In 1966, after years of stable fertility rates, Japan experienced a sudden drop in the number of children being born; but what exactly happened in 1966 that would lead to that? The blame falls on “Hinoe-Uma”, which translates to “Fire Horse”, but what exactly is “Hinoe-Uma”? Hinoe-Uma is one of the many Japanese superstitions, and…

Atami (熱海) is a city located on the coast in Shizuoka Prefecture (静岡県) of Izu Peninsula (伊豆半島). It is adjacent to Tokyo (東京) and Hakone (箱根), making it one of the most frequented cities in the region. Thousands of tourists visit Atami every year, discovering its famous onsen (温泉; hot springs), museums, and culture. View…

Back in 2019, it had been announced that the iconic Harajuku Station would be demolished after the 2020 Olympics. Though with the postponment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the dismantling of the station continued as planned, and now the original façade is not there anymore. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sugaya…

Although it is perfectly possible to visit and survive in Japan without learning the language, it definitely makes life a lot easier when you know some basic vocabulary. It can build bridges between you and the people you meet, and make requests and actions, which you may take for granted back home where there is…

When it comes to myths, folklore, and legends, Japan is a country with a lot to offer. From stories based on local traditions up to those derived from foreign influence through cultural assimilation, the country has developed a rich collection of tales that are mirrored in today’s pop culture. View this post on Instagram A…

Ladies, I am pretty sure you have heard about how great Japanese makeup products are. You have always wanted to buy some, and in the end you find yourself standing at the makeup department of a drugstore completely mesmerized with colorful and shiny beauty products. “Which one should I pick?”, “They all look so cute…

Numbers don’t lie: there is a trend going on in Japan that is seeing the number of elderly people committing petty crimes go up. Among these crimes, the top one is shoplifting. Upon seeing these numbers, researchers and demographers became puzzled as they tried to come up with a good hypothesis that could explain the…

Ancient castles, breathtaking views, and rich culture, there are many things tourists love about Japan. However, many tourists also fall in love with Japan for other reasons, reasons they actually notice as they travel across Japan. So what are the top five things that tourists find surprising about Japan? 1. Washlets jp.fotolia.com/ There are two…

As many as over a million young people in Japan are thought to remain holed up in their homes, sometimes for decades at a time, a phenomena known as ‘hikikomori’. Why is that? In Japan, hikikomori, a term that’s also used to describe the young people who withdraw, is a word that everyone knows. The…

According to the Ministry of Defense, Filipinos are the 4th largest foreign population living in Japan, being recently surpassed by Vietnamese residents, and they have had a long and strong presence in the country. The number of Filipinos living in Japan had increased in the late 90s to the numbers seeing today. However, many of…