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COMMUNITY / Voices / OVERHEARD
May 26, 2018

Stinky or squishy?

'Stinky! Cigarettes are stinky! Hey, what do you like better: cigarettes or these squishy toys?'
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
May 25, 2018

Yap, the Pacific island Japan has almost forgotten

Ancient traditional culture, imperial Japanese influence and modern tourism blend together in the Pacific island of Yap.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 21, 2018

Modern Meghan radicalizes the royals

The newest member of the royal family champions the ideals and practices of modern feminism, anti-racism and high-profile charitable projects.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
May 21, 2018

Amazon helps Shenzhen entrepreneur turn mom's money into a billion dollars

After Steven Yang left his coveted job at Google, he asked his mother whether he should take venture capital money to fund his business idea.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 21, 2018

To know Japan, its people and its story, know its grub

Food in Japan is hardwired to emotion, personal identity and memory in a way that is often baffling to Westerners.
BUSINESS / Tech / Deep Dive
May 20, 2018

Drone deliveries ready to soar in Japan but lingering issues likely to keep post office in business

A drone carrying a package sails through the air, touching down to make a delivery right on a customer's doorstep.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
May 19, 2018

Sanrio characters in 'Aggretsuko' reflect the realities of life at work — rage included

Sanrio Co. is known for churning out some of the most adorable creatures out there, including Hello Kitty and the bunny My Melody. Its characters are often cute and colorful, and usually silent.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
May 19, 2018

Shiseido's 'Higashi wo Dori Parfait' is a cornucopia of fruit and flavor

The Salon de Cafe in Ginza has a limited-edition fruit and green tea parfait that hits all the right summery notes.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
May 17, 2018

Bargain-hunting Chinese make Japanese retail king Bic Camera a billionaire

Japanese retail tycoon Ryuji Arai can thank a growing flock of Chinese spenders for his swelling fortune.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
May 12, 2018

War games: Examining the fascination with recreational airsoft combat games in Japan

I know that scores of heavily armed people are out there lying in wait to shoot me, but I can't see them.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
May 12, 2018

Japan redraws its line in the sand for poverty

If an income of ¥10 million a year can't save you from poverty, what can?
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
May 12, 2018

Mayumi Uejima-Carr: Setting the Table For Two in the United States

After reading about the NPO Table For Two, a quick Google search and a 'passionate email,' Mayumi Uejima-Carr now educates American students about the health benefits of Japanese cuisine.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 11, 2018

Despite diversity drive, Japan's carmakers struggle to hire women engineers

Facing the worst labor shortage in decades, Japan's carmakers have seen the light: hire more women.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / BACKSTREET STORIES
May 11, 2018

Slow-paced Izu Oshima is anything but sleepy

A mere Jetfoil away from Tokyo, travelers to Izu Oshima island can expect volcanic hikes, fresh local cuisine and an abundance of hospitality.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
May 11, 2018

Secondhand retail redefined in Japan as online flea markets rise in value

In June, the popular online flea market, Mercari Inc., is expected to be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Mothers section, which is reserved for high-growth startup companies. According to an article in the April 18 Asahi Shimbun the value of the company's stock at the time of the listing could exceed...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 9, 2018

Buy what you like, sell what the market fancies: Top collectors reveal how to make a fortune in art

Andy Warhol once said: "Making money is art." But what about making money from art?
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
May 5, 2018

Tacuba: Offering a fresh take on Mexican food

Everything about Jose Sanchez's new Osaka restaurant, Tacuba, emphasizes freshness. From the contemporary Mexican art on the walls to the open kitchen, and made-to-order prep area, there's a clean minimalism to the design that focuses attention on the restaurant's ingredients and preparation.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
May 5, 2018

Japan is struggling to deal with the foreign tourism boom

With the population shrinking and the government leery of allowing more immigrants into the country, foreign tourism has become an effective economic stimulus. In fact, its success has exceeded anyone’s wildest dreams. More than 28 million tourists from abroad visited Japan last year, and it seems...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
May 2, 2018

Is the feudal era over for Japan's talent agencies?

Japanese show business definitely has a feudal side. Talent agencies control their tarento (talent) much in the way the daimyō (feudal lords) controlled the samurai in their clans, supporting their livelihoods in return for absolute fealty. And just as samurai were expected to stay with one clan their...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Apr 28, 2018

Confronting the definition of a 'moral education'

How can people be taught to be good? What does "good" mean? "Moral education," the education ministry explains on its website, "aims to develop a Japanese citizen who will never lose the consistent spirit of respect for his fellow man; who will realize this spirit at home, at school and in other actual...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / NATURAL SELECTIONS
Apr 26, 2018

Scientists discover hormone that helps plants sense drought

Plants deserve more credit. They can't move to find food or water, or to escape a predator. But that doesn't mean they are helpless — far from it. They don't have eyes, ears, a nose or mouth, but they can sense the world remarkably well — in some cases better than we can.
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Apr 25, 2018

Relocating to San Francisco with a Japanese spouse

The mariachi blares through the night, mixed with the hustle of elephants. It is Friday night in Oakland, California — a fact embraced by our upstairs neighbors, who are partial to Mexican polka.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 25, 2018

NHK pushes to define culture ahead of 2020 with some help from Perfume

With the Pyeongchang Olympics wrapped up, the spotlight has shifted to Tokyo ahead of the 2020 Games. The build up to the sporting spectacular is already well under way.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Apr 24, 2018

Ike no Taiga: The 'true view' travel painter

"The Genius of Ike no Taiga: Carefree Traveler, Legendary Painter," at Kyoto National Museum, is magisterial. Edo Period (1603-1868) Kyoto teemed with big name painters, but Taiga (1723-1776) was superlative.

Longform

A man offers prayers at Hebikubo Shrine in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward. The shrine is one of several across the country dedicated to the snake.
Shed your skin and reinvent yourself in the Year of the Snake