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December 22, 2024
 

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Alyssa I. Smith
Japanese creatives, athletes and activists saw their efforts recognized on the world stage in various ways this year. At the Oscars (left) Takashi Yamazaki and his team took a prize for “Godzilla Minus One,” while later in the year Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada (center) took Emmys for their work in “Shogun.” Shohei Ohtani (right) was arguably the biggest Japanese star of the year.
CULTURE / 2024 in Review
Dec 4, 2024
Japan's soft power soared to new heights in 2024
From Oscars and Emmys to a Nobel Peace Prize, it was a year of awards and triumphs in key cultural fields.
Japanese actress Anna Sawai, winner of the outstanding lead actress in a drama series award for "Shogun," and Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada, winner of the outstanding lead actor in a drama series award for the show, pose in the press room during the 76th Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Sep 16, 2024
'Shogun' becomes first non-English-language winner of best drama Emmy
Veteran leading man Hiroyuki Sanada and co-lead Anna Sawai also took home acting awards for their roles in the show.
J-pop superstar Hikaru Utada wore a resplendent rainbow dress while performing songs from their more recent albums “Hatsukoi” and “Bad Mode” during the second section of the Science Fiction tour.
CULTURE / Music
Sep 11, 2024
Hikaru Utada celebrates 25 years of hits with a sold-out finale
The J-pop superstar wrapped up their nostalgia-laden 18-show tour in front of 18,000 people at Yokohama’s K-Arena.
For centuries, Japanese people have been scaring themselves with horror stories as a way of cooling down during the stifling summer months.
CULTURE / Books
Aug 16, 2024
New tales in translation to give you chills and thrills this summer
Recent fright-filled releases with supernatural creatures, shrewd sleuths and creepy killers provide welcome relief from the sweltering heat.
While Japan is home to many jazz cafes, its summer festivals will let you listen to the music in the open air.
CULTURE / Music
Jun 9, 2024
Japan's summer offerings include jazz and classical music festivals
Not up for the rock and rap that's front and center of Japan's many summer concerts? Try a few jazz festivals instead.
Two people try to take a selfie under the illuminated cherry blossoms in Kyoto’s Gion district last year.
PODCAST / deep dive
Mar 25, 2024
Sakura stories revisited: Getting in the mood for hanami
We are revisiting some past content on the science, economics and culture of cherry blossom season.
Masaki Takahashi, Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya and Tatsuji Nojima celebrated winning the Oscar for best visual effects on the Dolby Theatre stage in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday.
CULTURE / Film
Mar 11, 2024
Oscars 2024: A night to remember for Japanese cinema
Filmmaking peers in Hollywood honor the excellence of two Japanese titans: Studio Ghibli and Godzilla
Naoko Motooka began hunting 10 years ago. Her hobby is one way Hokkaido hopes to curb a current boom in the deer population.
PODCAST / deep dive
Feb 15, 2024
Hunting in Hokkaido; Taylor Swift comes to Tokyo
You probably don’t think of guns when you think of Japan, but Hokkaido’s hunters do.
A still from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
PODCAST / deep dive
Dec 14, 2023
Big in Japan 2023: Anime, Murakami and The Legend of Zelda
Our guests tell us why anime dominated in 2023, which books stood out among a lackluster crowd and why the Zelda franchise is experiencing a renaissance.
The incoming and outgoing presidents of Johnny & Associates, Noriyuki Higashiyama and Julie Keiko Fujishima, bow at a press conference on Sept. 7.
PODCAST / deep dive
Sep 14, 2023
Johnny’s talent agency has admitted to a past of abuse. What next?
Karin Kaneko joins the show to update us on how the story is unfolding.
JAPAN
May 18, 2023
Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke found collapsed after suspected suicide attempt
Ennosuke’s parents were also found collapsed and both were later confirmed dead. The incident came the same day a report alleged Ennosuke harassed staff at his theater collective.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Mar 23, 2023
The cherry blossoms are here and business is blooming
Kathleen Benoza explains what's at stake during the hanami season, while Thu-Huong Ha and Alyssa I. Smith discuss the science, symbolism and culture of sakura in Japan.
CULTURE / Books / 2022 in Review
Dec 31, 2022
Japanese stories captivated overseas audiences in 2022
This year marked increased recognition for female Japanese authors, while Japan-based stories provided the inspiration for Hollywood adaptations such as 'Bullet Train' and 'Tokyo Vice.'
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Dec 29, 2022
Answers in 2022 encouraged activism, recommended books and provided advice
The 20 Questions section discusses people's experiences of Japan in their own words. As we emerge from the pandemic, an underlying theme in 2022 was fighting for change.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Dec 21, 2022
Culture in 2022: Good books, outdoor art and 'Tokyo Vice'
Culture editor Alyssa I. Smith talks to culture critic Thu-Huong Ha about the books they read, the festivals they went to and how Japanese stories are currently capturing Hollywood's attention.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Dec 11, 2022
Yuki Tejima: 'Women have always had a place in the literary world, but now there’s a new generation with really strong voices'
Yuki Tejima runs the Instagram account Book Nerd Tokyo. She uses the platform to discuss books and cafes she loves — a simple formula that has proven very popular.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 6, 2022
Fuji Rock offers escapism once again
The summer music festival's 2022 edition marks a return to an event resembling 'normal.'
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Jan 26, 2022
From 'Spirited Away' to 'Demon Slayer': The meteoric rise of anime
Since 2002, Japan’s anime industry has doubled in size to become worth over ¥2.4 trillion annually.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Dec 29, 2021
So long, 2021
We hear from listeners about their high points in 2021.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Oct 11, 2021
Maxwell Powers: 'You have to be competent, yet invisible'
According to his bio, Maxwell Powers is the 'voice guy in Tokyo.' He explains a few of his roles and the perks of being widely heard.
Nippon Steel alleges undue White House influence on doomed deal review
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the economy at the Brookings Institution in Washington on Dec. 10.
Record 78% of people in Japan feel anxious, government survey finds
The public opinion survey on people's lives, conducted by the Cabinet Office, found that 28.1% of respondents think that their standard of living is at a lower-middle level among the general public — the highest percentage to give that response in 35 years.
Police raided suspect's home to arrest him after fatal Kitakyushu stabbing
Broken window glass is seen at Masanori Hirabaru's house in Kitakyushu's Kokuraminami Ward.
Taiwan lawmakers brawl over bills that would 'damage democracy'
Lawmakers from the Democratic Progressive Party and opposition party Kuomintang brawl in parliament in Taipei on Friday.
Mother hopes for reunion with daughter ensnared by Tokyo host clubs
The Kabukicho district in Tokyo, where the daughter of a woman in her 60s fell deeply into the host club culture.
Casual workouts, cool living, ‘complete’ food: Japan’s health trends of 2024
In 2024, efficiency trumped effort among Japan's fitness-focused aspirants.
The mighty Mekong River's growing plastic problem
A group of elephant keepers in Chiang Saen, Thailand, remove plastic waste from the Ruak River, a tributary of the Mekong River, as a pair of Asian elephants bathe behind them.
Japanese officials inspect Yokota Air Base over PFAS concerns
The Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo in September 2019. An inspection of the base by Japanese government officials on Friday came amid public pressure to investigate suspected links between the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam by the U.S. base and contamination of soil and groundwater in western Tokyo.
Crime numbers rise in Japan for second straight year
A police officer stands in front of the residence of a man alleged to have stabbed two junior high school students in Kitakyushu.
A year of Oscar wins and a quiet push for diversity
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Evil Does Not Exist,” released in Japanese theaters in April, sharply dramatizes the clash between rural and urban values. The film won five awards at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, including the second-place Silver Lion prize.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Yasuyuki Yoshida stirs a brew in a fermentation tank at his brewery in Hakusan.
The quake that shook Noto's sake brewing tradition
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