history

CULTURE

Manhole Covers: Japan’s Unique Art Trend

They're expensive, colorful, and have their own devoted fan following. Learn how Japan's manhole covers have crossed over from utilitarian objects to…

SOCIETY

Japanese Student and Others Speak Out Over US School’s Mushroom Cloud Logo

Japanese people wonder: Why does a school in America revel in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people by calling themselves…

HISTORY

The Unique History of Japan’s Postal System

How the Japan Post's unique development and services improved the economy of a nation - its successes, its controversies, and the origin…

SOCIETY

Happy Science: Inside Japan’s Far-Right Religious Movement

In the mid-1980s, a Japanese salaryman declared himself the reincarnation of Buddha and Hermes. Now his religious organization claims millions of adherents.

FEATURED

Ninja in Japan: The Reality Behind The Popular Depiction

How accurately do movies, cartoons, and games portray the ninja of Japan? Not very. Learn about the true tradition of the ninja.

CULTURE

Visual Kei in Japan: The Freedom to Describe Yourself

How a music-fueled rebellion against conformity and fixed gender roles became a significant cultural movement in Japan - and why some people…

CULTURE

Nagoya City Suggests the Disabled Use Drones to Scale a Castle

When the city of Nagoya announced the renovated Nagoya Castle would lack an elevator for disabled access, the response was...left than uplifting.

ENTERTAINMENT

Message from Space: Why “Japan’s Star Wars” Was a Domestic Dud

In 1978, the Toei Company rushed a Star Wars knock-off into theaters. It nearly blew up on the launchpad. Here's why (and…