Since 2018. Going beyond the clickbait headlines to tell the story of a changing, evolving Japan. https://unseen-japan.com/newsletter?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social-bio&utm_campaign=newsletter
ICYMI: Japan's hikikomori have grown up. The shut-ins once pictured as young men are now in their 40s and 50s, living with parents in their 70s and 80s. It's called the "80/50 problem," and experts say there are no easy solutions.
Japan's Hikikomori "80/50" Crisis is Putting a Strain on Elderly ParentsJapan coined the word "hikikomori" for teen shut-ins, but no one stays young forever. Today, many hikikomori are in their 40s and 50s.unseen-japan.comA pervasive myth says the Japanese language lacks swear words. But beyond mere rudeness lies a level of words called kotobagari: words too taboo for publication or broadcast, most of them tied to the marginalized of Japanese society.
Kotobagari: The Banned Words of the Japanese Language - Unseen JapanIt's often said that there are no swear words in Japanese. But while profanities may be rare, taboos - and banned words - abound.unseen-japan.comIndeed, we also wrote about the Kanto Massacre. History rhymes. unseen-japan.com/kanto-massac...
The Kanto Massacre: A Story of Disinformation and Denialism - Unseen JapanRumors and disinformation sparked the Kanto Massacre in the wake of the Kanto Earthquake. Today, denialism continues to dishonor the victims.unseen-japan.comDevlin BurgessJapanese conservatives try not to demonize minorities after a deadly earthquake challenge: impossible.
From 1933 to 1937, eight departments of what is now Hokkaido University ran a state-funded study of Ainu bodies, premised on the idea that the Ainu were physically and mentally "inferior." Its own report now calls that discrimination.
Hokkaido University Apologizes for a Century of Ainu Remains ResearchAfter many years of calling its actions "extremely regrettable," Hokkaido University has finally apologized for how it handled Ainu remains.unseen-japan.comOnly a fraction of books published in Japan make it into translation. Per the Publisher's Weekly Translation Database, just 24 Japanese books were published in English in 2019, excluding manga and light novels. That same year, Japan published 71,000 books.
Which Japanese Books Get Left Out of Translation? - Unseen JapanThere are more Japanese books being made available in English every year. Still, only a small portion of them get translated.unseen-japan.comWasabi, or "Japanese horseradish," is a plant native to Japan with a spicy kick that hits you in the back of the nose. Since it’s pricey to get outside Japan, many restaurants abroad use a fake "wasabi" that’s nothing more than horseradish and mustard with food coloring.
Is Putting Wasabi in Soy Sauce Rude? - Unseen JapanA lot of people - both in and out of Japan - do it. But is it "rude"? A new manga on wasabi and soy sauce elicits strong reactions.unseen-japan.comThe 15% sanitary pad price hike that went viral in Japan isn't a government policy. It's a manufacturer increase driven by the rising cost of naphtha, a petroleum feedstock, and it hits diapers and toilet paper too.
In Japan, Sanitary Pads Are Getting Pricier. In Korea, They're Going FreeA viral post blamed Japan's first female prime minister for higher pad costs, highlighting a highly controversial political topic.unseen-japan.comICYMI: A capsule hotel doesn't have to mean a coffin-sized box. Our author spent two nights at a "cabin type" capsule hotel in Kyoto, where rooms come in airplane classes and around $31 a night buys actual space to move around.
Japan's Capsule Hotels: Why They May Be a Better Option Than You ThinkJapan's capsule hotels are notorious for packing as many people into as small a space as possible. One type of capsule hotel, however, does things a little different.unseen-japan.comKUDOCHI's baths use a system called hakobi-yu, or "carried water": sealed tanker trucks haul certified natural hot spring water from famous onsen regions across Japan into a private bath in the middle of Tokyo.
A "Carried Water" Onsen in Tokyo Offers Private Mixed Bathing (Tattoos Welcome)Want a private, mixed onsen experience in the heart of Tokyo that won't sweat your tattoos? Welcome to KUDOCHI.unseen-japan.comFollowing the 2016 earthquakes, Kumamoto Prefecture partnered with One Piece creator Oda Eiichiro to install bronze statues of the Straw Hat crew across multiple towns, with proceeds supporting disaster recovery. Visitors travel between them to complete the circuit.
Anime Pilgrimage in Japan: From Fandom to Infrastructure - Unseen JapanHow anime pilgrimage in Japan has evolved from a fan ritual into a coordinated regional strategy to boost tourism.unseen-japan.comNEW: Hokkaido University spent a century collecting 1,000+ Ainu ancestral remains for research that assumed the Ainu were "inferior." Ainu families had to sue to get them back. Only now, before its 150th anniversary, has it apologized.
Hokkaido University Apologizes for a Century of Ainu Remains ResearchAfter many years of calling its actions "extremely regrettable," Hokkaido University has finally apologized for how it handled Ainu remains.unseen-japan.comKyoto leans into its own reputation for rudeness that bubbles just below the surface. At one event, a shop challenged visitors to correctly read the proprietress's "true intentions." One group lasted 20 seconds before being thrown out.
Ikezu-Ishi: Are Kyoto's "Rude Rocks" an Insult, or a Kindness?Some local tourists point to one local custom, the "rude rock," as proof of Kyoto spite. But it isn't even specific to Kyoto.unseen-japan.comNEW: A viral Japanese social post notes the price of sanitary pads (along w/ diapers & toilet paper) is going up 15%. That sparked debate over why Japan's first female PM isn't doing anything for women, and why Japan doesn't follow South Korea and give them away for free.
In Japan, Sanitary Pads Are Getting Pricier. In Korea, They're Going FreeA viral post blamed Japan's first female prime minister for higher pad costs, highlighting a highly controversial political topic.unseen-japan.com