You’ll see me write a lot about how Japan is a much more diverse country than people give it credit for, but people don’t always belive me. There are actually huge cultural differences between different parts of Japan, from the small things (like standing on different sides of the escalator) to bigger things—like bullfighting. Japanese [...]
While many of you non-American countries will scoff at the idea of it being difficult to procure alcohol underage, Americans will know how difficult it is to get away with this sort of thing. Many American stores and restaurants have a “if they look under 35, card them” policy. Still others have a “always card, [...]
Golden Week was last week. You may have heard of it, you may have not. Golden Week takes place in Japan at the very end of April and lasts through the first week of May. People take vacations, travel the country or abroad, and generally have a great time regardless of the ensuing crowds. But [...]
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. Enjoy!
It’s edgy, it’s innovative, it’s in your face. It’s also super sexy. But could it be… too sexy? Japan’s latest advertising fad is sweeping the nation, offending, arousing, and selling product faster than you can say, “Damn, baby – you want fries with that shake?” The Science of Absolute Territory Image source The premise behind [...]
When the Tofugu team was in Japan earlier this year, Japan’s safety measures (or lack thereof) astounded me. In the US, everything has to have a label and a warning, otherwise people will get hurt and sue the hell out of each other. But that’s not the case in Japan. For whatever reason, Japanese culture [...]
Writing for Tofugu, I try and read as much as I can about Japan. I want to keep on top of current events, learn more about Japan and, most importantly, hear different perspectives. In all of the articles, essays, posts, and books I’ve read, I’ve noticed that there are a few traps that people regularly [...]
