CULTURE
When Plushies Take a Seat: Japan’s “Nuikatsu” Boom Collides With Restaurant Manners
A couple of viral incidents online highlight how some restaurants are struggling to handle customers bringing their stuffed +1s.
oshikatsu
CULTURE
SEX & NIGHTLIFE
In Japan, Oshikatsu is Fostering an Underage Sex Work Pipeline
Oshikatsu has girls turning to sex work to give money to their favorite performers. Some are as young as 15.
ENTERTAINMENT
Galapagos Rock: Why It’s So Hard for Foreign J-Pop Fans to Buy Concert Tickets in Japan
Some overseas fans of Japanese music say the hassle is proof that "Japan hates foreigners." The truth is more complicated.
WOMEN
Solo Weddings: Why Japanese Women Are Saying “I Do” to…Themselves
Japan's marriage rate has tumbled to a postwar low. But the country's bridal industry isn't shrinking: it's pivoting.
ENTERTAINMENT
Why a 20-Year-Old Japanese Racing Idol Went Searching For a 50-Year-Old Fan
It's common for fans to become obsessed with their idols. But what happens when an idol is worried about one of her…
POLITICS
Japanese Lawmaker Says Anti-Spy Law Could End Oshikatsu Culture
One lawmaker warns that proposed spy legislation could tread on a booming business in Japan: support for one's favorite idol or star.
TRAVEL
New “Flat Sleeper” Bus Will Let Japan Fans See Idols While Skipping Hotels
A new "full flat sleeper" design debuting in March will attempt to make using a night bus for concerts a less tiring…
ENTERTAINMENT
Is “Oshikatsu” an Addiction? Survey Shows Dark Side of Japan’s Fan Culture
Oshikatsu is a booming business in Japan. But data shows many fans are concerned about the toll supporting their faves takes on…