In late July, fellow Tofugu writer John posted this funny K-pop video on Facebook. I liked it, shared it with a few friends, and went on with my day. I thought it might get the same kind of cult following that quirky Asian … [Read more...]
The "Hibagon" (ヒバゴン), also known as "Hinagon" (ヒナゴン) is a mythical (or is it?) cryptic hominid hailing from the Bigfoot / Yeti family, though it lives in Japan. Although similar to these other creatures, it has some unique … [Read more...]
Most everyone's initial exposure to ninja comes from anything but a legitimate source. The first time many of us see a ninja, it's either in a movie or an anime or a video game. However, most all popular media doesn't … [Read more...]
Every Sunday we gather the week's weird and interesting Japanese news and present it to you in our Sunday News column. It might not always be hard-hitting news, but we hope that it still informs and entertains you. … [Read more...]
I was lucky enough to grow up Portland, a city with its own, authentic Japanese garden. Japan has always been known for its incredible gardens, so it's been great to be so close Portland Japanese Gardens with its rock … [Read more...]
Over the last couple of months, I've developed a minor obsession with North Korea. I've devoured documentaries (like the excellent Vice documentary) and books (like the amazing Nothing to Envy) and I'm just astounded by … [Read more...]