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Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Dec 4, 2022

Firebrand poet Rin Ishigaki speaks for modern women in 'This Overflowing Light'

Poet Rin Ishigaki may not have been as prolific as some of her contemporaries such as Makoto Ooka and Shuntaro Tanikawa, but she occupies a unique space in Japanese poetry with her affinity for elevating the familiar and her pragmatic take on the human condition.
BUSINESS
Nov 27, 2022

The humiliating fall of Nidec billionaire's handpicked successor

The story of Jun Seki's time at the company is a cautionary tale of the risks of taking over from a self-made titan who finds it near-impossible to pass the reins.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Nov 25, 2022

How to put your best foot forward when stepping into a Japanese tatami room

You get an invite to your landlord's place, which is great. However, now you have to navigate the etiquette rules of the tatami room they will entertain you in.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Nov 24, 2022

China’s grandparents are done babysitting and ready to go viral

Rapping grannies, crooning 70-year-olds and gamers in their 80s are challenging traditional Chinese views about aging and what it means to have a long and happy life.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History / THE LIVING PAST
Nov 20, 2022

The challenging journey that led to Nara's crown jewel

Image and temple were each the largest structure of its kind, dwarfing all work previously done in a country whose culture had never before, and rarely since, valued size for its own sake.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 19, 2022

Do you know how much a kid will cost you?

Parents can no longer afford to just 'figure it out' as they go when it comes to the financial expense of having kids.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Oct 7, 2022

Go For Kogei: The evolution of Hokuriku's crafts, art and nature

The craft-art festival, which takes place at three historical temples and shrines, showcases how the region's history and artisanal works are closely intertwined.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Sep 17, 2022

'Konbini Confessions' captures the late-night antics of city dwellers

Rapper Miyachi's YouTube channel taps into local nightlife with humor and humanity, revealing a side of Japan not often seen in uploads centered on the country.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Aug 29, 2022

How faith and spirituality shape modern Japan

The religious movement behind the grudge held by the man charged with Abe's assassination has cast a fresh light on how religion is perceived and practiced in the nation.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 24, 2022

Degeiko training endures despite rise in COVID-19 infections

The Japan Sumo Association's decision to allow joint training between stables is both a benefit for wrestlers and a positive sign of a return to pre-pandemic norms.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 22, 2022

Saudi Arabia’s booming — and this time it isn’t only about oil

A scramble for properties is reflecting a social and economic shift that's reshaping the kingdom, accelerated by the crown prince's overhaul program.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Aug 9, 2022

Commonwealth Games reach triumphant close as Birmingham parties

Australia easily topped the event's medal table above host England, while organizers touted strong ticket sales and growing interest among participants in hosting future editions.
JAPAN
Jun 22, 2022

Will a ¥10 trillion fund be the savior of Japan’s universities?

Experts say that without major reform of Japan's deeply ingrained academic culture, it will be hard to improve the quality of the nation's research — no matter how much money is spent.
JAPAN / Science & Health / Longform
Jun 13, 2022

As COVID-19 fears subside, Japan debates the future of masks

How much longer before the nation reaches a tipping point when people start ditching their masks en masse?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Jun 12, 2022

Director Werner Herzog finally finds his medium

The filmmaker behind “Grizzly Man” and “Fitzcarraldo” makes a late-career foray into fiction with “The Twilight World,” a new book about a real-life Japanese intelligence officer.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jun 4, 2022

A race against time to save Japan’s traditional homes

It takes a village to save the dwindling expressions of Japan's quintessential folk architecture.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 25, 2022

China's Gen Z has the power to make or break western brands

The 270-million-strong cohort born since the mid-1990s is already flexing their power: They have the fastest spending growth out of any generation in China.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
May 8, 2022

Sota Atsumi brings Parisian flair back home to Tokyo

One of the most intriguing restaurant openings at the end of last year passed under the radar of many Tokyo gastronomes. That was due in part to timing: In November, the pandemic still had many people leery about eating out. But the other reason for the low-key start is that Sota Atsumi, the chef in...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
May 6, 2022

Emma Kawawada's humane portrayal of the Kurdish diaspora

'My Small Land,' which centers on young girl and her family seeking asylum in Japan, is based on extensive interviews that the director conducted over the space of nearly two years.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
May 4, 2022

Fan-produced content boosts sumo's international visibility

With few dedicated English-language journalists covering sumo, the importance of fan-produced translations, blogs and reports remains high.
LIFE / Lifestyle
May 2, 2022

At 119, she was a symbol of how to live with wit and vitality

Kane Tanaka, who died in Japan last month, survived two world wars, the 1918 influenza outbreak, paratyphoid and two rounds of cancer.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 22, 2022

Anna Takeuchi discovers the power of positive pop

While many musicians embraced the glum stagnation of the COVID years, Anna Takeuchi chose to take those lemons and make lemonade with her new album, 'Tickets.'
Japan Times
CULTURE
Apr 16, 2022

Magic: The Gathering taps into Japanese pop culture

The cyberpunk-themed Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty expansion set enchants its dedicated fan base with world-renowned artists.
Japan Times
BASEBALL
Apr 15, 2022

‘This is American history’: Baseball's Hall of Fame reconsiders race

A planned permanent exhibit in Cooperstown is intended to highlight the Black experience in baseball, aiming to shed light on a legacy that has often been diluted and erased.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Apr 3, 2022

Chesil's coming-of-age tale gives voice to the silenced

'The Color of the Sky Is the Shape of the Heart' is a short but heartfelt novel that tells an explicitly Zainichi story.
Japan Times
WORLD
Mar 24, 2022

Madeleine Albright, first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state, dies at 84

A child of Czech refugees who fled from Nazi invaders and Communist oppressors, Albright flourished as a diplomat and the first woman to serve as secretary of state.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Mar 24, 2022

'Blood Brothers' tells a tangled tale of nature versus nurture

Actors Hayato Kakizawa and Eiji Wentz play twins whose vastly different social circumstances result in tragedy in the all-Japanese version of Willy Russell's West End hit musical.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History / THE LIVING PAST
Feb 25, 2022

Watanabe Kazan: One scholar’s equivocal rebellion

Watanabe Kazan discovered a talent for drawing early on and became a hack artist, painting on demand for pennies. It kept starvation at bay.
Japan Times
TENNIS
Jan 22, 2022

Naomi Osaka is out at Australian Open, but looking ahead

Upset again in the third round by a young unseeded talent on the rise, Naomi Osaka was in a different mood and better place at this Grand Slam tournament.

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