Regional Japan: A Complete Guide to Cities, Countryside, and Local Culture
Most visitors picture Tokyo, but Japan is many countries in one: subtropical islands, snowy north, shrinking villages, and regions that […]
Local Japan
The Shrinking Countryside: Why Rural Japan Is Emptying Out
What is genkai shuraku, and why are Japanese villages disappearing? The demographic collapse of rural Japan, from closing train lines to bears moving into empty farmland.
Why Hokkaido and Okinawa Feel Like Different Countries
Was Okinawa always part of Japan, and who are the Ainu? The distinct histories that make Hokkaido and Okinawa feel like different countries within Japan.
What Furusato Nozei Reveals About Japan’s Relationship With Hometowns
What is furusato nozei, and how do Japanese taxpayers get free gifts for paying tax to a town they’ve never visited? Japan’s hometown tax system explained.
Why Every Japanese Region Has Its Own Local Mascot (Yuru-kyara)
Why does every Japanese region have its own mascot? The story of Kumamon, yuru-kyara design philosophy, and why even tax offices have cute characters in Japan.
City vs. Country in Japan: Two Ways of Living, One Country
When most foreigners picture Japan, they picture Tokyo. The skyline, the scramble crossing, the trains running on time. That image
Island Japan: The Isolated Communities That Refused to Disappear
Japan is an island nation. That fact is well known. What it tends to obscure is another fact: Japan is
More Than a Festival: How Japan’s Matsuri Bring Communities Together
In the Japanese summer, the sound of taiko drums fills the streets. People dressed in yukata move through the crowds.
Why Does Japan Have So Many Dialects? — The Soul of a Region Lives in Its Words
Foreigners who have studied Japanese often experience a moment of genuine confusion when they travel to the countryside. “Is this