Stubborn Settler Sport of Strength and Spirit
Hokkaido's fascinating Banei Racing, where massive draft horses pull weighted sleighs up slopes, is an intriguing remnant of a colonial history.
business
Page 30
HISTORY
FEATURED
Melonpan: The Japan Sweet Bread’s Armenian History
Melonpan, the sweet baked good that delights people across East Asia, was the creation of one Armenian man living in the diaspora…
SOCIAL MEDIA
FamilyMart Socks Take Over Japanese Social Media
FamilyMart, one of Japan’s major convenience store chains, recently released a collection of cheap necessity items, including underwear, t-shirts, and socks. But…
SOCIETY
Moomin Brand Cuts Ties with DHC Mid-Collab in the Name of Diversity
"Neither the Moomin Characters brand in their home country nor in Japan will tolerate discrimination of any kind. This was a lack…
ENTERTAINMENT
Crying Freeman and the 1980s Home Video Revolution in Japan
How an absolutely ridiculous anime released for home video sparked interest in OVAs both in Japan and abroad.
TRAVEL
Promoting Prefectures Through Punny Pokemon
The Local Acts initiative is helping promote prefectures through pokemon, including many that were affected by the Tohoku Earthquake.
ENTERTAINMENT
The Game That Sparked a Quasi-National Holiday in Japan
How a new game release proved so distracting that a handful of companies decided just to give all their employees the day…
FOOD
Bikkuri Donkey: An Unfamiliar Family Restaurant Favorite
How a restaurant originally created to compete against McDonald's is truly becoming a "surprise" hit in Japan.