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Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 16, 2016

'The Girl on the Train' charts a rough ride

Why does modern society assume that all women want the same three things: love, sex and babies? The short answer is, because pop culture has decreed it so.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 15, 2016

Will Donald Trump reset U.S.-Russia relations?

Vladimir Putin is happy to see Trump win the White House.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Nov 15, 2016

Maruyama Okyo melded styles to pioneer a new path in art

The 18th century was an exciting time for Japan. After unification in 1603, a remarkable spirit of innovation pervaded as urban centers grew and the arts flourished.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Nov 15, 2016

Kyoto museum celebrates the works of native son Ito Jakuchu

In 2000, the Kyoto National Museum commemorated the death of Ito Jakuchu (1716-1800) with an exhibition that generated a surge of interest in the artist. The boom has possibly reached its zenith this year, which marks the 300th anniversary of his birth.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Nov 14, 2016

Nagoya finds no such thing as bad publicity after own survey deems it most unpopular

Nagoya has been featured heavily in magazines and TV programs recently as the city that people hate the most.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Nov 13, 2016

South Korean prosecutors to question president this week over political scandal: report

South Korean prosecutors are seeking to question President Park Geun-hye this week over a political scandal that has engulfed her presidency, the Yonhap news agency reported Sunday.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League / HOOP SCOOP
Nov 12, 2016

B. League needs more marquee players

The B. League is doing a commendable job marketing and promoting itself in its inaugural season.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 12, 2016

LGBT-inclusive curriculum badly needed

For too long, Japanese LGBT students have faced verbal abuse, physical harassment and far worse because of homophobia.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 11, 2016

Rise of the anti-Trump Left

The election of Donald Trump sets the stage for a civil war within the Democratic Party in which its liberal progressive wing is likely to emerge victorious.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KANPAI CULTURE
Nov 11, 2016

The Kyoto Distillery: home of Japan's first artisanal gin

It's a mild Kyoto evening, and a group of spirits enthusiasts are gathering at a handsomely restored machiya (traditional townhouse) to celebrate the launch of Ki No Bi, a boutique gin produced by The Kyoto Distillery, Japan's first craft gin specialist. Guests spill onto the machiya's moss-covered courtyard,...
Reader Mail
Nov 11, 2016

Reduce bluefin tuna catch now

Overfishing is a serious problem around the world. All major countries are responsible for the current state of fish decline, but Japan is the leader in consumption of many fish taken.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media
Nov 10, 2016

NewsPicks: Staying ahead of 'old media' with financial news focusing on tech trends

NewsPicks is a Japan-oriented financial news website focused on new technologies and IT, using corporate reporters to target young, tech-savvy readers.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 9, 2016

Fukushima eyed for baseball, softball games in 2020 Olympics

Tokyo 2020 Olympic organizers on Wednesday gave the green light for disaster-affected Fukushima Prefecture to host baseball and softball games.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Nov 7, 2016

Strength and tradition draw women back to sumo world

Let's face it, where else are we going to watch a lot of large, near-naked men wrestle each other in a tiny dirt arena?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Nov 5, 2016

Defining J-horror: Early encounters with the unhuman

The scene: It's night; someone is alone in a dimly lit room. There's an eerie stillness, a creeping anxiety. Then, behind them, you notice a strange shape: a hunched-over figure, lurking in a corner. It is standing deathly still. The head is obscured by what looks like tendrils of jet-black hair. A chill...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 4, 2016

Tokyo's first Russian-style maid cafe

Twelve men sit in silence at a new cafe in Tokyo's Shinjuku district as three women dressed in Russian attire start serving a sour-looking plate of borscht.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 3, 2016

Brace for the ultimate Washington gridlock

News of another FBI review of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's emails may not change the outcome of the election. But it could poison a Clinton presidency.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 3, 2016

Japan quietly accepting foreign workers — just don't call it immigration

Send us your construction workers, your care givers, your store clerks — but for a limited time only.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Nov 1, 2016

Opposing today's rising intolerance

It has been a bumper year for chauvinism. Deplorables around the world who feel that their livelihoods, identities and values are under threat from "others" have let it be known that they're mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. If you don't think of yourself as being in the same basket as them,...
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Nov 1, 2016

Kawasaki's Spangler adapting to B. League

Until this past spring, forward Ryan Spangler played in a crimson-colored jersey for the University of Oklahoma Sooners.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Oct 31, 2016

Let's discuss Kaori Icho's People's Honor Award

Four-time Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler Kaori Icho was recently awarded the People's Honor Award.
CULTURE / Music / STRANGE BOUTIQUE
Oct 30, 2016

Mama's Tattoo event pushes women to write new narratives

Deep in Tokyo's indie music hub of Shimokitazawa, the twin venues of Three and Basement Bar often play host to some of the most diverse and offbeat expressions of Japan's underground music culture.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Oct 29, 2016

Amazon Fashion Week Tokyo: Womenswear collections shake up the system

The six days that constituted Amazon Fashion Week Tokyo from Oct. 17 to 22 featured a wide range of styles, from pop and punk inspirations to commercial and avant-garde creations. It was the first collection to be sponsored by Amazon and, while many wondered if the involvement of the online retailer...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Oct 29, 2016

Could nuclear advocacy be Abe's undoing?

Voters have elected anti-nuclear governors in Kagoshima and Niigata prefectures in recent months. These elections can be considered referenda on nuclear power because that issue was the main focus of debate in both campaigns. The results have put Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — and his plans to rev up...
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Oct 29, 2016

Mina Perhonen: a natural-born style

Be it a dress, a teacup or a chair, there is something instantly recognizable about a Mina Perhonen creation. Perhaps it's the natural motifs, exquisite textiles and unexpected color combinations. Or maybe it's the nostalgia-tinged atmosphere paired with clean-lined contemporary silhouettes.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Oct 29, 2016

Are Japanese really 'docile'?: challenging an enduring myth

A common perception abroad is that Japanese society is docile. This is partly thanks to Western writers who tried to create a single profile of the Japanese in the early to mid-20th century, such as Ruth Benedict in her 1946 book "The Chrysanthemum and the Sword." Today, this dangerous myth of consensus...

Longform

Totopa in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward was picked by consultants TTNE as the best sauna of the year.
Japan’s sauna movement: Relax, refresh, repeat