Osaka is often considered the second (or third) city in Japan. It is often overlooked in favor of Tokyo, but in many aspects, the Kansai capital delivers what the Kanto capital does not. For example, popular neighborhoods in Osaka, like Namba and Shinsekai, offer a grittier, brighter and more retro atmosphere than Tokyo—ideal for photographers and… Read
To democratize the "experience of seeing the Earth from space", the art collective WE plans to conduct a long-duration stay (30 days) in orbit by a private citizen to take ultra-high resolution photographs and videos together with 360-degree VR videos of the Earth that approach the limits of human visual perception. Last month, WE… Read
For people in many cultures, cheating on a partner signifies the ultimate betrayal. However, a lot of online content has made it easy to be convinced that cheating is common in Japan. But what is the cheating culture in Japan really like, and how does cheating compare to those of other countries? Before… Read
I used to think it was kind of weird how places in Japan call their Christmas light displays just “illuminations.” But it’s seemed less and less strange to me as the years go by, partly because living in Japan long enough will shift your standards for English-related linguistic oddities, and also… Read
In this series, we will be exploring all the fashion subcultures that have made Japan the fashion powerhouse it is today. The popularity of the music genre, Visual Kei, went on to influence the start of a new fashion subculture with the same name. Today, it is considered to be… Read
On March 28, Seibu Railway will hold their first cherry blossom viewing train tour in Saitama, just outside of Tokyo. The date corresponds perfectly to our recently-published 2024 sakura forecast, which predicts Tokyo and Saitama’s starting-to-bloom dates on March 20. ▼ Here’s one of the highlights of the tour. The 52 Seki… Read
When TeamLab Borderless in Odaiba shut down in August 2022, locals and tourists cried out disappointedly fearing that the international art collective may have halted operations permanently. After all, its exhibitions have welcomed millions of visitors worldwide since it was founded in 2001. Rest assured: it has returned to Tokyo.… Read
As one of Japan’s most popular destinations, Universal Studios Japan, aka USJ, offers plenty of fun for all, often partnering with the hottest franchises for limited-time events and attractions. It also, however, has demonstrated its commitment to recruiting and retaining the workers who play an integral role in making the magic happen. In a… Read
In his award-winning documentary film, “The Ones Left Behind: The Plight of Single Mothers in Japan,” Rionne McAvoy hopes to shine a light on what he describes as a “double taboo” in Japan, namely “being divorced and being poor.” The problems facing single mothers are “largely ignored,” he said, noting… Read
Looking for an opportunity to learn conversational Japanese in the most fun way possible? Maybe WeLearn Community might be the right place. As a Japanese language learning service, WeLearn offers multiple group lessons every week through an online platform, so you can join from not just Japan, but anywhere in… Read