Our Blogs

87% in Japan Say Sexual Diversity Should Be Honored: Survey
As LGBTQ+ awareness spreads in Japan, more businesses are grappling with how to respond to it in their own sales

Japanese Lawmaker Who Threatened to Punch Taxi Driver Resigns
A Kumamoto Prefecture legislator who previously made news for smoking in public is now out of a job after harassing

Tourist Areas in Japan Struggle with Ill-Mannered Visitors
After a long lockdown, domestic and foreign tourism are active in Japan once more. While a welcome boon for local

Loose Socks and the Rise of the “Heisei Retro” Trend
On May 1st, 2019, Emperor Akihito officially abdicated the throne and the “Reiwa” era began. This ended the Heisei era,

Man in Japan Prosecuted for Overly Long Scissors
Japan is well known for its strict gun laws. But it also severely restricts carrying any blade that can be

How Gender Bias Keeps Japanese Girls Out of STEM
“He’s a boy but he likes Frozen and Elsa!” My 5-year-old daughter exclaimed the other day, catching me off guard. It

Hirano Aya’s Harassment in the Anime Industry All Too Common
It’s an old refrain in entertainment industries the world over: speak up about harassment and risk losing work, or stay

Recipe: Amazake purin for the new year
During oshogatsu (New Year), people in Japan huddle outside of temples and shrines to pray for an auspicious year, hands warmed by

Hokusai’s The Great Wave off Kanagawa woodblock print splashes into Lego art in early 2023
Edo-period artist Katsushika Hokusai’s most famous individual woodblock print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa has been reproduced in many forms of media, including functional ones for everyday life,