FOOD
Shake (鮭) vs. Salmon (サーモン): How Norwegian Salmon Became a Sushi Staple in Japan
Curious why there are two names for salmon in Japanese? There's an interesting historical (and scientific!) reason behind that.
marketing
FOOD
SEX & NIGHTLIFE
How Japan’s Nightlife Tourist Traps Pad Their Reviews
Japan's tourist traps know how to look trustworthy online, creating paid reviews, inflated ratings, and search rankings to mislead travelers.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Genericide, Japan Edition: How Japan’s Famous Names Slipped Into Common Speech
Like escalator and aspirin, Japan has its own list of trademarks that have succumbed to popular usage. But while some companies aggressively…
FOOD
Yep or NOPE? Suntory’s New Dr Pepper-Like Soda Confuses Japanese Consumers
Suntory's new drink NOPE promises lots of flavor. Just WHAT that flavor is, however, has sparked a raging debate in Japan.
TRAVEL
Suica Penguin Retirement Announcement Sparks Fan Outcry in Japan
The character, created by a children's book author, has been the face of the popular transit card since its inception in 2001.
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
McDonald’s Japan Runs Ad in Forged Edo-Era Script of the Gods
McDonald's Japan's latest social media ad campaign harkens back to claims that Japan had a pre-Chinese writing system.
FOOD
Family Mart Says Cute “Save Me!” Onigiri Mascot Reduced Food Loss
Konbini chain Family Mart wanted to reduce food loss in its stores. So it did the most Japan thing ever: it created…
TECHNOLOGY
Will AI-Powered Cameras Be Watching You in Shibuya?
Do you always feel like someone's watching you? That may be true in Shibuya if one company's plan for 100 AI-powered cameras…