TRAVEL
Why Japan’s New “Sleeper Shinkansen” is a Big Hit with Japanese Women
A "sleeper" run of JR Central's Tokaido shinkansen was a huge hit. It also offered something other shinkansen don't: safety for women.
oshikatsu
TRAVEL
SOCIETY
“The Meal-Skipping Crowd”: Cute Japanese Gen Z Slang, or a Sign of Japan’s Poverty?
Are young people skipping meals because they don't want to eat? Or are they just too broke? The data paints a complex…
CULTURE
Japan Sells “Oshikatsu Insurance” for Fans Whose Concert Trip Falls Through
Japan's booming oshikatsu (fandom support) economy has inspired a new insurance policy. And it makes a lot more sense than you might…
SEX & NIGHTLIFE
Why Japanese Nightlife’s “Attention Economy” Is Better Than Sex
Why do people in Japan pay so much for non-sexual companionship? A look at how an industry born in the Edo Era…
TRAVEL
JR East’s New “Luna Azul” Overnight Express Revives Japan’s Sleeper-Train Era
Do you miss Japan's sleeper trains? If JR East has its way, they may be mounting a comeback. Learn how to ride…
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.
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.