The rebirth of cool: It's not easy being a lovable middle-aged man in Japan
For the first time since … never, the ojisan (middle-aged man) is on a roll. Until recently, many have treated middle-aged men in Japan with a sense of dismissiveness, if not outright contempt. Mainstream media have always portrayed middle-aged men as being overbearing and clueless at ...
COVID-19 reveals fractured moral impulse of social media
The outbreak of a new coronavirus in China, now officially named COVID-19, has sparked plenty of concern online — some valid, others more hyperbolic in nature. Like many global events in the social media age, the outbreak has also resulted in no shortage of ...
Japan's rail employees take to social media to air frustrations over work
On the surface, Japan’s train station employees might appear deferential, profusely apologizing for the slightest delay and helpfully guiding passengers through the intricacies of the various transport hubs dotting Tokyo. On the inside, however, a darker side of their personality seems to exist. To get an ...
Social media in Japan fumes over Studio Ghibli's Netflix omission
Anime fans will now be able to enjoy a night in with Studio Ghibli after Netflix began streaming 21 films from the animation firm’s catalogue on Feb. 1. However, there’s a catch. While Studio Ghibli enthusiasts in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and ...
Kakeibo: Turning a dull aspect of Japanese life into social media gold
At some point in the past decade, the international notion of “weird Japan” — a view in which the country produces more quirky and wacky trends than many other nations, regardless if said example is actually widespread — took a back seat to “boring but ...
Social media turns its back on Japan's beloved strong alcoholic beverages
Everyone has a friend who likes to darken the mood when others are simply trying to have a good time. Dr. Toshihiko Matsumoto took on this mantle over the new year, killing the buzz for a number of people on social media just hours ...
Infestations in Tokyo begin to align with zodiac animals of the year
It’s hard to associate Tokyo with anything else besides people, buildings and cars, but a closer inspection of the city and its outskirts reveal otherwise. From 2014 to 2016, there were sightings of masked palm civets in many of the city’s 23 wards. Public health ...
Predicting Japan's digital trends of the next decade
Last year was all about looking back. Between the end of the Heisei Era (1989-2019) and the decade coming to a close, people appeared to go to extra lengths to reflect on the recent and not-so-recent past (this column included). Now that we’ve entered ...
Cat cafe operators in Japan seek to end stigma with a fresh approach
Cat cafes have come under increased scrutiny in recent years, with animal rights groups criticizing some establishments for their allegedly shady practices and ethics. The criticisms leveled at these cafes are by now well-known: Some people argue the animals shouldn’t have to “work” for their ...
Examining the humorous side of online shopping in Japan
An increasing number of people these days are choosing to shop online. This is especially the case in Japan, a country that has an estimated internet penetration rate of 93.3 percent and is currently the third largest e-commerce market in the world — and ...
Cheaper deals in Japan sometimes come at a personal cost
Although the cost of living in Japan is expected to increase in 2020, wages are forecast to remain about the same. This means consumers are constantly on the lookout for better deals, while businesses are scrambling for ways to cut prices and still protect ...
Japan's love of ramen tempered by mortality warning
Slurping down a steaming hot bowl of ramen is a great way to warm the soul on a cold winter’s day but overindulging in the dish could prove deadly, a British medical paper has warned. In a paper published on BioMed Central in September, three ...
