JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Zuzu-ben: How Japan’s Northern Dialects Became Shorthand for “Hick”
Why a wide range of local dialects in Japan's north are intrinsically - and unfairly - associated with rural backwardness.
News
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JAPANESE LANGUAGE
SOCIETY
Naomi Osaka and the Grand Slam Media Boycott
Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka sparked internal controversy and waves of international support after skipping a presser for mental health reasons.
SOCIETY
Japanese Schools Court Controversy with Draconian Hair Regulations
How school regulations regarding students' hair harm those whose natural appearance doesn't fit the mold, including foreign and biracial kids.
ENTERTAINMENT
Samurai Champloo: The Hidden Politics of Watanabe’s Hip-Hop Edo
Samurai Champloo isn't just stylish: it's a Ryukyuan minority story disguised as a samurai anime. The radical message most fans miss, decoded.
POLITICS
JP Twitter Rages: “You’ll Kill Everyone for the Olympics?!”
As the Olympics loom, Japanese-language Twitter explodes in anger at the Japanese government's insistence of sports over safety.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Japanese Billionaire to Visit International Space Station in December
The billionaire former CEO of ZOZO will be the first Japanese civilian to visit the ISS
ENTERTAINMENT
The Artist Behind Resident Evil’s Absurd Enka Parody
How an Enka song from the 1980s laid the foundation of J-Rap and became an internet meme.
FOOD
New Survey Ranks the Top 5 Most Popular Furikake of 2021
Out of ideas on how to eat rice? Why not give these top five furikake a try?