Every Sunday we gather the week’s weird and interesting Japanese news and present it to you in our Sunday News column. It might not always be hard-hitting news, but we hope that it still inform...
For most people outside of the Japan-loving world, internet memes were the gateway into the world of Domo. From killing kittens to just about everything else, Domo is all over the place. From plushie...
When I write for Tofugu, I ask myself a lot of questions to make sure I’m writing a good post. Is this topic interesting to me? Will this be interesting to other people? Is the post too short? ...
Right off the coast of Japan’s most western island there lies, buried beneath the ocean, incontrovertible evidence that aliens once lived among us. You might not have heard of this incredible p...
Everybody knows the old saying “Necessity is the mother of invention,” but the Japanese seems to really take it to heart. Japan has a lot of strange, unique needs, and out of those needs come cool, u...
Last week @ayabuns on Twitter bribed me with this picture to write an article about kendo. I am fairly easy to bribe. Therefore, today you are getting an article about kendo. But not just any article...
In our last edition of how to be a baka gaijin we explored the fine art of being a baka gaijin on trains. So you’ve made it through the grueling ordeal that is your train ride and you’ve ...
Anyone who has any interest in Japan has most likely been exposed to pachinko (パチンコ) in one form or another. Perhaps you saw it in an anime or a drama, or perhaps you ran across it in one of our earl...
For years, Tokyo Tower has been an iconic figure in Tokyo’s skyline, but that may soon be coming to an end. After nearly four years in the making, the Tokyo Skytree has finished construction, a...
Shimokitazawa (下北沢) is just about the trendiest neighborhood in Tokyo. Also known as Shimokita for short, the district is a hub for stage theater and live music. With its numerous cafes, music outlet...
Over the last six months or so, Japanese police have been cracking down on nightclubs, breaking up illegal activity and arresting people. What’s going on in these clubs? Are people fighting, do...
When I think of Japan I tend to think of beautiful design. Zen gardens, temples, shrines, tea ceremonies, manga, anime, wabi-sabi… the list goes on and on. Yet for some reason Japan just can...
Being a baka gaijin is not always easy. Being just a baka, or just a gaijin isn’t always that hard, but being both at the same time? Now that’s an achievement. Because I want all of you t...
Every Sunday we gather the week’s weird Japanese news and present it to you in our Sunday News column. It might not always be hard-hitting, but we hope that it still informs and entertains you....
As of late it seems like there’ve been a lot more all-girl bands popping up in Japan. No, I’m not talking about the happy-go-lucky pop groups such as AKB48 and the like, I’m talking...
Culture always seems to grow legs of its own. Regardless of how specific and niche you might think a culture is, it always finds a way to go where you least expect it. Except “Where you least e...
All three of us in the Tofugu office are moderately dangerously addicted to Starcraft 2. We tend to eat our lunches quickly so that we have time for a game or two during the day. Little did we know t...
One of Japan’s biggest culinary exports is Kobe beef, a high-end meat from purebred cows. Its quality is the stuff of legend. People say that the cows are massaged, played classical music, fed ...
A lot of people who are visiting Japan for the first time have no idea where to go. I understand! There’s a lot to see and do. While I personally tend to get off the beaten track, I do have a r...
There exist stereotypes for every kind of people and the Japanese are no exception. As with many misconceptions, some of them are based on some truth that has been exaggerated to the extreme, but som...
I like to listen to a lot of instrumental music. I know that a lot of people think that instrumentals are boring, and I can see where they’re coming from. But for me, instrumental music is grea...
Japan’s Emperor Akihito is the man. Not only because he and the Empress look like the most friendly, adorable old people to ever walk the planet, but also because he’s a bit of a trailbla...
Japanese sparkling water beer is the medicine that helps the salaryman endure their boss’ off pitch karaoke during the frequent work parties. It is the refreshing, crisp drink that gets the com...
If you’re learning Japanese, one of the first things you do is learn what your name is in Japanese. It’s great because it personalizes the language and gives you an identity in Japanese. ...
When you’re listening to Japanese, does it ever sound extremely fast to you? Perhaps around 21% faster? Well, you’ll be happy to know that a few smart people (Pellegrino, Coupé, and Marsi...
At one point or another in learning anything, we will frequently reach a plateau in our ability. This intermediate plateau, or “okay plateau” is where many people tend to get the most dis...
Police Crackdown on Otaku Party at Anime Boston: Events at a recent anime convention spurred police to arrest one otaku and investigate several more. It’s a damn shame to see a con sullied by s...
Although there have been some pretty big chimpanzees in American show-business, I don’t think I can ever remember one that had a bulldog for a best friend. Nor one that looked so good in overal...
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