Search - culture

 
 
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
May 26, 2023

Opulence: The international drag show that owns everything

'Drag Race' stars and Tokyo-based queens set the stage for a spectacle that aims to put Japan’s drag scene on the global map.
Japan Times
CULTURE
May 24, 2023

Haruki Murakami wins top books prize in Spain

The €50,000 ($55,000) award is one of eight prizes for the arts, sport and scientific research handed out yearly by a foundation named for Crown Princess Leonor.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 24, 2023

Hiroshima to the world: ‘Prosperity through peace’

Many years have passed since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, called the most tragic event in history. The bomb dropped in 1945 killed or maimed hundreds of thousands of people. Since that day, when the city lost everything and became filled with sorrow, Hiroshima has built a society that seeks peace,...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
May 22, 2023

Filling in the cracks: Japan’s shifting perspective on disability employment

The Valuable 500's Crosby Cromwell discusses best practice regarding disability in business in Japan, and she is optimistic about the direction we are heading in.
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Hiroshima G7 Summit Special
May 19, 2023

Kanazawa: At the intersection of past, present and future

Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, co-hosted the Education Ministers’ Meeting on May 14 and 15 ahead of the upcoming G7 Summit. It would be hard to find a more appropriate venue for a conference centered on learning, given the rich culture of this city by the Sea of Japan that blends tradition...
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Hiroshima G7 Summit Special
May 19, 2023

Seto Inland Sea area boasts lush nature, bustling cities, cultural heritage

The area surrounding the Seto Inland Sea, Japan’s largest inland body of water, constitutes the Setouchi area, represented by the cities of Hiroshima, where the G7 Summit will be held, Okayama, Matsuyama and Takamatsu. Spanning the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Ehime and Kagawa, respectively,...
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Hiroshima G7 Summit Special
May 19, 2023

New initiatives to increase globalization of education

After a pandemic that drastically reduced the numbers of Japanese students going abroad and foreign students arriving, Japan is again on a drive to internationalize higher education. Low economic growth, a labor shortage due to the declining birthrate and lagging competitiveness in science and technology...
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Hiroshima G7 Summit Special
May 19, 2023

A philosophy of love, peace and exchange

Ever since its founding in 1916 by Southern Baptist missionary C. K. Dozier, Fukuoka’s Seinan Gakuin University has been guided by its motto “Seinan, Be True to Christ.” That founding spirit, SGU President Naoki Imai said, remains core to the education that the university provides to this day....
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Hiroshima G7 Summit Special
May 19, 2023

Focus moves to entrepreneurship, use of online tools to encourage diversity

Chuo University in Tokyo, which has almost 26,000 undergraduate students and over 1,140 graduate students, as well as over 720 full-time teachers, was originally founded in 1885 as a law school named Igirisu Horitsu Gakko (English Law School).
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Hiroshima G7 Summit Special
May 19, 2023

Collaborative research efforts pave way for peace-based educational outlook

Hiroshima University was founded in 1949 in the first city in the world to suffer an atomic bombing. In the spirit of pursuing peace, HU’s mission is to contribute to the well-being of humankind by realizing a free and peaceful international society.
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Hiroshima G7 Summit Special
May 19, 2023

Sustainability a key focal point of education and research

Keio University is harnessing its legacy of independence and academic excellence to create platforms for organic collaboration and transformative research initiatives. From inclusive sustainability projects and insightful discussions with world leaders to new cutting-edge research centers, Keio provides...
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Hiroshima G7 Summit Special
May 19, 2023

Freedom to examine topics from various perspectives

Sophia University, the first Jesuit and oldest Catholic university in Japan, is celebrating its 110th anniversary this year. “Amid the dynamically shifting global landscape, we are questioning the role we should play in Japanese society and how we can serve the international community,” said university...
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Hiroshima G7 Summit Special
May 19, 2023

Split education system needs a shake-up, president warns

Waseda University, one of Japan’s leading private universities, began its history as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, which was established in 1882. The founder, Shigenobu Okuma, served as Japan’s prime minister twice, in 1898 and 1914. Waseda has produced eight of the country’s prime ministers, including Fumio...
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 16, 2023

Delays won’t hurt Japan’s first casino, Osaka governor says

The Osaka plan for a so-called integrated resort featuring hotels, entertainment and conference centers as well as a casino, gained government approval in April.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
May 15, 2023

Takaaki Miyake: ‘The ideal of beauty depends on each individual, regardless of what gender they identify with’

After a decade working in the fashion industry, Takaaki Miyake left it to pursue a business in skin care, a field he associates with both physical and mental well-being.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 14, 2023

From rap star to engineer to young mayor demolishing swaths of Kathmandu

Balendra Shahm known as Balen, made an unlikely bid for mayor of Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, last May.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
May 14, 2023

Taiwan is running low on a strategic asset: engineers

A shrinking population, demanding work culture and an abundance of competing tech jobs have meant workers have become ever more scarce.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 12, 2023

Moved to tears: Guys, it’s OK to express your emotions now and then

Are there cultural differences when it comes to men crying in public? In Japan, sometimes tears can even get you out of trouble.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 11, 2023

The music industry has an AI problem

“Heart on My Sleeve,” using AI generated voices of famous artists, was built by a bot and way too believable. Was it theft?
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
May 10, 2023

Kishida’s close call, Kyoto’s dual festivals and the now not-so-novel coronavirus

Deep Dive is back with updates on the attack on Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, COVID-19 and all the partying that Kyoto has been doing.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Apr 28, 2023

New audio platform gives virtual YouTubers the Japanese fan experience

The VTuber market is booming, and Oshi founder Leni Andronicos wants to help creators build closer relationships with devoted supporters in the spirit of “oshikatsu.”
BUSINESS
Apr 25, 2023

Cybersecurity nightmare in Japan is everyone else’s problem, too

Within some Japanese companies, there is resistance to disclosing attacks and upgrading systems, which stems from societal norms around assigning blame, some analysts say.
CULTURE / Longform
Apr 24, 2023

Showa seduction: The unending attraction of retro Japan

Yet another generation is smitten with mid-20th century Showa Era style, designs and products. Is there more to it than nostalgia?
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / BLACK EYE
Apr 24, 2023

Black people of Japan, we need to talk.

A mental health and wellness event aims to support Black residents of Japan and it's looking to expand in the coming months.
Japan Times
WORLD
Apr 23, 2023

Zelenskyy signs ban on Russian place names in struggle over national identity

Streets across Ukraine are being renamed, and statues of figures like Catherine the Great are toppling down in what officials call 'de-Russification” projects.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Apr 22, 2023

As Ron DeSantis stumbles, anti-Trump Republicans fear a rerun in 2024 campaign

While the party's nomination race is still in its early days, the angst among 'Never Trumpers' is a sign the former president could be gaining momentum over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
JAPAN
Apr 21, 2023

Kishida on demographics, defense and disparity

In an exclusive interview, Prime Minister Kishida addresses the foreign and domestic issues that loom large, from the war in Ukraine to his promotion of “new capitalism” in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film / CULTURE SMASH
Apr 20, 2023

New Niigata film festival brings out the big names in anime

Mamoru Oshii, Katsuhiro Otomo and Shinichiro Watanabe all attended last month’s Niigata International Animation Film Festival, which showcased 50 films from 16 countries.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 14, 2023

Ukraine’s envoy to Japan goes all in as a wartime ambassador

Sergiy Korsunsky finds little time to rest as he works to support evacuees, assist the war effort and plan for what comes after peace is achieved.

Longform

A mushroom cloud from the atomic bombing on Hiroshima taken from a U.S. military aircraft on Aug. 6, 1945. Copying the photo without permission is prohibited.
80 years on, a Japanese American hibakusha recalls the day the bomb dropped