Grade schoolers across Japan carry leather backpacks called “randoseru” (ランドセル). Traditionally, kids have carried one of two colors: black for boys, and red for girls. In recent years, however, that’s changed.
A Japanese morning show recently did a report on how some kids are doing their homework while playing clips of YouTubers studying.
Earlier this month, Tokyo-based YouTuber TkyoSam put a GoPro on the conveyer belt at a Sushiro rotating sushi restaurant. The chain has issued an apology and is now banning photography in their restaurants.
In the latest Yarisugi!!! Itazura-Kun, a serialized gag manga for kids, an image of Genghis Khan is shown with a dick doodled on his forehead, along with the word “penis” in Japanese. An international incident ensued, involving protests, an angry sumo wrestler and an apology to the Mongolian Embassy.
The above image shows two characters, one done in the “anime style” and the other in an American comic book style. What follows is an explanation as to why Chie Satonaka “looks Japanese.”
On Valentine’s Day in Japan, women traditionally give men chocolate. Each year, a group of protesters gathers to march, carrying signs that read “Pulverize Valentine’s Day” and “Making out in public is terrorism.”
A junior high in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture is allowing students to mix and match uniforms how they please in an effort to be more aware of LGBTQ students’ feelings.
While the stereotype might be that Japan is hi-tech, some of its biggest news broadcasters use low-tech dioramas and models to explain current events.
Traffic cones are roadside eyesores. But in Japan, there are spiritual ones, depicting the guardian of travelers and children.
If you’ve ever been to a Buddhist temple in Japan or looked at a Japanese map, you’ve probably seen swastikas, called “manji” in Japanese, all over. In Japan, the character has become popular youth slang.
On New Year’s Eve, one member of Japan’s most famous comedy duo donned blackface for nationwide television.
Every year across Japan, people line up at Kentucky Fried Chicken joints to place their orders for Christmas dinner.
The last time my family went to a Halloween party with friends here in Japan, my oldest son ended up bummed out with how his outfit turned out, saying it wasn’t a very good cosplay. I don’t think that was the word he was looking for.
Every business has a starting point. For Japanese arcades, one of them was on department store rooftops.
When people in Japan see “FF,” they immediately think Final Fantasy. And for good reason! For decades, “FF” has been shorthand for the iconic role-playing game series. But recently, Twitter users have been using “FF” as a polite way to reply to others.
If there is a product, then a Japanese company probably has a cute character for it. Usually, it doesn’t seem to matter what the product is. Case in point: the enema-themed character “Kan-chan.”
