Japan

    The more you learn about Japanese culture and history, the easier it becomes to navigate Japan. This means learning why Meiji-period author Higuchi Ichiyō's face is on the ¥5,000 bill. Or studying the ins-and-outs of omiyage. Or discovering what it takes to land a job in Japan. Check out the articles below, and start growing your cultural understanding.
    1. Hafu: Japan's Obsession with Mixed-Race People I think I'm turning Half, I really think so

      | Mami Suzuki
    2. Why Japan No Longer Dominates The Video Game Industry Losing the Midas Touch

      | Michael Richey
    3. Send Your Stuffed Animals on a Tour of Japan so You Don't Have To Wish you were here

      | Linda Lombardi
    4. Ways To Save Money While Living In Japan Save up so you can buy more anime merch, ya nerds!

      | Austin
    5. Planning your Second Trip to Japan 1-2 Week Itinerary

      | Koichi
    6. What to Do When You're Placed in a Bad School Overcoming hardships and becoming the ALT you want to be

      | Michael Richey
    7. Akira Haraguchi and His Method for Memorizing 100,000 Digits of Pi The man with mnemonic plan

      | Koichi
    8. Pitfalls and Problems with Japanese Education Does Japanese education get a passing grade?

      | Austin
    9. Narita Airport's Troubled Past Move over farmers, we're trying to land planes here

      | Austin
    10. Why Japanese Education Succeeds Amae, Stress, And Perseverance

      | Koichi
    11. Some Thoughts About Japan's Internationalization And some doubts too

      | Austin
    12. Japan's Obsession With Food And Drama Tasty TV from Japan

      | Linda Lombardi
    13. Of Lies And Sushi Or How to Avoid Anal Leakage

      | Koichi
    14. Kansai vs. Kanto: Can't We All Just Get Along? Left side of the escalator or right?

      | Austin
    15. Nishinari Japanese Slum Or Budget-Conscious Backpacker’s Paradise?

      | Mami Suzuki
    16. Why Japan Historically Hates Mustaches (And All Other Facial Hair Too) Get a face haircut, hippie!

      | Mami Suzuki
    17. The Secret World Of Kisha Clubs And Japanese Newspapers The internet is dead, paper newspapers are where it's at

      | Kaitlin Stainbrook
    18. The Science Of Kawaii What Makes Something So Darn Cute (◕‿◕✿)

      | Linda Lombardi
    19. Japanese Super Sentai vs American Power Rangers: A Look Back Comparing the original American Power Rangers with the Japanese show from which it spawned

      | Michael Richey
    20. The Real Japanese Monk's Guide To Buddhism In Japan Straight from the bald man's mouth!

      | Mami Suzuki
    21. Hacking The Way You Walk With Namba Aruki Also good for your back

      | Koichi
    22. Signals Japan Uses to Tell You Your Day is Over Don't be the only jerk standing in the grocery store when they play "Auld Lang Syne"

      | Cal
    23. Wasabi: More than that Little Green Tube Burn, Baby, BURN!

      | Linda Lombardi
    24. Japanese Body Language And Gestures Talk without your mouth

      | Viet Hoang
    25. The New (And Dying) Japanimerican Film Industry Just When We Though They Were Coming Back

      | Nathaniel Edwards
    26. A Dog’s Life, Japan Japanese dog-owning culture is for the dogs (literally!)

      | Linda Lombardi
    27. What Miyazaki's New Film May Be Trying To Say About Japan Today Miyazaki's secret message for the Japanese government

      | Shoko
    28. Nasubi, The Naked Eggplant-Man Who Lived Off Sweepstakes We couldn't make this up if we tried

      | Nathaniel Edwards
    29. Japan, Capybaras, and Me: A Love Story Say hello to our furry, giant rodent friends

      | Linda Lombardi
    30. How To Celebrate Christmas In Japan KFC, Couples, and of course, old Cake

      | Mami Suzuki
    31. The Art of Proposing To A Japanese Girl Be still my heart! Yes, Yes, A Thousand Times, Yes!

      | Nathan
    32. Captain Tsubasa and the Rise of Japanese Soccer Move over Baseball!

      | Nathaniel Edwards
    33. Japanese College: The Spring Break of Life If you had one last chance to relax, wouldn't you take it?

      | Austin
    34. The Search For Japan's #1 Symbol Castles, temples, shrines, mountains, trains. HOW CAN YOU CHOOSE?!

      | Rochelle
    35. How I Played the Foreign Tourist on Japanese TV Smile for the camera!

      | Linda Lombardi
    36. The Secret Behind Hello Kitty's Blank Face No mouth? No problem!

      | Michael Richey
    37. Knitting For Jizo Protect the god who protects the souls of children

      | Stephanie
    38. Why You Should Come to Japan for College Five Reasons You Should Get Off Your Butt and Head to Japan

      | Austin
    39. How To Import Japanese Video Games Get Your Game On!

      | Nathaniel Edwards
    40. The Kikokushijo Dilemma: Growing Up Abroad As A Japanese Kid Japanese, but MORE!

      | Shoko
    41. The Top Three Japanese Memes of 2013 Because we know you want them, you horrible internet scum

      | Rebecca
    42. Hiroshi Yamauchi: The Very Non-Whimsical Willy Wonka Of Nintendo Don't taste the chocolate controllers, kids.

      | Michael Richey