Tag - japan-pulse

 
 

JAPAN PULSE

Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Dec 14, 2019
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 one of the fastest growing.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Dec 7, 2019
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 their bottom line.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Nov 30, 2019
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.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / 2010s: Decade in Review
Nov 23, 2019
Social media became part of the mainstream conversation in Japan during the 2010s
Internet culture has changed significantly over the past decade. In the 2000s, sites such as 2chan and Nico Nico Douga sat comfortably on the edges of the world wide web, offering a form of alternate reality from traditional media. The 2010s, however, saw social media platforms such as Twitter and YouTube attract a wider audience and, consequently, become a significant part of mainstream conversation.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Nov 16, 2019
Japanese celebrities are using YouTube in new ways to connect with fans
The baseball offseason has arrived and Chicago Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish has taken up a few extracurricular activities. The Osaka-born player has expanded his social media presence, with recent posts on Twitter —  poking fun at teammates and playfully roasting other starters — being picked up by domestic media.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Nov 9, 2019
It's time for the Brave Blossoms to be on a level financial playing field
After six boisterous weeks, the 2019 Rugby World Cup is over. By all accounts, the tournament has been a roaring success, with Nikkei Business estimating that it has injected more than ¥430 billion into the economy.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Nov 2, 2019
Halloween festivities in Tokyo appear to embrace a softer side
Domestic news outlets and social media users love a good scare. Ever since a horde of rowdy Saitama-types turned Shibuya into something akin to “The Purge” last year, many Tokyoites have viewed this year’s Halloween festivities with trepidation.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Oct 26, 2019
Will Japanese society let fathers help out with child care?
Women in Japan have long been expected to handle the bulk of child care duties, whether it be feeding and bathing a child or dropping them off at day care in the morning and picking them up from the center later the same day.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Oct 19, 2019
Typhoon Hagibis highlights the value of social media in a disaster
There has been plenty wrong with conversations on social media over the past decade and yet it’s hard to argue that online platforms are anything other than essential in an emergency.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Oct 12, 2019
Social media conversation on ID checks in Japan reflects shifting awareness
It’s not unusual for foreign residents in Japan to be asked for identification. 
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Oct 6, 2019
Studio Ghibli attracts a new generation of fans with August tradition
Family movie nights used to mean sitting around the television set waiting for a scheduled film and enduring annoying commercial breaks. Such nights tend to look a little different these days, with streaming services such as Netflix and on demand television dominating the market and allowing us to watch films whenever and wherever we want, uninterrupted by advertising. Long gone are the days of running to the kitchen to grab a snack during an ad break and rushing back before the movie resumed.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Sep 28, 2019
Social media conversation on Rugby World Cup reflects concern about 2020 Olympics
Netizens have been anticipating the start of the Rugby World Cup in Japan for months now and not just because of the action on the field. While the online masses closely followed and reacted to the Japanese team’s opening match win over Russia — not to mention anything related to the All Blacks’ haka, even if it was just to complain about the camera angles — they were also keeping an eye on the situation outside of the stadium.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Sep 21, 2019
Student succeeds at failing to start work on his summer homework
For elementary school children in Japan, their weeks-long summer vacation isn't entirely a time for leisure. Instead, it's overshadowed by a stack of homework that features, among other things, an assignment known as jiyū kenkyū (independent project).
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Sep 14, 2019
Frustrated travelers at Narita Airport in wake of Typhoon Faxai spark joy on social media
Choirs full of Swedish children typically don’t break into song at Narita Airport. That’s precisely what happened last Monday night, however, when a youth group called Nova Cantica found itself stranded at the transport hub and decided to pass the time by singing in front of some empty check-in counters.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Aug 24, 2019
Japan's homemakers are using art history classics to illustrate daily struggles on Twitter
Homemakers in Japan have been using classic artworks to describe their daily routines — much to the delight of those on social media.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Aug 24, 2019
Japan's insatiable appetite for watching strangers binge eat
Consuming a 5-kilogram hamburger and a plate of wedges in a single sitting is more than most people can stomach, but it’s all in a day’s work for one of Japan’s ōgui consumers.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Aug 17, 2019
Excessive homework may be exhausting students in Japan during their summer vacation
The school summer holidays are now in full swing but an increasing number of parents and their children are spending the break hunched over a desk with a stack of workbooks instead of enjoying ice cream in the park. 
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Aug 10, 2019
Heated debate boils over on social media as mercury soars in Japan
Talking to others about the weather has always been a quick and easy conversation topic. The same goes for social media users and online news outlets in Japan, which love to discuss meteorological issues. The arrival of intense summer heat in recent weeks has invigorated netizens, who have gone online to share their experiences and discuss what is likely to be the new norm thanks to climate change.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / THE BUZZ
Aug 3, 2019
Understanding 'teru teru bōzu,' the ghost-like charms in 'Weathering With You'
While Makoto Shinkai’s latest film, “Weathering With You,” has already been released in Japan, it’s likely anime fans overseas won’t be able to see the movie until 2020. However, there are a few moments in the film that may leave international audiences scratching their heads when they finally get to see it.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Aug 3, 2019
Anime director Makoto Shinkai's new film can't shake 'Your Name.' comparisons
Makoto Shinkai’s latest film, “Weathering With You” (“Tenki no Ko”), may have outperformed the director’s 2016 blockbuster, “Your Name.,” at the box office on its opening weekend, but it failed to create many waves on social media in its first week.

Longform

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores