hokkaido

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

Is That Japanese Town a “Chou” or a “Machi”?

The character 町 - pronounced either "chou" or "machi" - is common in Japanese town and neighborhood names. But how do you…

RACE IN JAPAN

Civic Group Protests Event Alleging Hate Speech Against the Ainu

A supposed "Ainu History Learning Association" has been holding "learning sessions" that promote disinformation about the indigenous group. Last month, a local…

HISTORY

Iboshi Hokuto: The Legacy of the Ainu Poet-Activist

Spurred by colonialist propaganda that called his people "a dying race," Iboshi Hokuto spent his short life in service to his belief…

CULTURE

Will Ghost of Yōtei Tackle the History of Ainu Discrimination?

Ghost of Yotei, a standalone sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, is due for release next year. Will this game created to explore…

FEATURED

Japan’s Brilliant Fall Foliage: Top Five Viewing Places

Fall is (very slowly) arriving in Japan - and with it comes the changing of the leaves. Here are the best fall…

TRAVEL

Higher Tourist Taxes? Japan’s Travel Hot Spots Mull Increases

As some locales in Japan consider implementing a tourist tax, places such as Osaka are considering increasing - even doubling - their…

TRAVEL

Here Are Japan’s Top Scenic Nature Spots for Tourists

Want to get out of the city and see some natural beauty while in Japan? Here are what other tourists deem the…

LAW & CRIME

Why Did Hokkaido Police Party with a Murder Suspect?

A teenage girl in Hokkaido is dead because she took someone's picture. And now it's emerging that local cops knew the suspect…