HISTORY
Kikuya: The Cast-Out Dancer Who Invented the Geisha
The Tatsumi Geisha were the first female geisha of Japan. And they owe their existence to a woman driven out of her…
gender
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HISTORY
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Why Are More Japanese Girls Calling Themselves “Boku”?
How do you refer to yourself in Japanese? For most women, it’s some variant of "watashi." But for many young girls, the…
LGBTQ
Osaka High Court: Japan’s Family Registry Discriminates Against Non-Binary People
An Osaka High Court ruling found that Japan's gender-binary family register violates Article 14 of the Japanese Constitution. But it dismissed the…
WOMEN
Solo Weddings: Why Japanese Women Are Saying “I Do” to…Themselves
Japan's marriage rate has tumbled to a postwar low. But the country's bridal industry isn't shrinking: it's pivoting.
FOOD
Japan’s Ramen Shops Repel Women. One Store Wants to Change That
70% of women surveyed in Japan don't feel comfortable going into a ramen shop alone. Here's why - and how one store…
WOMEN
Japan (Finally) Makes Morning-After Pill Available Over the Counter Nationwide
The approval process was long, taking three years from a trial run until approval of sale nationwide without a prescription.
CULTURE
Rural Men in Japan Are Quitting Their Jobs to Be With Their Partners
It's traditionally been expected that women in Japan will sacrifice their careers for their husbands. That might be changing.
FOOD
More Restaurants in Japan Enforce Customer Restrictions Based on Age, Gender
No old people. No young people. No babies allowed. Here's why restaurants in Japan are increasingly setting rules on who can walk…