Giving birth is never just medical — it’s cultural, too. If you’re pregnant in Japan, you’ll quickly discover that labor, delivery and recovery blend long-held cultural norms with modern clinical care in... Read more »
shinnji / Shutterstock.com It’s officially summer. In Japan, this means the inevitable rainy season, followed by months of pit stains and people constantly remarking how hot it is. But another more welcoming... Read more »
With costs rising everywhere in Japan, what can a single note get you at KFC? With everyone tightening their purse strings at the moment, it’s getting harder and harder to eat out... Read more »
Who needs air-conditioning when a simple taxi ride is enough to leave you frozen in fear for the rest of the summer? There are countless ways in which people try to combat... Read more »
We take Breath Labo to the lab. Our mouths go through a lot during an average day. We’re always cramming food and whatnot in them, and even the air we breathe is... Read more »
Credit: WizData In the beginning, there was water. Not still water, but moving—swelling, spinning, restless. From the first ripple came form. From form, came gods. And from gods, came islands. Across the... Read more »
If you happen to be in Japan on December 31st and January 1st, you have an opportunity to participate in one of several Japanese New Year’s customs. A popular one on New... Read more »
Starbucks Japan’s second pink Frappuccino of the summer is a flavor that’s only available at a fraction of its branches. Variety and consistency are usually opposite ideals, but Starbucks Japan manages to... Read more »
Japan’s Tohoku region is a land of vibrant culture, rich history and picturesque landscapes. This vast area encompasses six prefectures in the country’s northeast and includes Fukushima, considered by many to be... Read more »
It’s easy to forget the humble kissaten. Yet these old-school coffeehouses were once the heartbeat of Japanese café culture—and their legacy still lingers in the deep aroma of siphon-brewed coffee and the... Read more »