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July 12, 2025
 

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Ayako Nakano
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jun 29, 2019
Masana Izawa: The 'poop soil master' is dumping it outdoors
Meet the man who has only used a toilet 14 times this century: 'Poop soil master' Masana Izawa explains the philosophy behind his carefully perfomed outdoor bathroom habits.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jan 26, 2019
Maho Kato: Living life by nature's design
Drawing from nature and past experiences, jewerly maker Maho Kato says don't fear failure to live life to the fullest.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Nov 10, 2018
Hidemitsu Shimizu: Realizing the full extent of vocal possibility
Narrator and voice actor Hidemitsu Shimizu on how he brings characters to life, who has the sexiest male voice and rapping about math for work.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Sep 8, 2018
Kosuke Kurotaki: The 'festival guy' who just wants everyone to have fun
Whether he's serving you drinks, playing you records or carrying a festival float, Wokini bar owner Kurotaki is detrmined to entertain you.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jul 21, 2018
Punk Drunkers: When it's cool to be uncool
Chikayoshi Satomi, the man behind cult brand Punk Drunkers says, for him, the line between work and play is always blurred.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jun 9, 2018
For curator Yayoi Motohashi, no exhibit detail is too small
Museum curator Yayoi Motohashi on how she approaches exhibit design, her favorite works of art and a few guilty pleasures.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jan 27, 2018
Sosuke Kitamura: A man of painted words
Name: Sosuke Kitamura
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jan 13, 2018
Mural painter can't relax in bathhouses
Name: Mizuki Tanaka
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Dec 31, 2017
20 Questions: The best answers of 2017
What brought you to Japan? I came here for the magic. Osaka is home to some of the best close-up magicians in the world.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Dec 23, 2017
Illustrator Luis Mendo: 'Only listen to intelligent people'
Luis Mendo's most embarassing moment is yet to come.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 4, 2017
Frederik Schodt recalls the 'different world' of manga translation in the 1970s
'I loved manga but there was no way to make a living (with it),' recalls manga translation pioneer Frederik Schodt.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Nov 25, 2017
Designer Takeshi Nishio prefers 'cute' to 'cool'
'Kawaii' has more sense of affection than 'kakkoii,' says designer Nishio.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Nov 11, 2017
Hiroyuki Shimizu: Tasty tips from a mobile deep-fried chicken cook
Tokyo street vendor on flexibility, lines for food and missing underwear.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Oct 21, 2017
Koto player Azumi Yamano revels in space and atmosphere
'The koto is a plucked string instrument in which the sound and music really reflect the player.'
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Sep 23, 2017
Mayuko Okada's last meal: Pancakes over nattō
Japanese cooking teacher on the joys of Bills' famous creation and fermented soybeans.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Sep 14, 2017
Written or rapped, Seiko Ito has a way with words
It's hard to describe Seiko Ito with one handy label. When I ask my friends to do it, they struggle.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Sep 9, 2017
Michael Drzmisek Sozui: 'Come share a bowl of matcha'
A tea master explains the comforts of a three-tatami-room teahouse.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Aug 26, 2017
Sayuri Suzuki: Showbiz interpreter who works with witches and Dalmatians
Translator reveals the strangest request she's ever been asked in her career.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Aug 12, 2017
Larissa Corriveau: Cormorant fisher hooked on the small details
Cormorant fisher in Kyoto discusses her new challenges.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jul 22, 2017
Paul Christie: Exploring the heart of Japan on foot
The British CEO of Walk Japan discusses hiking in Japan.
Tokyo hit by torrential rainfall at rush hour
People line up at Shibuya Station in Tokyo as they try to avoid the heavy rain on Thursday.
Foreign drivers in Japan to face tougher license conversion rules from October
According to the National Police Agency, there were 75,905 people who converted their foreign driver’s license to a Japanese one in 2024, up from 48,885 in 2019.
Chinese fighters came within 30 meters of Japanese spy aircraft, Tokyo says
A Chinese JH-7 fighter jet makes an near an Air Self-Defense Force YS-11EB surveillance aircraft over the East China Sea this week in this image released Thursday.
Air India crash report to offer peek into last seconds
Members of the Indian Army's engineering arm prepare to remove the wreckage of an Air India aircraft in Ahmedabad on June 14.
What Japanese politics could look like after Upper House election
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who heads the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (center) waves to attendees as he departs after delivering a campaign speech in Yokohama on Sunday.
New IG Arena set to dial down temperature at Nagoya Basho, in a good way
With IG Arena getting glowing early reviews as the Nagoya Basho’s replacement venue, it may be a while before fans wax nostalgic about the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.
Once a niche, anime is now mainstream content for Netflix and other streaming services
Though Netflix remains the dominant choice globally for anime viewers, Amazon Prime Video has also invested heavily in anime, steadily adding titles to their catalogue.
NGOs condemn rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric ahead of Upper House vote
Sanseito head Sohei Kamiya holds a board that reads "Japanese First" in Tokyo on July 2. In a joint statement on Tuesday, eight human rights nongovernmental organizations described the far-right party's stance as "hate speech."
Japanese dancers find a home abroad at Houston Ballet
“Giselle” lead Yuriko Kajiya (center), performing with Connor Walsh as Albrecht, is one of six Japanese dancers at Houston Ballet.
From the Abes to the Ohtanis: How siblings shape athletic development
Olympic judoka Uta Abe (second from left) and Hifumi Abe (second from right) with their brother Yuichiro (center) and their parents. “I’m always consciously trying to be a good older brother,” Yuichiro said.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Muji has been sustainable from the beginning
Muji has been sustainable from the beginning

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