HISTORY
When Tokyo was Socialist: The Story of Governor Minobe
Japan is often described as a one-party, conservative state - and yet, for over a decade, a highly popular socialist led the…
history
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HISTORY
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
New App Promises Greater Convenience in Reading Old Japanese Cursive
Kuzushiji, the “crushed letters” found in historical Japanese documents, have long been the bane of scholars. A new app may change all…
HISTORY
Was Divorce in Japan’s Edo Era Easy?
Divorce in Japan's Edo era was a simple affair...if you were a man. For women, "divorce temples" provided a way out.
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Mama, Papa: How the Japanese Words for Parents Lost Out to English
"Mama" and "papa" are such ubiquitous parental terms in Japan that it's easy to forget they're foreign words - words the government…
HISTORY
Japan’s “Oldest Known Writing” is Just Permanent Marker: Experts
A stone thought to contain Japan's oldest known writing now appears like it might just be the result of sample contamination.
FOOD
Mugicha: A Short History of Japanese Barley Tea
It's been a staple since Japan's Heian era. Learn about the history of mugicha (Japanese barley tea) and why it remains so…
WOMEN
Kitamura Harue: The Legacy of Japan’s First Female Mayor
A look at the life of Japan's first female mayor, Harue Kitamura, and the legacy she left behind for aspiring women in…
POLITICS
Mounting Contention Over State Funeral for Slain Abe Shinzo
The Japanese public remains polarized over plans for a rare state funeral in honor of recently assassinated former prime minister Abe Shinzo.