JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Why Did Japan Alone Keep Two Layers of Kanji Readings?
Languages can be stubborn things. You can see this clearly in Japanese, where multiple layers of kanji pronunciation exist to this day.
history
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
BOOK REVIEWS
Review – Pink Auteur, Red Outlaw: Adachi Masao and Japan’s Cinema of Revolution
William Andrews’ new book explores Adachi Masao's radical cinema, the Japanese New Left, and decades of involvement with the infamous Japanese Red…
TRAVEL
Shuri Castle’s Main Hall is Reopening. Here’s How to Visit
Seven years after a devastating fire, Shuri Castle is reopening on November 23. Learn more about its history and how to visit.
CULTURE
Why There’s an 11-Meter Goddess Inside This Tokyo Department Store
It's impossible to miss: a soaring goddess ensconced inside a paragon of capitalism. What inspired a sculptor to carve this mysterious figure…
INSIDER
Urine Nation: Japan’s 150-Years-Long War Against Peeing in Public
During Japan's Edo Era, peeing in the street wasn't a crime, but a contribution to the economy. Here's how Meiji Japan, anxious…
CULTURE
Bar Lupin: Drink Where Japan’s Modern Literary Masters Hung Out
In a Ginza basement, Bar Lupin has poured drinks since 1928 for Dazai Osamu, Ango, and other Japanese literary greats.
FOOD
I Ate Edo-style Sushi for Less than $10 at a Japanese Train Station
Want to eat sushi like they ate it during the time of the shogun? A shop in Shinjuku Station is offering this…
TRAVEL
Kimono Rental Shops in Japan: What’s Real, What’s Fake, & How Not to Get Swindled
Learn about the different types of kimono styles and how to tell serious, traditional shops apart from the TikTok trends.