Tobias has been working as an editor and a writer for over ten years.
Japan has many holidays that one may consider esoteric: obon, for example, can be tricky to explain to those who have no experience with Japanese culture. However, there is one holiday that makes innate sense to most people who hear about it: Respect for the Aged Day, known in Japan as Keiro no Hi (敬老の日).
Shibuya has historically been one of the most significant places in the whole country when it comes to celebrating Halloween in Japan… but the times of debauched drunkenness and wild abandon as costume-clad revelers danced around Hachiko are at an end. Starting in 2023, the Shibuya local government declared that, following unrest in previous years,
Kimono is the national dress of Japan. Everyone knows this, but not everyone knows how to wear one, or how to “pull it off.” While “kimono” is often used as a synonym for “dressing gown,” and can therefore be sometimes thought of as a casual outfit, in truth it is quite the opposite. Imagine thinking
For many people around the world, tipping can be an acknowledgment of good service. In others, like the US, it is practically mandatory, as without tips, wait staff (and sometimes even kitchen staff) aren’t able to make enough money to live — as you will doubtless recall from Reservoir Dogs. So what about Japan? How
For many people, living in Japan is a fantasy, and for some, it is a dream come true. But, like all dreams, there are things that can be a little weird, as well as a little exciting. Anyone who lives — or who has lived — in Japan will be able to tell you that
Japan has had a number of “soft power” successes, but over the last three decades, anime has been arguably chief among them (rivaled perhaps only by videogames). From a niche interest pased around by VHS by enthusiasts (when it was still called, “Japanimation”) to early internet fansubbing to the breakout global success of Studio Ghibli’s
With its long history, popular culture, and reputation for safety, Japan has long been a top destination for students and young people who want to find unique cultural experiences. It is also among the most popular choices for anyone looking to get a leg-up in their early career by getting an internship here. But how
Japan has a long and rich history, with a lot to be proud of. But that doesn’t mean that everything that has been done here is worth celebrating. Like many countries that had feudalist systems, Japan’s feudal era resulted in an entrenched hierarchy that was difficult to change, or to elevate one’s status from within.
Like many countries, Japan has a long history with everyone’s favorite intoxicating beverage. There are no religious edicts against alcohol in Shintoism, and sake — commonly thought of as Japanese rice wine — is used in certain holy rituals, much as wine is in Christianity. But in today’s modern society, there are far more options
Japan enjoys a reputation as a place of high-technology and almost impossible futuristic advances: ask anyone who has used a Japanese toilet, and they’ll tell you why. But Japan is also a country that sticks doggedly to traditions, and aments their passing. In 2020, amidst the height of the Covid pandemic, a Buddhist temple held
Tokyo is not the capital city of the Earth, but unlike New York, we have everything you want and three things you didn’t know you did. This goes double for our LGBTQ+ friends. Tokyo is known for having one of the most vibrant gay nightlife scenes in Asia. Shinjuku Nichome is the heart of Tokyo’s
Matcha has become a phenomenon all over the world. Largely unknown in the west twenty years ago, and the niche flavor for tea enthusiasts just a decade ago, you can now find it almost anywhere, both as a tea, as part of a coffee, or even as ice cream. We’ve covered matcha generally in our