history

HISTORY

Hanafuda: How a Banned Card Game Defined the Pre-Pokémon Era

Before Mario, Nintendo sold hanafuda cards to the yakuza. Read the 400-year forbidden history of the flower cards that tricked the Shogun.

FOOD

Edomae Sushi: A Classic Take on a Modern Dish

Sushi is popular around the world. But if you're not down with eating fish totally raw, Edomae sushi offers an alternative.

CULTURE

Setsubun: Japan’s Demon-Expelling Festival for Kids of All Ages

Demons out, luck in! How the festival of Setsubun evolved into a tradition enjoyed by kids across Japan every year.

HISTORY

Shinjuku: The Birth of Kabukicho

How Kabukicho, Japan's biggest red light district, arose from the ashes of post-war Japan.

HISTORY

Shinjuku: The History and Origins of the World’s Biggest Nightlife District

The world's largest nightlife district, Shinjuku is nearly synonymous with Tokyo itself - yet wasn't even part of old Tokyo. Where do…

TRAVEL

Edo-Tokyo Museum Finally Set to Reopen in March 2026

One of Tokyo's most beloved and culturally significant museums is finally set to reopen to the public on March 31st.

LIVING IN JAPAN

Vacation Guilt: Why Japanese Workers (Still) Can’t Rest

Social mores play a big role in why Japanese workers say they report to the office even when they're sick.

HISTORY

The War of Brides and Babies: Behind Japan’s “Anti-Communist” Mixed-Race Baby Boom

How the Red Cross and other organizations used war brides and the adoption of mixed-race children to fight the Cold War.