WOMEN
An Ex-Gyaru Built Share Houses for the Single Mothers Japan’s Landlords Won’t Take
Japan's rental market can be tough on single mothers. Meet the former gyaru building share houses for families that landlords often turn…
discrimination
WOMEN
INSIDER
“Never Hire Ugly Women”: Old Kinokuniya Hiring Memo Shows Japanese Business Has Changed
A resurfaced memo from the 1970s that came under fire when it was exposed in 1982 shows we've come a long way,…
INSIDER
Why Japan’s Legal Nightlife Workers Get Publicly Shunned
A canceled baseball pitch demonstrates how Japan's nightlife workers are stigmatized, even after they move on with their lives.
INSIDER
A Tokyo Hotel Asked for Her Japanese Name. She Sued Instead
A Zainichi Korean woman is suing a hotel in Tokyo after they refused to let her check in under her Korean name.
SOCIETY
Why Renting a House With Friends Is So Hard in Japan
Japan's economy is forcing more young people to consider sharing living expenses. But many are finding that's easier said than done.
SEX & NIGHTLIFE
Tattoos and Tokyo Nightlife: Will Some Venues Refuse You Entry?
Will an izakaya, soapland, or happening bar turn you away for having tattoos? Here's what you need to know before exploring Tokyo…
INSIDER
How Kusama Yayoi’s Death Puts a Spotlight on Japan’s “Whiteness Problem”
The death of Japanese artist Kusama Yayoi prompted many English-language social media users to revisit her racist screeds. Japanese users, for the…
SOCIETY
Osaka Station’s “Exclusion Art”: Hostile Architecture Comes to Kansai
Why did 150 concrete blocks outside JR Osaka Station spark outrage? We explore the divide in Japan's "exclusion art" debate.