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Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / ON: GAMES
Sep 5, 2021

Need a vacation from reality? Slash your way through 13th-century Japan

Let the newly released Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut whisk you away to a nobler time of scenic isles, marauding samurai and petting foxes.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 9, 2021

Phasing out faxes faces fierce resistance from Japan's bureaucrats

After a government task force issued a notice telling ministries to abandon their fax machines, it was inundated with about 400 responses from officials.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Jul 22, 2021

The Olympic opening ceremony that wasn’t

Mired in the COVID-19 pandemic and a slew of scandals, the opening ceremony on Friday will look nothing like the original plans for a spectacular celebration of Japan's pop culture.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 3, 2021

Mr. Xi, policies are more important than narratives

While Chinese culture is laudable, culture does not equate to policy and will not guarantee that others will automatically respect your government.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
May 29, 2021

'Curry Police': A problematic music video leads to a problematic backlash

A Japanese music video filled with stereotypes about Indians leads to an angry response that exposes some nasty misogyny.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 24, 2021

'Chinatown Beat': The act of telling the story is in itself political

New York-based director Yuko Torihara hit the pavement with writer Henry Chang to highlight the stories of Asian Americans in her short documentary “Chinatown Beat.”
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Longform
Apr 19, 2021

The female brewers shaking up Japan’s sake industry

Bringing a fresh perspective to the brewing process, women are increasingly producing inspirational new interpretations of the nation's traditional alcoholic drink.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 17, 2021

Keep calm and tuck in: Tokyo discovers British cuisine isn’t just pie in the sky

Critics have missed, or chosen to stubbornly ignore, Britain's glorious culinary renaissance. Here are some of Tokyo's latest openings where you can get a taste of good ol' British grub.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 4, 2021

How responsible travelers can contribute to sustainable islands

For more than 20 years, Okinawa has nurtured a growing trend toward achieving sustainability on all levels of society. In a rapidly changing world that is still negotiating a pandemic, many Okinawans have been working to create initiatives that both engage tourists and enrich the local community and...
Japan Times
JAPAN / History / Longform
Feb 27, 2021

Hirohito in Europe: 100 years on, historic imperial trip celebrated for its vision of peace

Tour not only highlighted Japan's newfound position alongside Allied powers in the aftermath of World War I, it also had a profound effect on the young crown prince.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 8, 2021

Hong Kong’s present is Tibet’s past

Both the “1959 Tibet Rebellion” and the “2019 Hong Kong riots” were flashpoints triggering the end of these region's distinct ways of life under their respective autonomous frameworks.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Dec 10, 2020

Rabbi Shmuel Vishedsky: 'Hanukkah reminds people that miracles do happen'

While it can be hard to observe Jewish practices anywhere there isn't a large Jewish population, the Jewish community in Kansai supports each other.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Nov 28, 2020

Masters of their craft: Japanese artisans go abroad to preserve a cultural tradition

Three Japanese artisans fight to save traditional crafts in their adopted homeland
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Nov 21, 2020

Masters of their craft: Foreign apprentices reveal their life-changing experiences in Japan

You don't master traditional Japanese crafts, says Japanese lacquerware artist Suzanne Ross, “they master you.”
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Nov 16, 2020

An outsider's look at the problems plaguing rural Japan

When new people come to town they bring a flurry of new ideas with them. In the small town of Nakatsugawa, this has meant an exciting cultural exchange.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Nov 7, 2020

The publishing industry can't get enough books on supernatural Japanese stories

While this year alone saw the release of well over 100 English nonfiction books about Japan, ranging from accounts of the atomic bombings, to memoirs, travelogues and countless explorations of Japanese culture, one trend in particular stands out from the rest: books on Japanese myths and legends, covering...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 10, 2020

Spice Lab Tokyo: Defying expectations of Indian-Japanese fusion cuisine

How does executive chef Tejas Sovani balance the maximalist complexity of Indian recipes with Japanese cuisine's understated grace?
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 8, 2020

Remembering legacy of Nippon Otis CEO Guillaume Renaud

From the Empire State Building to the Eiffel Tower, Otis Elevator Co. has helped to build cities and transformed the world of movement. Today it continues to drive forward its global presence with dynamic leadership at the vanguard of its designs for reinventing the way people move. One of its dynamic...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Top Global Universities in Japan
Oct 5, 2020

Top Global University Project for a brighter future

Japan has long had a reputation for impenetrability and separation from the outside world. However, this is changing rapidly in a number of ways. One example is the university system, which is quickly shifting to a globalized footing, becoming home to emerging international powerhouses in academia.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 27, 2020

As the new administrative reform minister, Taro Kono declares war on fax machines

Kono said his ongoing crusade against hanko will go a long way toward phasing out the nation's entrenched fixation on fax.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Sep 18, 2020

Black Girl Hockey Club aims to diversify NHL stands and boardrooms

When the idea to create the Black Girl Hockey Club hit Renee Hess almost two years ago, she couldn’t have foreseen the degree to which it has insinuated itself into hockey culture in the United States and Canada.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Sep 17, 2020

From the battlefield to manga to Zoom: A Kyushu samurai clan and its legendary warrior get an online outing

Sengan-en, the estate of a samurai clan, is going virtual in honor of the family's legendary warrior, Shimazu Toyohisa, and the manga modeled on him.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 15, 2020

A debate on name order highlights an old translation issue

Last name, first? Some Japanese people would like to see their linguistic traditions better reflected in English-language media.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Aug 19, 2020

Episode 61: Tough times for Tokyo, the world's dining capital

With more Michelin stars than any other city in the world, Tokyo is something of a dining mecca. But in 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has turned Tokyo's restaurant and hospitality industry on its head.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Aug 1, 2020

Step into another world with isekai, the fantasy subgenre ruling the manga market

In recent years, the manga and light novel market has been inundated with 'isekai,' a subgenre in which protagonists are transported to a fantasy world.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Jul 25, 2020

Redefining the kimono in modern times

While many associate the kimono with Japanese tradition, renewed interest in the garment at home and abroad is giving it a new lease on life.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 5, 2020

Why we need the spirit of Bobby Kennedy now

The ongoing pandemic isn't the first time the U.S. has had to confront its collective pathologies.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 15, 2020

Shibuya's Club Asia stays steady and looks ahead to post-coronavirus clubbing

As some of Tokyo's clubs face permanent closure as a result of COVID-19, others look to the future and ways of ensuring they survive the pandemic.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / The Big Questions
Apr 26, 2020

‘Zest for life’ shapes over 30 years of work, play in Japan

Tokyo has its own Tintin! He may be older than Herge's beloved character, and his cheeks ruddier, but Fabrice Tilot shares the same spirit of adventure and zest for life as his fellow Belgian.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?