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Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Feb 5, 2009

Creative dialogue

While it's not unknown for practitioners of the fine arts to gain fame and fortune almost overnight these days, (even through notoriety rather than talent), only a handful of artists in the graphic design field have gained worldwide recognition. Britain's Neville Brody is one.
CULTURE / Books
Dec 16, 2007

Unlocking the mysteries of Japanese culture

A TRACTATE ON JAPANESE AESTHETICS by Donald Richie. Berkeley: Stone Bridge Press, 2007, 79 pp., $9.95 (paper) In the preface to this new, much-needed book on Japanese aesthetics, Donald Richie points out, "In writing about traditional Asian aesthetics, the conventions of Western discourse — order,...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Feb 17, 2007

Japan's pop culture made palatable for the layman

Roland Kelts does not look like his publicity photo, in large part because he's wearing sunglasses. But not because he's trying to be cool: "It's just that my eyes are really tired this morning."
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 20, 2022

Don’t cancel Russian culture

Refusing to engage with Russian culture will not change President Vladimir Putin's calculations, let alone impel him to withdraw his forces from Ukraine.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 22, 2020

Japan’s work culture gets a needed COVID-19 shock

Remote work may have finally persuaded the nation's corporate leaders that endless hours at the office are a waste.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices
Apr 1, 2020

Does Japan’s culture explain its low COVID-19 numbers?

With the West now taking another look at widespread use of face masks to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, it's worth noting another aspect of Japanese culture that might be keeping the number of infections down: shame.
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
Aug 26, 2017

Japan, South Korea, China agree to jointly promote Asian culture during next three Olympic events

The culture chiefs of Japan, China and South Korea agree to use the next three Olympic events in the region to jointly promote East Asia's culture to the world.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 23, 2017

For foreign companies in Japan, adapting to local culture seen as key to success

Adjusting to culture in Japan is often a challenge for foreign residents. The same goes for foreign companies.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Mar 20, 2017

Let's discuss the Tokyo 2020 Cultural Olympiad

Japan's celebration of culture leading up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will 'deliver something inspiring for the people of Japan and the whole world,' says the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad Director.
JAPAN
Mar 9, 2017

Japan will deliver big during Tokyo 2020 Cultural Olympiad, London Games official says

Japan's celebration of culture leading up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will "deliver something inspiring for the people of Japan and the whole world," according to London 2012 Cultural Olympiad Director Ruth Mackenzie.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 20, 2016

IOC chief Bach vows 'very significant reduction' in cost of Tokyo 2020 Games

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach vowed Thursday to produce "a very significant reduction in costs" for the 2020 Tokyo Games, which he predicts will bring "a transformational moment for all of Japan."
JAPAN
Oct 18, 2016

International forum on sports, the arts and business kicks off in Kyoto, Tokyo

An international conference on sports, arts and business kicks off in Japan on Wednesday as part of the government's efforts to create momentum leading up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and beyond.
Cincinnati Opera’s new production of “Madame Butterfly,” directed by Matthew Ozawa, frames the action as a virtual-reality fantasy of Japan.
CULTURE / Stage
Jul 27, 2023

Reimagining ‘Madame Butterfly,’ with Asian creators at the helm

As opera houses rework Puccini’s classic, criticized for stereotypes about women and Japanese culture, artists of Asian descent are playing a central role.
Starting next year, all renovations to the new Imperial Hotel are scheduled to finish in 2036.
CULTURE / Art
Sep 16, 2023

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Imperial Hotel enters the history books

The curtain is about to close on Frank Lloyd Wright’s contribution to Tokyo’s skyline.
Does a person have a duty to alert others when they see wrongdoing in a company? Or is it better to leave the gods untouched lest you be cursed?
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 21, 2023

A culture of silence vs. a culture of speaking up

The scandal at talent agency Johnny & Associates was made worse by a culture of “keeping the lid on a stinky thing.”
Kyung An, an associate curator of Asian art at the Guggenheim, curated “Only the Young” with Kang Soojung of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea.
CULTURE / Art
Nov 2, 2023

American museums keep the spotlight on Korean art

There are at least five exhibitions of Korean art at major U.S. museums this fall.
Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of FTX, exits the federal courthouse in Manhattan in February.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 5, 2023

Sam Bankman-Fried won't be the last crypto mogul behind bars

If Sam Bankman-Fried culpability for the "pyramid of deceit” behind FTX’s collapse seemed so obvious, it’s partly because he was prosecutorial gold.
Drag queens (from left) Trinity the Tuck, Manila Luzon and Kylie Sonique Love headlined the most recent edition of Opulence, Tokyo's fast-growing drag performance extravaganza.
CULTURE / Stage
Dec 10, 2023

The opulence of Manila Luzon

The Asian American drag queen who rose to stardom after a stint on "RuPaul's Drag Race" pays things forward with her Philippines-based show "Drag Den."
The Tokyo Kiki Lounge is a queer pageant, dance competition and party, known in the ball culture as a “kiki ball.”
CULTURE / Stage
Feb 1, 2024

You're free to be yourself at the Tokyo Kiki Lounge

The pageant, dance competition and party is a thriving safe space for Japan's queer community.
Yayoi Kusama’s “Pumpkin,” once the victim of high waves that dragged it into the sea, sits at the end of a pier on the south side of Naoshima.
CULTURE / Art / Longform
Apr 6, 2024

Why is the most exciting art in Japan so hard to get to?

Japan has a unique movement of public art projects and festivals that are a slog to get to — by design. A writer examines the country's “inconvenient art."
Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
CULTURE / Books / Longform
Apr 22, 2024

The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores

Shops without staff, shelves for rent, cafes and meetups are some of the ways the country's dwindling bookstores are trying to survive.
The Netflix series "House of Ninjas" partially succeeds in elevating its subject, but there is still room in Hollywood to give ninja the "samurai" treatment.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
May 8, 2024

Shine and shadow: Unpacking favoritism in ‘Shogun’ and ‘House of Ninjas’

When it comes to Japanese archetypes in Hollywood, samurai are like rock stars compared to the less-considered ninja. It's time ninja took the spotlight.
Aliou Diack’s “Anastomosis” paintings were created at Yoshino Cedar House, Space Un’s residency in Yoshino, Nara Prefecture.
CULTURE / Art
May 24, 2024

Contemporary Afro-Japanese shows broaden Tokyo's art scene

Three ongoing exhibitions showcasing work by Theaster Gates, Aliou Diack and Serge Mouangue highlight commonality between Japanese, African American and African aesthetics.
Food replicas displayed on a table in the shape of the Japanese archipelago in an exhibition in London
JAPAN / Society
Oct 9, 2024

Japan House London introduces food replica culture

Food replicas, which were first made in Japan and are displayed at restaurants across the country, have recently become popular among foreign tourists as souvenirs.
A post-election analysis by the polling company Blueprint discovered that the top reason why American swing voters eventually supported Donald Trump over Kamal Harris was culture (+28) followed by inflation (+23).
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 20, 2024

It’s too soon to say wokeism is dead

The Republicans ran the most unwoke man in America for the presidency, Donald Trump, and were amply rewarded for it.
Animated series “Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi” premiered on Cartoon Network on Nov. 29, 2004, and ran for three seasons. The show is based on real-life J-pop band Puffy.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Jan 24, 2025

The cartoon chaos of ‘Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi’ was ahead of its time

Love for the J-pop duo’s zany Cartoon Network series has endured online for over 20 years since its premiere.
Taiwanese comic artist Rishiazao and interpreter Yun-wen Huang greet an attendee at the 2025 Angouleme International Comics Festival in France.
CULTURE / Books
Mar 1, 2025

Taiwan comics on the rise: Local storytellers, global aspirations

A supportive ecosystem and eager audiences — both domestic and global — are boosting the soft power of illustrated narratives from Taiwan.
Netflix reality show “K-foodie meets J-foodie” follows South Korean YouTuber Sung Si-kyung and Japanese actor Yutaka Matsushige as they share meals in their respective countries.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Mar 6, 2025

Can a meal make you besties? ‘K-foodie meets J-foodie’ says yes.

The new Netflix show pairs a Korean crooner and a Japanese food icon for a cross-cultural food rally.
Motoaki Tanigo, whom fans affectionately refer to as “Yagoo,” is the CEO and founder of tech company Cover Corporation, which runs Hololive, an industry-leading virtual YouTuber talent agency.
CULTURE / Music
Mar 21, 2025

Virtual idols, real fans: Hololive’s bet on the future of pop

Hololive CEO Motoaki Tanigo, whom fans affectionately refer to as “Yagoo,” has global ambitions for his virtual YouTuber sensations.

Longform

The sun shines from behind a waving Philippine flag at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.
Eighty years after the Battle of Manila, old foes forge new ties