18+ hour, 53+ min ago  (1005+ words) Ramen shops in Japan, many of which are owner-operated, are often famous for having their own idiosyncrasies. There's a whole culture of rules, for example, that surround eating at the famous Jir" brand. One shop in Saitama Prefecture has made…...

1+ day, 20+ hour ago  (1076+ words) On March 17th, police arrested infamous celebrity Sakaguchi Anri on charges of petty theft for stealing a 300 yen (around 2 USD) sandwich from a convenience store. Despite the pettiness of the crime, which Sakaguchi later said she committed for the thrills, authorities…...

6+ day, 21+ hour ago  (14+ words) Nara Deer Move Themselves to Osaka " and Nara Doesn't Want Them Back'Unseen Japan...

1+ week, 1+ day ago  (1005+ words) If you've ever ridden the Tokyo railways, you're likely familiar with Suica cards. Frequent riders probably have one in their wallet or card case right now. As a convenience item, most of these cards are used every day. This keeps…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago  (816+ words) Japan already has strict regulations in place for AirBnB-style vacation rentals by owner (VRBO). None more so than Kyoto City. Now comes word that the city may crank that up to 11 as tourists continue to piss off residents who say…...

2+ week, 2+ day ago  (725+ words) For decades, IC transit cards have been the preferred way for many passengers to pay for fares on trains and buses in Japan. That's changing as more transit companies experiment with supporting a simple credit card tap for fare payments....

3+ week, 3+ day ago  (1405+ words) A major Japanese publisher prioritized profits over a victim's safety, new court documents reveal. In two separate cases, the publisher ran content from manga artists convicted of sexually assaulting minors under pseudonyms. Manga fans around the world have piled on…...

1+ mon, 3+ day ago  (1165+ words) I live in Japan. I'm also married to someone with a nut allergy. And let me tell you, there are pitfalls everywhere. Many commercial products these days (like desserts at a combini) are labeled clearly with the allergens they contain....

1+ mon, 4+ day ago  (763+ words) The city of Kyoto is moving forward with a two-tier bus fare system that would slash prices for residents while hiking them significantly for tourists. It's the city's latest move to tackle the overtourism problem choking its public transit. Kyoto…...

1+ mon, 6+ day ago  (578+ words) A 23-year-old Japanese cosplayer and former hostess club worker named Sat" Saki is facing criminal charges in Osaka District Court for seriously injuring her live-in boyfriend, referred to as "Mr. A," in a series of disturbing incidents. She was arrested…...