A restaurant in Tokyo had to close temporarily after its owner ranted on social media about a non-Japanese couple who came to the store. Learn why the remarks are so controversial - and how some Japanese restaurants are struggling with the influx of tourists.
Despite putting up signs in multiple languages asking people to follow the rules, infractions – and complaints – haven’t let up. As a result, officials say they’ll set up a vinyl curtain, some 20 meters long and 2.5 meters high, to black out a popular photo spot for Mt. Fuji.
Common wisdom holds that there's a polite way to hold your backpack on a crowded train in Japan. But is common wisdom wrong? Here's why some in Japan argue that the front-facing backpack isn't as polite as it's claimed to be.
Minamoto no Sanetomo’s murder not only brought an end to the line of one of Japan’s great conquerers. It also helped usher in a war between the samurai and the emperor that would cement warrior power in Japan for more than six centuries to come.
In Japan, they say "the customer is god." Lately, more customers are acting like angry, wrathful gods - and one Japanese company says it's had enough. Here's how Japan Railways plans to fight a rising tide of harassment by customers.
One woman from Japan in a three-generation family of eight says this is her family’s third – and maybe last – trip to Hawaii. Instead of economizing to account for the weak yen, she says, “I raised the limit on my credit card.”
A new English translation of Takaoka's Travels by Japanese author Shibusawa Tatsuhiko is a funny, fantastical fever dream. Read our full review below for more.
As Japan's population ages, it's finding itself awash in a glut of unoccupied homes - and a new report says the country just set a record. Learn more about the crisis - and how local governments are trying to address it - in our latest.
Japanese cuisine has a reputation for being healthy. While much of it is, this is also a country that loves itself some fried foods. While most people know about kara-age (fried chicken), fewer know about its delicious cousin: kushikatsu (串カツ) or deep-fried skewers.
A popular Japanese right-wing meme on social media holds that foreigners are bleeding Japan dry. Is that true? A series of articles citing actual data show that the reality for foreigners living in Japan is far different than right-wingers suggest.
A newspaper feature using Pokemon to teach Japanese dialects gained traction on Twitter due to an unexpected double meaning. Twitter users were surprised to learn that “chinchin" means something...different there.
Combini are as ubiquitous throughout Japan as Starbucks in Seattle. How did it get that way? And what do people use them for? Let’s take a look at the scale of Japanese convenience stores and how, exactly, they fit into modern life in Japan.
In 1219, the shogun Minamoto no Sanetomo, samurai lord of all Japan, was slain on the steps of Tsurugaoka Shrine in Kamakura - by his own nephew no less. What tragic series of events instigated this high-profile assassination?
Japan is often described as a one-party, conservative state - and yet, for over a decade, a highly popular socialist led the government of Tokyo. Meet Governor Minobe below.
Whether you're traveling to Japan or planning a trip in-country, these onsen are bucket list experiences for everyone. Find out which ones you should check out on your next holiday below.
ICYMI: Large cities in Japan, like Tokyo and Osaka, have amazing public transportation. But you can’t see much from a subway. Consider getting around on a bicycle instead. Here's how.
Bad news for Japan's Karens (可憐たち, if you will): Japan Railways East says it will no longer do business with customers who harass its employees. Violations include physical/verbal abuse, making employees kneel in apology (土下座), & harassment on social media.
The weak yen is a big boon to tourists coming to Japan. But for Japanese traveling abroad, it's forcing them to economize, with some bringing their food with them.
As the yen continues to hurtle downwards (it hit 155 yen to the US dollar this week), it's time to reconsider working in Japan unless you earn in USD. Here's why it's harder than ever to justify working here. (We wrote this in November 2022, but it's even more true today.)
There are many debates around how to eat sushi properly. One point of contention: how do you dip your nigiri-zushi in soy sauce - rice-first? Or topping-first? Here's what one expert etiquette says is the right way to eat it.
This is why we can't have nice things: an influx of tourism is forcing officials to close off an iconic picture spot of Mt. Fuji. The spot where tourists take pics of Fuji towering over a local Lawson will be blocked off as of May 2nd. Learn more about why below.
ICYMI: The spread of a flesh-eating bacteria didn't stop more tourists from entering Japan and spending more money than ever. A new government report says that the first quarter of 2024 shattered records for inbound visitors to Japan. Where are these tourists coming from?
Canned coffee originated as a way to make coffee easier for busy workers to buy and drink during their commute. Reportedly, Ueshima Tadao, founder of UCC, came up with the idea when he had to abandon his hot coffee one day when his train arrived too early.