SOCIETY
Every Employer in Japan Must Now Protect Its Workers From Customer Harassment
The new national legal requirement doesn't carry any direct fines, and customers face no potential punishment for crossing the line.
osaka
SOCIETY
ENTERTAINMENT
Universal Studios Japan’s First Adults-Only Attraction is Such a Scream, It Requires a Waiver
Exactly what is it about this year's Halloween event that requires a waiver and an R-18 rating? Psychological horror and legal liability.
SOCIETY
Osaka Station’s “Exclusion Art”: Hostile Architecture Comes to Kansai
Why did 150 concrete blocks outside JR Osaka Station spark outrage? We explore the divide in Japan's "exclusion art" debate.
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Ikezu-Ishi: Are Kyoto’s “Rude Rocks” an Insult, or a Kindness?
Some domestic tourists point to one local custom, the "rude rock," as proof of Kyoto spite. But it isn't even specific to…
TRAVEL
Ashiya: How to Visit Japan’s Most Exclusive Small Town
Ashiya, a leafy enclave between Osaka and Kobe, carries a cachet no other Japanese town quite matches: old money, hillside mansions, and…
TRAVEL
Minoh: Discover Forest Trails, Temples, and Autumn Colors Beyond Osaka
Tired of the crowds in Osaka City? Enjoy some fresh air, a slower pace of life, and local delicacies in nearby Minoh.
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Why This Japanese Phrase from Kansai Sounds Strange to the Rest of Japan
It's a phrase that confuses Tokyoites. But to many in the Kansai region, it's a daily expression rooted in the region's unique…
LGBTQ
Osaka High Court: Japan’s Family Registry Discriminates Against Non-Binary People
An Osaka High Court ruling found that Japan's gender-binary family register violates Article 14 of the Japanese Constitution. But it dismissed the…