loading . . .

The “Dead” Slang Words a Japanese Dictionary Officially Killed In English, words are rarely deleted from dictionaries. So why in 2021 did a Japanese dictionary publisher give 1,100 words the boot? https://unseen-japan.com/japanese-slang-words-dictionary-killed/

about 16 hours ago

0

0

1

loading . . .

When Plushies Take a Seat: Japan’s “Nuikatsu” Boom Collides With Restaurant Manners A couple of viral incidents online highlight how some restaurants are struggling to handle customers bringing their stuffed +1s. https://unseen-japan.com/nuikatsu-plush-toys-restaurant-ban/

1 day ago

0

1

1

loading . . .

[Insider] Why Gender Equality is Stalling Under Japan’s First Female Prime Minister Japan finally has its first female Prime Minister. But that isn't translating into victories for ordinary Japanese women. https://unseen-japan.com/takaichi-gender-equality-stalling/

3 days ago

0

0

1

loading . . .

In Japan, Oshikatsu is Fostering an Underage Sex Work Pipeline Oshikatsu has girls turning to sex work to give money to their favorite performers. Some are as young as 15. https://unseen-japan.com/japan-oshikatsu-sex-work-pipeline/

4 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Suzuki Masa: The Samurai’s Daughter Who Helped Found Modern Japanese Nursing NHK's 2026 morning drama Kaze, Kaoru modeled one of its heroines on a woman most people in Japan have never heard of: Suzuki Masa. https://unseen-japan.com/suzuki-masa-modern-japanese-nursing/

4 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

How Japan’s Legal System Punishes Women for Reporting Sexual Assault Two recent cases highlight how the system in Japan is set up to protect, not the victims of sexual assault, but the perpetrators. https://unseen-japan.com/sexual-assault-second-victimization-japan/

5 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Kikuya: The Cast-Out Dancer Who Invented the Geisha The Tatsumi Geisha were the first female geisha of Japan. And they owe their existence to a woman driven out of her workplace by jealous men. https://unseen-japan.com/tatsumi-geisha-fukagawa-tokyo/

5 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Is Japan REALLY Trying to Ban Saying “Itadakimasu” at Schools? Japan's "War on Christmas" is a viral online claim framed as an attack on Japanese culture. Just one problem: it isn't true. https://unseen-japan.com/itadakimasu-school-ban-rumor/

6 days ago

0

0

2

loading . . .

“Love Wins”: Marriage Equality Advocates in Japan Press Case Ahead of Supreme Court Ruling As Japan's Supreme Court prepares to hear a pivotal case on marriage equality, a local advocacy group launches a "Love Wins"-themed campaign. https://unseen-japan.com/marriage-equality-campaign-japan/

6 days ago

0

0

6

loading . . .

Ainu Group Demands Return of 279 Remains Held by Japan’s Government The lawsuit, the first of its kind, argues that Ainu burial tradition vests the right to manage their remains in the kotan (community). https://unseen-japan.com/ainu-remains-upopoy-lawsuit-sapporo/

7 days ago

0

0

2

loading . . .

Kiyosumi-Shirakawa: Tokyo’s Quiet Neighborhood of Coffee, Art, and Edo History Kiyosumi-Shirakawa is one of Tokyo's quietest neighborhoods, where Edo history, a Mitsubishi-built stroll garden, contemporary art, and Japan's third-wave coffee scene sit within a short walk of one another. https://unseen-japan.com/kiyosumi-shirakawa-tokyo-travel-guide/

7 days ago

0

0

1

loading . . .

I Ate 7-Eleven Japan’s 1,595 Calorie Ramen Because I Have a Death Wish, Apparently 7-Eleven Japan's new 810-gram, 1,595-calorie frozen 'G-Type Ramen' recreates a Jirō-style gut-punch at home. I ate the whole thing, all 16.5 grams of salt, and somehow lived to tell the tale. https://unseen-japan.com/7-eleven-1595-calorie-ramen/

8 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Japan’s Youngest Female Mayor Says She’ll Take Maternity Leave, Ignites a Backlash Kawata Shoko, Japan's youngest female mayor, said she's taking maternity and parental leave. Here's why some in Japan say that's wrong. https://unseen-japan.com/japan-female-mayor-maternity-leave/

9 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Why Some Big Japan Brands Are Quitting Baby Products The two companies say the decisions have nothing to do with population decline. Indeed, there are signs the baby business in Japan is booming. https://unseen-japan.com/japan-baby-products-pigeon-kewpie/

9 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

[Insider] The Three Tactics Japan’s Hosts Use to Saddle Women with Soul-Crushing Debt The rules and agreements meant to help save women from the worst abuses aren't helping, as clubs have already figured out a way around them. https://unseen-japan.com/host-club-debt-trap-women/

10 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

20% of Japan’s Manga Artists and Illustrators Say AI Has Cut Their Income A new Nikkei survey finds that roughly one in five Japanese manga artists and illustrators say generative AI has already cut into their income. Many say commissions have shrunk or vanished thanks to a glut of mass-produced slop. https://unseen-japan.com/ai-japan-manga-illustrators-income/

10 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

The Most Common Japan Travel Regrets – and How to Avoid Them Enjoying your time in Japan requires knowing a few things that don't go viral. Here's what we've learned from working with our customers. https://unseen-japan.com/common-japan-travel-regrets/

11 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

GPS Trackers on Stalkers? Japan’s Ruling Party Pushes Solution to Rising Problem Japan may soon fit stalkers with GPS ankle monitoring devices that would alert their victims when the offender draws near. https://unseen-japan.com/japan-gps-stalker-tracking-law/

12 days ago

0

0

2

loading . . .

Why This Japanese Phrase from Kansai Sounds Strange to the Rest of Japan It's a phrase that confuses Tokyoites. But to many in the Kansai region, it's a daily expression rooted in the region's unique breakfast habits. https://unseen-japan.com/kansai-bread-language/

12 days ago

0

0

1

loading . . .

Galapagos Rock: Why It’s So Hard for Foreign J-Pop Fans to Buy Concert Tickets in Japan Some overseas fans of Japanese music say the hassle is proof that "Japan hates foreigners." The truth is more complicated. https://unseen-japan.com/japanese-music-foreign-fans-barriers/

13 days ago

0

0

1

loading . . .

The World’s First Pokémon Airport Aims to Boost Japan’s Noto Region Post-Quake Ishikawa Prefecture is renaming Noto Satoyama Airport as 'Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport' from July 7, 2026, making it the world's first airport bearing the Pokémon name. https://unseen-japan.com/noto-pokemon-airport-recovery/

14 days ago

0

0

2

loading . . .

40% of Young Japanese Men Don’t Own a TV The data shows people aren't just moving online - they're not watching content from traditional broadcast networks at all. https://unseen-japan.com/japan-young-men-tv-ownership/

14 days ago

0

0

3

loading . . .

Japan’s Inbound Tourism Crowds Into Just Seven Prefectures: Report A Tokyo Shimbun and Kyodo analysis of 2025 smartphone-location data finds seven prefectures account for 72 of Japan's top 100 inbound-tourist hotspots, while 25 prefectures don't appear at all. https://unseen-japan.com/inbound-tourism-7-prefectures-concentrated/

15 days ago

0

0

2

loading . . .

The Ultimate Okinawa Travel Guide: Japan’s Tropical Paradise Beyond the neon glow of Tokyo and the manicured temples of Kyoto lies a version of Japan that feels entirely separate from the mainland. https://unseen-japan.com/okinawa-travel-guide/

15 days ago

0

0

2

loading . . .

Hanabi Taikai: A Traveler’s Guide to Japan’s Summer Fireworks Festivals Japanese summer is impossible to imagine without hanabi taikai, the riverbank fireworks displays that pack millions onto seawalls every July and August. What legends say started in 1732 as a Buddhist memorial is now Japan's biggest summer event. https://unseen-japan.com/japan-summer-fireworks-hanabi-festivals/

15 days ago

0

0

2

loading . . .

[Insider] “Utility Pole Girls”: Japanese Media Has a Demeaning New Buzzword for Women A survey of 3,000 women found 58% identified with the phenomenon. But it's the label that has people riled up. https://unseen-japan.com/utility-pole-girls-dating-buzzword/

17 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Nekomanma: The “Ill-Mannered” Japanese Food That Used to be a Commonfolk Staple Is pouring miso soup onto rice bad manners? It is in modern Japan. But this "cat food" was a commoner staple for nearly 500 years. New social media discourse reveals that the debate is still a sore spot. https://unseen-japan.com/nekomanma-japanese-food-commonfolk-staple/

18 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Why Are More Japanese Girls Calling Themselves “Boku”? How do you refer to yourself in Japanese? For most women, it’s some variant of "watashi." But for many young girls, the traditionally male "boku" is winning - and they’re using it as early as elementary school. https://unseen-japan.com/japanese-girls-boku-pronoun/

19 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Calbee Strips Color From Its Potato Chip Bags as Iran Crisis Reaches Japan’s Snack Aisles Starting May 25, Calbee will ship 14 of its flagship snacks, including Potato Chips and Kappa Ebisen, in austere black-and-white bags. The cause: a printing-ink shortage triggered by the February closure of the Hormuz Strait. https://unseen-japan.com/calbee-potato-chips-monochrome-bags/

19 days ago

0

0

2

loading . . .

Osaka High Court: Japan’s Family Registry Discriminates Against Non-Binary People An Osaka High Court ruling found that Japan's gender-binary family register violates Article 14 of the Japanese Constitution. But it dismissed the non-binary plaintiff's appeal anyway, saying it's the government's job to fix the law. https://unseen-japan.com/osaka-court-koseki-nonbinary-japan/

20 days ago

0

1

4

loading . . .

Bon Odori: Inside Japan’s Soulful Summer Dance Tradition Every summer, neighborhoods and remote mountain villages across Japan ring with taiko, flute, and shuffling feet. Bon Odori is Japan's quietly extraordinary mass-participation dance: a Buddhist memorial rite turned folk theater and tourism magnet. https://unseen-japan.com/bon-odori-japan-summer-dance/

20 days ago

0

0

1

loading . . .

Happening Bars: A Guide to Japan’s Hidden Sex Hotspots What are happening bars? What actually "happens" in one? And the bigger question as a foreigner in Japan: Will they even allow you in? https://unseen-japan.com/happening-bars-japan/

21 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Natto-ku Dekinai! Price of Japan’s Stinky National Food Spikes Japan's two biggest natto makers are hiking prices on the nation's beloved fermented soybeans. https://unseen-japan.com/natto-price-spike/

22 days ago

0

0

2

loading . . .

[Insider] How a “Library War” Helped Japan’s Communists Elect a New Mayor A plan to shutter four of Kiyose City's six libraries angered citizens so much that it gave the Japanese Communist Party a path to victory. https://unseen-japan.com/kiyose-library-japan-communist-mayor/

22 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Where Japanese People Actually Travel in August (And Why Foreign Tourists Don’t) While inbound tourists mainly clog up the Golden Route, domestic Japanese travelers make full use of hisho-chi, highland summer resorts. https://unseen-japan.com/japanese-summer-vacation-highland-resorts/

23 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

A Crime-Free Kabukicho? Tokyo Police Start “Purging” Touts and Scouts Touts and scouts in Kabukicho say they feel they're in the middle of a crackdown. Will this new attempt to "clean up" Shinjuku work? https://unseen-japan.com/tokyo-police-purge-kabukicho-touts/

25 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Muslim Burial in Japan: Government Surveys Cities as Tensions Rise Plans for Muslim burial grounds in Japan face local resistance and racist threats as the country's Muslim population doubles. https://unseen-japan.com/muslim-burial-government-survey/

25 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Solo Weddings: Why Japanese Women Are Saying “I Do” to…Themselves Japan's marriage rate has tumbled to a postwar low. But the country's bridal industry isn't shrinking: it's pivoting. https://unseen-japan.com/solo-weddings-japan-single-women/

25 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Why Fukuoka Might Be Japan’s Best City for Tourists A growing destination, Fukuoka is managing the potential pitfalls of overtourism through a mix of yatai and downtown development. https://unseen-japan.com/fukuoka-japan-best-tourist-city/

26 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Illicit GLP-1 Trade Thrives Among Kabukicho’s Toyoko Kids – and Across Japan GLP-1 drugs aren't approved for dietary use in Japan. That's led to a thriving black market in the streets of Tokyo and online. https://unseen-japan.com/toyoko-kids-glp1-diet-drugs/

26 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Japan Drafts Dual Pricing Guidelines as Himeji Castle Posts Big Revenue Bump As more tourist hot spots look at dual pricing, Japan's government prepares rules to ensure it's implemented legally. https://unseen-japan.com/tourism-agency-dual-pricing-guidelines/

28 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Surviving Summer: A Traveler’s Guide to Japan’s New Era of Extreme Heat You CAN travel to Japan during the summer. It just takes a little preparation. Here are some tips for where to go and how to stay safe. https://unseen-japan.com/japan-beating-heat-summer-travel/

28 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Japanese Con Cafe Worker Called “Hero” for Stabbing Train Groper with Safety Pin A con cafe worker's tweet about stabbing a groper's hand with a safety pin on her morning commute drew near-universal praise. https://unseen-japan.com/tokyo-chikan-campaign-self-defense/

29 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

[Insider] The Worst Person You Know Has a Point About Japan’s AV Law Few prominent figures or politicians in Japan are willing to talk about the negative impact the law has had on Japan's porn industry. https://unseen-japan.com/japans-av-law-worst-person/

30 days ago

0

0

0

loading . . .

Scenic Train Journeys in Japan That You Can’t Miss Sometimes, it really is more about the journey than the destination. Here are some romantic train rides in Japan that prove it. https://unseen-japan.com/scenic-train-journeys-japan/

about 1 month ago

0

3

1

you reached the end!!