#Japan

High temperatures on Apr 19th. Over 30C was observed in 15 places.🥵 #japan #climateDiary

Good morning to you all from a sunny Saturday morning in Tokyo.

Trying to have a relaxed weekend, myself. Next week is a busy one. Three day shoot in Kyushu, amongst other things.

Photo details in the ALT.

Whatever your weekend brings you, I wish you joy, love, peace and calm.

🙏❤️⛩️

#japan #photography

Good morning to you all from a sunny Saturday morning in Tokyo.

Trying to have a relaxed weekend, myself. Next week is a busy one. Three day shoot in Kyushu, amongst other things.

Photo details in the ALT.

Whatever your weekend brings you, I wish you joy, love, peace and calm.

🙏❤️⛩️

#japan #photography

Outside again we got to enjoy the amazing colors of the scenery in Osaka!

And there was a store with an amazing illustration on its wall.

#ametravels #ametravelsjapan #photography #japan #osaka #streetart

https://youtu.be/oWpqJ8pD2Ng
⛔️🇺🇸NLRB whistleblower provides evidence Musk's DOGE intentionally caused significant national security breach (PBS NewsHour VIDEO) #Ukraine #Mastodon #BoycottTesla #NLRB #BoycottMusk #BoycottElonMusk #BoycottX #BoycottStarlink #Tesla #Musk #ElonMusk #X #Starlink #NukesForUkraine #SouthKorea #Press #News #Taiwan #Media #Japan #NukesOrNATO #USA #US #UK #EU #NATO #UnitedStates #UnitedKingdom
#EuropeanUnion #russiaUkraineWar
#11yrInvasionOfUkraine
#RussiaIsATerroristState

UNESCO's executive board on Thursday added Buddhist scriptures kept at Tokyo's Zojoji Temple to its Memory of the World register, making it the ninth Japanese inscription. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/18/japan/zojoji-buddhist-scriptures-unesco/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #unesco #temples #buddhism #zojoji

UNESCO's executive board on Thursday added Buddhist scriptures kept at Tokyo's Zojoji Temple to its Memory of the World register, making it the ninth Japanese inscription. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/18/japan/zojoji-buddhist-scriptures-unesco/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #unesco #temples #buddhism #zojoji

A case in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, shows that criminals in Japan leveraging "dark part-time" thieves are getting bolder. In the latest case, a 20-year-old told a court he was told to rob a house associated with the yakuza. Details below.

https://unseen-japan.com/yakuza-dark-parttime-theft/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news #crime

https://youtu.be/oWpqJ8pD2Ng
⛔️🇺🇸NLRB whistleblower provides evidence Musk's DOGE intentionally caused significant national security breach (PBS NewsHour VIDEO) #Ukraine #Mastodon #BoycottTesla #NLRB #BoycottMusk #BoycottElonMusk #BoycottX #BoycottStarlink #Tesla #Musk #ElonMusk #X #Starlink #NukesForUkraine #SouthKorea #Press #News #Taiwan #Media #Japan #NukesOrNATO #USA #US #UK #EU #NATO #UnitedStates #UnitedKingdom
#EuropeanUnion #russiaUkraineWar
#11yrInvasionOfUkraine
#RussiaIsATerroristState

Go to Akihabara and you’ll see a maid cafe everywhere you look. But how did they get started? Here’s a look at the history of maid cafes, how they’ve changed over the years, and what to know before you go.

https://unseen-japan.com/maid-cafes-history/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #travel

After a grueling interrogation, cops in Japan's Hyogo Prefecture got a 12-year-old girl to confess to sexually assaulting a classmate. Months later, however, they concluded that the incident was a false report.

https://unseen-japan.com/12-year-old-forced-confession/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news

Deep rain. #photography #japan

"Please consult with staff if you plan to shoplift"

Lower left: "I'm shoplifting"

Lower right: "I'm calling the cops"

#japan #unseenjapan

Question for anybody who knows about living and working in Japan.

Is ¥10 million a reasonable annual salary to support an entire family of six in Tokyo? Especially for someone used to making more than two and a half times that in the US?

#AskMastodon #AskFediverse #Japan #BoostsWelcome #PleaseBoost

Title: Mountain Cottage in Spring (c.1960s)

Artist: Kasamatsu Shiro

https://teamjapanese.com/spring-in-japan-japanese-spring-festivals/ #Art #ShinHanga #SosakuHanga #Showa #KasamatsuShiro #Spring #CherryBlossoms #Sakura #Japan

Title: Mountain Cottage in Spring (c.1960s)

Artist: Kasamatsu Shiro

https://teamjapanese.com/spring-in-japan-japanese-spring-festivals/ #Art #ShinHanga #SosakuHanga #Showa #KasamatsuShiro #Spring #CherryBlossoms #Sakura #Japan

What’s interesting about the modern Japanese toilet is that the bidet toilet is originally a foreign import. Toto didn’t invent the home bidet seat. Heck, it wasn’t even the first company in Japan to manufacture a bidet. Learn more below.

https://unseen-japan.com/japanese-toilet-seat-bidet/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite

What’s interesting about the modern Japanese toilet is that the bidet toilet is originally a foreign import. Toto didn’t invent the home bidet seat. Heck, it wasn’t even the first company in Japan to manufacture a bidet. Learn more below.

https://unseen-japan.com/japanese-toilet-seat-bidet/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite

There’s some chatter lately about how Generative AI will “revolutionize” language learning – particularly when it comes to learning to speak a language like Japanese. After trying out several services, we think that's bunk. Here's why.

https://unseen-japan.com/ai-japanese-speaking-practice/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #japanese

Question for anybody who knows about living and working in Japan.

Is ¥10 million a reasonable annual salary to support an entire family of six in Tokyo? Especially for someone used to making more than two and a half times that in the US?

#AskMastodon #AskFediverse #Japan #BoostsWelcome #PleaseBoost

On our 4. day we visited the #FF14 Eorzea Cafe in Osaka!

My food was as mediocre as last year, but I do love the interesting drinks they serve there.

I had the blue alcoholic beverage which had jelly in it, I love interesting texture in my drinks!

#ametravels #ametravelsjapan #japan #osaka

On April 7, several men in dark suits, some with only nine fingers, walked into the Hyogo Prefectural Police Headquarters. They were lieutenants of the Yamaguchi-gumi—the biggest of Japan’s crime syndicates. And they were there to hand over a sheet of paper.

https://unseen-japan.com/yakuza-war-truce/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news

More than 75% of Taiwanese say that Japan is their favorite country, followed by South Korea at just 4% and both China and the U.S. on 3%, according to a regular survey released Tuesday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/16/japan/society/taiwan-japan-survey/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #taiwan #japan #surveys #china #taiwanjapanrelations

More than 75% of Taiwanese say that Japan is their favorite country, followed by South Korea at just 4% and both China and the U.S. on 3%, according to a regular survey released Tuesday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/16/japan/society/taiwan-japan-survey/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #taiwan #japan #surveys #china #taiwanjapanrelations

At the time of the murder, the assailant wore a sweatshirt with the word “NEVADA” emblazoned across the front. Pictures of her wearing the shirt eventually made their way onto the Internet. Soon, artists drew pics of the girl who became known as “Nevada-tan.”

https://unseen-japan.com/nevada-tan-updates/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #socialmedia

The cost of rice in Japan shows no signs of declining. Thanks to a poor crop last year, a 5kg bag now costs double what it cost a year ago. Why aren’t the Japanese government’s efforts to bring the price down working?

https://unseen-japan.com/rice-prices-japan-no-relief/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #food

Still on the third day, we went to the #hololive ReGLOSS cafe.
Of course we all chose our Oshi's menu, which sadly left me which the worst food selection.

Udon noodles and black coffee, 2 things I don't like 😭

And no P-chan pictures this time, I forgor 💀

#ametravels #ametravelsjapan #japan #JuufuuteiRaden #holoJP

Politicians in Japan are feeling the pressure to do something – anything – to relieve Japanese citizens’ financial distress as the cost of nearly everything continues to increase. Some are setting their sights on taxing tourists (more) as a solution.

https://unseen-japan.com/japan-tax-free-shopping-tourists-eliminating/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #travel #news

16-year-old Japanese singer Tuki went viral with this post of two friends, "Kin-chan" and "Tama-chan." "Kintama" (金玉) is Japanese for "testicles."

#japan #unseenjapan

Title: Hayase (1933)

Artist: Hiroshi Yoshida

https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/spring-guide/ #Art #ShinHanga #Showa #HiroshiYoshida #Spring #CherryBlossoms #Sakura #Japan

just touching
the cherry blossom petals
brings tears
花びらがさわつても出る涙哉
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1810.
Trans. David G. Lanoue.

#Kyoto #京都 #Japan #sakura #桜 #cherryblossoms #blossoms #木屋町 #Kiyamachi #高瀬川 #Takasegawa #haiku

just touching
the cherry blossom petals
brings tears
花びらがさわつても出る涙哉
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1810.
Trans. David G. Lanoue.

#Kyoto #京都 #Japan #sakura #桜 #cherryblossoms #blossoms #木屋町 #Kiyamachi #高瀬川 #Takasegawa #haiku

Commodity dealers built storehouses about the 9 registered boat launches (the 1st, Ichino Funairi 一之船入, is preserved), creating neighbourhoods such as Kiyamachi (木屋町 Lumber Yard Town), Kamiyamachi (紙屋町 Paper Dealers' Town) and Ishiyamachi (石屋町 Stonemasons' Town).

#京都 #Kyoto #Kiyamachi #木屋町 #Japan

Title: Hayase (1933)

Artist: Hiroshi Yoshida

https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/spring-guide/ #Art #ShinHanga #Showa #HiroshiYoshida #Spring #CherryBlossoms #Sakura #Japan

Two to five hours to get in. An eight-hour wait for food. Rain and rude staff. Osaka Expo 2025 opened on Sunday, and its opening was as controversial as the event's lead-up. As organizers scramble to fix problems, polls show the public losing interest.

https://unseen-japan.com/osaka-world-expo-first-day-issues/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news #travel

There are many ways to refer to one's husband in Japanese. Some of them, however, rub many Japanese women the wrong way. One survey that looked at how women refer to their husbands today provides a glimpse into how Japanese is evolving with the times.

https://unseen-japan.com/husband-or-master-the-debate-over-japanese-words-for-husband/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news

In a 7-Eleven in Ōita Prefecture, one man bore the burden of keeping the store running 24 hours a day. After six months of toil without a break, he died by suicide. The case was later officially certified as death by overwork, which remains a chronic problem in Japan.

https://unseen-japan.com/7-11-manager-overwork-death/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news

A member of the Japanese Communist Party garnered headlines when she declared that women’s sanitary products should be free in public buildings “like toilet paper.” However, the city hall where she had the emergency that preceded her post doesn’t agree.

https://unseen-japan.com/tsu-mie-prefecture-sanitary-products/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news

Some in Japan are calling for cash handouts to offset King Trump's tariffs. However, new polls show a majority of Japanese citizens don't want it. This story and more commentary on this week's Japan news in Tuesday's Unseen Japan Insider - subscribe today:

https://unseen-japan.com/support/

#japan #unseenjapan

🌸🤗✨

#Kyoto #京都 #Japan #木屋町 #Kiyamachi #sakura #桜 #cherryblossoms #blossoms #kyotoscenes

Oh to be boating on a river of pink...🌸🌸🛶🥰🌸🌸

#Kyoto #京都 #Japan #木屋町 #Kiyamachi #sakura #桜 #cherryblossoms #blossoms #kyotoscenes

The Morioka Chamber of Commerce in Japan has something in common with Leonardo DiCaprio: It only wants women under 25. The Chamber put out a call for apprentice geisha in the 18-25 age range because "it's natural for men to like younger women."

https://unseen-japan.com/morioka-young-geisha-only/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news #women

It's a story that could have ended poorly. But as it turns out, the post from a Japanese Twitter user ended up being a heartwarming story about the love between a man, a woman...and virtual Vocaloid idol Hatsune Miku.

https://unseen-japan.com/cheating-husband-hatsune-miku-fan-japan/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news #vocaloid #miku

A popular Japanese YouTuber has announced he’s committing to becoming the best Fortnite player in the world, dedicating himself to practicing between nine and 11 hours daily.

That’s gonna require, however, that he postpone middle school.

https://unseen-japan.com/tarou-middle-school-debate/

#japan #Unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news

At the actually working train station a year number 1983 was engraved so deeply that P-chan fit snugly into the number 8.
I'm sure it must have felt cozy for him 🧺

#ametravels #ametravelsjapan #japan #photography

These were 2 of the railway tunnels we walked through.

It was incredibly cold inside and at one point you couldn't see light from either end of the tunnel.
At first we tried walking though without a flashlight, but that quickly turned out not to be feasible

#ametravels #ametravelsjapan #japan

P-chan and Shunta had multiple photo-shootings along the way.

Shunta seems to have really enjoyed the attention while P-chan looked sad as usual.

#ametravels #ametravelsjapan #japan

Along the way we found the remains of an old abandoned motorcycle (which might have gotten dumped after having been stolen?).

#ametravels #ametravelsjapan #japan

On our third day we did multiple interesting things!

We first walked along an abandoned railway line and took lots of photos.
Old railroad sleepers were embedded in the road we got to walk on.
P-chan starred in a lot of the photos we took, together with Shunta.

#ametravels #ametravelsjapan #japan

A drug store in Japan went viral a few days ago when employees tried to charge someone 10,000 yen ($68) for what they deemed illegal parking. Turns out the employees were never told their parking lot was a shared lot.

https://unseen-japan.com/cosmos-drug-store-parking-fine/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news

On our second day, we went shopping in Umeda!
We met up at a giant golden clock before fully embracing our inner consumers and buying lots of stuff at the Umeda shopping arcade.
P-chan got to hang out with some friends too!
Afterwards, we walked around Dotonbori.

#ametravels #ametravelsjapan #japan

Hamburger breads are so hard to find in Japan.
What is your go-to market/chain when you wanna buy one of those?

#Japan

Many areas of Japan are assessing new travel-related fees to fund building out infrastructure to fend off overtourism. However, some Japanese citizens and residents are fuming, as the new fees apply to everyone – not just the out-of-towners.

https://unseen-japan.com/lodging-taxes-japan-residents-discontent/

#japan #unseenjapan #uwjebsite #travel

As Washington and Tokyo prepare to launch key tariff negotiations, U.S. President Donald Trump has once again criticized the 1960 security treaty with Japan as “one-sided.” https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/11/japan/politics/trump-security-ties-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #us #donaldtrump #usjapanrelations

As Washington and Tokyo prepare to launch key tariff negotiations, U.S. President Donald Trump has once again criticized the 1960 security treaty with Japan as “one-sided.” https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/11/japan/politics/trump-security-ties-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #us #donaldtrump #usjapanrelations

Remembering when the Commander of the Missouri battleship ordered a burial at sea for a kamikaze pilot that attacked his ship the day earlier.
#empathy #honour #war #wwii #japan #usa
https://apnews.com/article/uss-missouri-kamikaze-attack-sea-burial-wwii-07d2478ad1afcc5189a5249a3e3cd8c3?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Remembering when the Commander of the Missouri battleship ordered a burial at sea for a kamikaze pilot that attacked his ship the day earlier.
#empathy #honour #war #wwii #japan #usa
https://apnews.com/article/uss-missouri-kamikaze-attack-sea-burial-wwii-07d2478ad1afcc5189a5249a3e3cd8c3?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Whilst browsing the Gogglemap satellite view of Matsuzaki-chō on the Izu Peninsula to see if a small sushi restaurant where we had lunch some 20 years ago still existed, something unusual caught the eye.✈️🙂
#Matsuzaki #Izu #Japan #photobomb

Staying independent enables UJ to cover interesting stories about modern Japan through a liberal lens. You can help by making a donation in any amount to the Unseen Japan Journalism Fund below:

https://unseen-japan.com/support/

#japan #unseenjapan

As Japan’s youth suicide rate hits record levels, authorities are searching for solutions to address the epidemic. Kumamoto City in Kumamoto Prefecture thinks it has an idea: security cameras as an antidote to bullying.

https://unseen-japan.com/kumamoto-city-bullying-security-cameras/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news

I have updated the plot for timing of the peak in the cherry blossom season (満開) for Kyoto. Records of the peak go back 1200 years! 2025 was tied with the third earliest blooming, happening on March 27. The timing of the peak of the cherry blossoms is getting earlier, as a result of warmer temperatures in February and March.

#ClimateChange #Japan

It shouldn’t have to be said that you should respect all local laws and customs during your travel to Japan. Sadly, one American traveler couldn’t be bothered to perform due diligence on his packed luggage.

https://unseen-japan.com/american-tourist-gun-japan/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #travel #crime

I have updated the plot for timing of the peak in the cherry blossom season (満開) for Kyoto. Records of the peak go back 1200 years! 2025 was tied with the third earliest blooming, happening on March 27. The timing of the peak of the cherry blossoms is getting earlier, as a result of warmer temperatures in February and March.

#ClimateChange #Japan

The conflict between two yakuza gangs - the Yamaguchi-gumi and a splinter Kobe faction - has cost over 90 lives in blood-soaked scenes that would befit a Takashi Miike film. Now, Yamaguchi-gumi says the war is done. The cops, however, aren't convinced.

https://unseen-japan.com/yakuza-war-truce/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #crime #news

A female lawmaker in Japan who found herself in a personal emergency made a call on social media for free sanitary products in public buildings. Here's how her seemingly benign request resulted in an automated stream of death threats.

https://unseen-japan.com/yoshida-ayaka-sanitary-products-death-threats/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news #women

Ready to be happy? You might get more than you bargained for if you become entangled with this Japanese new religion whose founder declared himself the reincarnation of Buddha *and* Hermes - and whose political views occupy the far, far right.

https://unseen-japan.com/happy-science/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #religion

Our first day in Japan after arrival, we did some walking around the neighborhood near our hotel in Osaka, shopped around in a Japanese supermarket and ate some ramen in the evening.

#ametravels #ametravelsjapan #japan

Japan expressed interest Tuesday in participating in the NATO command for its Ukrainian mission based in Germany in what would be a major boost in ties with the largely European alliance.

https://apnews.com/article/japan-defense-nato-rutte-china-15de39e226c57a893fbf9755f600dcdb

#Ukraine #Russia #EU #NATO #Japan

Japan expressed interest Tuesday in participating in the NATO command for its Ukrainian mission based in Germany in what would be a major boost in ties with the largely European alliance.

https://apnews.com/article/japan-defense-nato-rutte-china-15de39e226c57a893fbf9755f600dcdb

#Ukraine #Russia #EU #NATO #Japan

Title: Benkei Bridge (1933)

Artist: Koitsu Tsuchiya

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOpj_XkfDmY #Art #ShinHanga #KoitsuTsuchiya #Showa #Spring #CherryBlossoms #Sakura #BenkeiBashi #Tokyo #Japan

In their petition, parents at Musashino Gakuen school expressed their fears that the institution, once a “safe haven for our children,” is now in a “deep state of crisis" and that they have "an ever-growing concern about the future of our school.”

https://unseen-japan.com/musashino-higashi-gakuen-school-crisis/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news

A recent survey by a language education company reveals that some Japanese people don’t feel at all confident in their English abilities. Tourists to Japan, however, seem to think that they’re doing just fine.

https://unseen-japan.com/japanese-english-confidence/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news #japanese

An American cowboys into Japan, the meaning of the Fuji TV scandal, maybe Japan's English isn't so bad, and death threats over free women's hygiene products - that & our other best content of the week in the Unseen Japan Newsletter.

https://us20.campaign-archive.com/?u=e9c0d2fc400d4b96cabfca61a&id=e7f5866bf6

#Japan #unseenjapan

Why are Japanese streets empty of U.S. cars? It’s no mystery — they're not good enough. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/04/08/japan/japan-tarriff-myth-wont-die/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #automakers #tariffs #trade #imports #toyota #nissan #gm #ford

Why are Japanese streets empty of U.S. cars? It’s no mystery — they're not good enough. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/04/08/japan/japan-tarriff-myth-wont-die/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #automakers #tariffs #trade #imports #toyota #nissan #gm #ford

Why are Japanese streets empty of U.S. cars? It’s no mystery — they're not good enough. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/04/08/japan/japan-tarriff-myth-wont-die/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #automakers #tariffs #trade #imports #toyota #nissan #gm #ford

Why are Japanese streets empty of U.S. cars? It’s no mystery — they're not good enough. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/04/08/japan/japan-tarriff-myth-wont-die/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #automakers #tariffs #trade #imports #toyota #nissan #gm #ford

Good morning from Japan! The Cherry Blossom Season is almost over in Tokyo. Capturing that melancholic mood, here is a set of film photography taken a few years ago at Hirano Shrine in Kyoto.

📷 Mamiya 6, 50mm f/4
🎞️ Fujicolor Pro 400H

#photography #japan #桜 #kyoto #fotografie #cherryblossoms #BloomScrolling #photographersofmastodon #japanlife #kyotolife #filmphotography #mamiya #shootfilm

Roppongi Hills 🌸

#tokyocameraclub #東京カメラ部 #tokyo #桜 #cherryblossoms #japan

The next chapter of the cherry blossom will be the Okamezakura. And one of the best places in Tokyo to see them, imho is Nihonbashi.

Here's some shots on my blog from there, back in 2024.

https://blog.alfiegoodrich.com/portfolio/walks-in-tokyo/the-okame-zakura-nihonbashi/

#tokyo #japan #photography #nature

The next chapter of the cherry blossom will be the Okamezakura. And one of the best places in Tokyo to see them, imho is Nihonbashi.

Here's some shots on my blog from there, back in 2024.

https://blog.alfiegoodrich.com/portfolio/walks-in-tokyo/the-okame-zakura-nihonbashi/

#tokyo #japan #photography #nature

Good morning from Japan! The Cherry Blossom Season is almost over in Tokyo. Capturing that melancholic mood, here is a set of film photography taken a few years ago at Hirano Shrine in Kyoto.

📷 Mamiya 6, 50mm f/4
🎞️ Fujicolor Pro 400H

#photography #japan #桜 #kyoto #fotografie #cherryblossoms #BloomScrolling #photographersofmastodon #japanlife #kyotolife #filmphotography #mamiya #shootfilm

A 38-year-old 7-11 manager's death was ruled a case of overwork after he worked six months w/o a break. The case has some saying it's time to end 24-hour combini culture in Japan - and to crack down harder on companies that cross the so-called "karōshi line."

https://unseen-japan.com/7-11-manager-overwork-death/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news #work

The call was the first interaction between the two leaders since the U.S. president rolled out new tariffs targeting almost every country on the planet. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/07/japan/politics/ishiba-trump-talk-tariffs/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shigeruishiba #donaldtrump #trade #tariffs #us #usjapanrelations

Title: In a Temple Yard (1935)

Artist: Hiroshi Yoshida

https://studerautomlands.ki.se/2025/04/06/cherry-blossoms-in-tokyo-%F0%9F%8C%B8/ #Art #ShinHanga #Showa #HiroshiYoshida #Spring #CherryBlossoms #Sakura #Japan

The call was the first interaction between the two leaders since the U.S. president rolled out new tariffs targeting almost every country on the planet. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/07/japan/politics/ishiba-trump-talk-tariffs/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shigeruishiba #donaldtrump #trade #tariffs #us #usjapanrelations

A city in Japan says it won't make women's sanitary products available after politician Yoshida Ayaka called for them to be free like toilet paper - even though a simple solution to providing them is already in use across the country.

https://unseen-japan.com/tsu-mie-prefecture-sanitary-products/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #women #health

Title: In a Temple Yard (1935)

Artist: Hiroshi Yoshida

https://studerautomlands.ki.se/2025/04/06/cherry-blossoms-in-tokyo-%F0%9F%8C%B8/ #Art #ShinHanga #Showa #HiroshiYoshida #Spring #CherryBlossoms #Sakura #Japan

The independent commission investigating allegations of sexual assault by Nakai Masahiro found that he did in fact assault the victim. It further ruled the act a “serious human rights violation" & found it occurred in line w/ the victim's work at Fuji TV.

https://unseen-japan.com/nakai-masahiro-independent-committee-findings/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #tv #entertainment #women

Spring colors.

#photography #nature #art #flower #flowers #花 #写真 #japan #beautiful #beauty #bloomscrolling #landscape #scenery #fantasy #oldlens #filmlike #vintage #retro #春 #spring #calm #colors #colorful #painting #drawing #リビングストンデージー #livingstondaisy

Last year, Kan reportedly attempted to drive his car down the stairwell to snack bar Kasumi’s location on a basement floor. When that failed for obvious reasons, he reportedly jumped out, ran into the bar, and smashed a bottle over his ex-wife's head.

https://unseen-japan.com/snack-bar-murder-arrest/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite

This is a fantastic essay, especially if you are into design, or are a designer

#design #japan #JapaneseDesign

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/oct/17/after-marie-kondo-the-return-of-japans-joyful-clutter

Happy Monday from Tokyo! May the new week bring you more good vibes and fewer tariffs than the previous one. 😇
One more place I went to yesterday after the drumming lesson was Kyū-Furukawa Gardens in Nishigahara.

#photography #streetphotography #BloomScrolling #桜 #fotografie #cherryblossoms #tokyolife #japanlife #tokyo #japan #photographersofmastodon

Happy Monday from Tokyo! May the new week bring you more good vibes and fewer tariffs than the previous one. 😇
One more place I went to yesterday after the drumming lesson was Kyū-Furukawa Gardens in Nishigahara.

#photography #streetphotography #BloomScrolling #桜 #fotografie #cherryblossoms #tokyolife #japanlife #tokyo #japan #photographersofmastodon

In 徳島県 for a few nights for 参拝. Some of that 参拝 will be part of the 四国八十八ヶ所. But that is tomorrow. Today I have a more quirky place to visit and in my weird 地理学 rotted brain qualifies as 参拝... Kinda.

So I'm here at 地蔵橋駅. What for? I'll show you in the next post.

#Japan

12-year-old Japanese gamer Tarou made headlines in February when he said he was postponing middle school to work on his Fortnite skills - a rare move in a country with no legal structure for homeschooling. His mom & dad say they stand behind the decision.

https://unseen-japan.com/tarou-middle-school-debate/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #videogames #youtube

A Cosmos Drug Store in Osaka went viral after it tried to charge a customer who ate at a neighboring ramen shop 10,000 yen ($68) for parking in its parking lot. The chain had to apologize profusely when it came out that the lot was shared by the two stores.

https://unseen-japan.com/cosmos-drug-store-parking-fine/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #socialmedia #law

Good morning from Tokyo! Hope y’all will enjoy your Sunday. I’ll have my first regular drumming lesson later, and then we’ll see what else the weather allows.
Here is some more #Bloomscrolling for you, this time of a nighttime variety from last night around my neighborhood in Itabashi Ward. Unedited iPhone photos.

#photography #japan #streetphotography #桜 #nightphotography #fotografie #nachtfotografie #tokyolife #japanlife #tokyo #itabashi #japan #cherryblossoms

In the wake of the Fuji TV scandal, a question lingers: Who is "Celebrity U," the celeb who allegedly accosted another female Fuji anchor at a Nakai Masahiro sex party? We go into details in the next issue of Unseen Japan Insider, releasing Tuesday - sign up below:

https://unseen-japan.com/support/

#japan #unseenjapan

Japan will play a major role under defense cooperation between the governments in Tokyo and Washington under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump if a conflict occurs in Taiwan. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/06/japan/japan-defense-role-taiwan-conflict/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #taiwan #us #donaldtrump #aukus #defense

The other day, legendary screenwriter and producer Fukuko ISHII (#石井ふく子) was being interviewed on the telly. She's 98 years-old. She wore a black pinstripe suit with a black blouse, and had her short hair slicked back. She's still writing and producing TV dramas. Anyway, I watched this interview and thought, as one does, "This person has got to be #queer." I did some digging and found some of the usual clues. She's been single her whole life, and there are no rumors of romances with men. She was a huge fan of legendary actress Setsuko HARA (#原節子, the model for Satoshi KON's "Millenium Actress," who was six years older than Fukuko. Setsuko, who passed at age 95 in 2015, was also single her whole life. 1/2 #cinema #Japan

A scruffy-looking, stammering fellow who doesn’t tend to leave much of an impression on people who meet him, fictional detective Kindaichi Kosuke is nonetheless able to solve the trickiest of murders using only his powers of observation.

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #books

Japan will play a major role under defense cooperation between the governments in Tokyo and Washington under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump if a conflict occurs in Taiwan. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/06/japan/japan-defense-role-taiwan-conflict/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #taiwan #us #donaldtrump #aukus #defense

The TV show SMAPxSMAP, referred to colloquially as “Sma-Sma,” wasn’t just a hit—it was a cultural institution. Nakai, the sharp-tongued MC with impeccable timing, became the face of Fuji’s golden age. The show ran for 20 years right up until SMAP disbanded.

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite

After the drumming lesson, a delightful lunch at “cafe chocotto” in Komagome, Tokyo, followed by a short stroll through the decidedly retro-style Shimofuri Shopping Street.

#photography #streetphotography #japan #tokyocafe #cafe #japanesefood #tokyo #komagome #shotoniphone

Some 100 people mourned those who committed mass suicide at a cave in Okinawa Prefecture 80 years ago in the final stages of World War II. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/06/japan/wwii-mass-suicide-mourned-okinawa/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #okinawa #wwii

Some 100 people mourned those who committed mass suicide at a cave in Okinawa Prefecture 80 years ago in the final stages of World War II. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/06/japan/wwii-mass-suicide-mourned-okinawa/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #okinawa #wwii

In Japan, it seems there’s a service for everything. But one business may cross both ethical *and* legal lines. Meet the wakaresaseya – Japan’s “break up” companies – who promise to destroy another's happiness so you can get yours.

https://unseen-japan.com/breakup-companies-wakaresaseya-japan/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #relationships

Good morning from Tokyo! Hope y’all will enjoy your Sunday. I’ll have my first regular drumming lesson later, and then we’ll see what else the weather allows.
Here is some more #Bloomscrolling for you, this time of a nighttime variety from last night around my neighborhood in Itabashi Ward. Unedited iPhone photos.

#photography #japan #streetphotography #桜 #nightphotography #fotografie #nachtfotografie #tokyolife #japanlife #tokyo #itabashi #japan #cherryblossoms

The other day, legendary screenwriter and producer Fukuko ISHII (#石井ふく子) was being interviewed on the telly. She's 98 years-old. She wore a black pinstripe suit with a black blouse, and had her short hair slicked back. She's still writing and producing TV dramas. Anyway, I watched this interview and thought, as one does, "This person has got to be #queer." I did some digging and found some of the usual clues. She's been single her whole life, and there are no rumors of romances with men. She was a huge fan of legendary actress Setsuko HARA (#原節子, the model for Satoshi KON's "Millenium Actress," who was six years older than Fukuko. Setsuko, who passed at age 95 in 2015, was also single her whole life. 1/2 #cinema #Japan

Getting married in Japan creates a new family registry, which requires listing an address. Turns out you can list an address anywhere in Japan - and some people do: around 3,000 people have opted to list the Imperial Palace in Tokyo’s Chiyoda City as their registered domicile.

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite

The news Sukiya would temporarily close most stores came as a shock to Manarisu, who’s eaten at Sukiya every day for 2,000 consecutive days as of March 20th, 2025. He’s asking his 149,000 followers to help him identify local Sukiyas in food courts so he can keep the streak going.

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news #food

The popular onsen city of Atami is implementing a new lodging tax - and it applies to inbound tourists and residents of Japan alike. Some insist the tax should only apply to foreign visitors. However, implementing such a "two-tiered" system wouldn't be easy.

https://unseen-japan.com/lodging-taxes-japan-residents-discontent/

#japan #unseenjapan #tourism #travel #news

Alright, where are my Tokyo-local #JPop / #JRock fans???

I want to attend the yama concert on Friday the 25th and need a) people to go with, and b) help securing tickets without a Tokyo phone number or address of my own.

I would go see Ado that night if I could but I figure that's a tall order since it's her world-tour kickoff and already sold out long ago haha

#music #Tokyo #Japan

Spring colors.

#photography #nature #art #flower #flowers #花 #写真 #japan #beautiful #beauty #bloomscrolling #landscape #scenery #fantasy #oldlens #filmlike #vintage #retro #春 #spring #calm #colors #colorful #painting #drawing #リビングストンデージー #livingstondaisy

”My strong recommendation to Canada, Mexico, Japan, and the European Union is to join together to create a free trade zone that excludes the United States… They need to negotiate from a position of strength. A non-U.S. free trade union will give them that strength.”
—Robert Reich
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/what-canada-mexico-japan-the-uk-and
#trump #usa #canada #mexico #japan #eu #tariffs

Title: Cherry Blossoms & Castle (c.1930s)

Artist: Ito Yuhan

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3050.html #Art #ShinHanga #ItoYuhan #Showa #Spring #Sakura #CherryBlossoms #Japan

Title: Cherry Blossoms & Castle (c.1930s)

Artist: Ito Yuhan

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3050.html #Art #ShinHanga #ItoYuhan #Showa #Spring #Sakura #CherryBlossoms #Japan

Alright, where are my Tokyo-local #JPop / #JRock fans???

I want to attend the yama concert on Friday the 25th and need a) people to go with, and b) help securing tickets without a Tokyo phone number or address of my own.

I would go see Ado that night if I could but I figure that's a tall order since it's her world-tour kickoff and already sold out long ago haha

#music #Tokyo #Japan

Mass strikes, the creation of the 8-hour workday, and an early 20th-century vogue for foreign words - all led to the most popular Japanese word many don't even realize is foreign in origin. Here's how "saboru" came to be.

https://unseen-japan.com/saboru-the-strange-origins-of-cutting-class-in-japan/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #japanese

Want an onigiri you can take anywhere – or perhaps use during a national emergency? You’re in luck! One company in Japan sells “non-grip onigiri,” which you can take anywhere and make by just adding water. The question is: how do they taste?

https://unseen-japan.com/travel-onigiri-add-water/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #food

A female snack bar owner in Nishitokyo was found dead in her place of business, her ex-husband lying unconscious and injured nearby. Her death currently appears to be the result of a campaign of violence that authorities didn't stop until it was too late.

https://unseen-japan.com/snack-bar-owner-murder-nishitokyo/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #crime

retro style.

#photography #nature #art #flower #flowers #花 #写真 #japan #beautiful #beauty #bloomscrolling #landscape #scenery #fantasy #oldlens #filmlike #vintage #retro #春 #spring #ポピー　#poppy #calm #colors #colorful

retro style.

#photography #nature #art #flower #flowers #花 #写真 #japan #beautiful #beauty #bloomscrolling #landscape #scenery #fantasy #oldlens #filmlike #vintage #retro #春 #spring #ポピー　#poppy #calm #colors #colorful

10 years ago I got that BABYMETAL album released in 2015.

An German edition with CD + DVD featuring the song "Road of Resistance" as a bonus track from the next album to be released in 2016.

Both albums were the best !

#Japan #JapaneseMetal #JapaneseMusic #HeavyMetal

10 years ago I got that BABYMETAL album released in 2015.

An German edition with CD + DVD featuring the song "Road of Resistance" as a bonus track from the next album to be released in 2016.

Both albums were the best !

#Japan #JapaneseMetal #JapaneseMusic #HeavyMetal

Title: Rainy Evening at Yasaka Pagoda (1932)

Artist: Kasamatsu Shiro

https://atravelingfairy.com/kyoto-cherry-blossom-spots/ #ShinHanga #Art #Showa #KasamatsuShiro #Spring #CherryBlossoms #Sakura #HokanJi #YasakaPagoda #Kyoto #Japan

As bullying and related youth suicides remain persistent problems in Japan, Kumamoto City is weighing whether to install security cameras as an anti-bullying measure. Experts are split, with some saying the measure will do nothing to address online abuse.

https://unseen-japan.com/kumamoto-city-bullying-security-cameras/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #school #education #health

You may experience longer wait times at Japan's arrival ports thanks to one American. The tourist reportedly brought a handgun & ammunition into Japan, somehow getting it through two airports before realizing his "mistake" at his Osaka hotel. He's now under arrest.

https://unseen-japan.com/american-tourist-gun-japan/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #travel #tourism #news

Title: Rainy Evening at Yasaka Pagoda (1932)

Artist: Kasamatsu Shiro

https://atravelingfairy.com/kyoto-cherry-blossom-spots/ #ShinHanga #Art #Showa #KasamatsuShiro #Spring #CherryBlossoms #Sakura #HokanJi #YasakaPagoda #Kyoto #Japan

What's it like to become a Shinto shrine maiden (miko)? A look at what a miko does, the tumultuous history of the profession, and a peek inside a new school that teaches you everything you need to know.

https://unseen-japan.com/japanese-shrine-maiden-school/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #religion

Wanna see Mt. Fuji? Can't be f*cked to actually hike the dang thing? That's okay - it's overcrowded anyway. Instead, enjoy these spots around the area where you can get spectacular views for far less effort.

https://unseen-japan.com/mt-fuji-viewing-spots/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #travel #tourism

Whaaa?!

#China, #Japan, South #Korea will jointly respond to US #tariffs, Chinese state media says | Reuters

Wth?! #Trump has not created a return to 19thC Gilded Age for USA.

Instead he realigned China ties back to pre-European Ming Dynasty superpower level.

And #Canada back to its 17C role as indispensable core resource supplier to Europe.

https://www.reuters.com/world/china-japan-south-korea-will-jointly-respond-us-tariffs-chinese-state-media-says-2025-03-31/

A popular late-night talk show issued a public apology for a segment in which it intentionally edited a Chinese guest to make it sound like she said Chinese people regularly eat crows. Critics say it’s both racist and a gross violation of television standards.

https://unseen-japan.com/matsuko-deluxe-show-apology-racism/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #tv #television

Whaaa?!

#China, #Japan, South #Korea will jointly respond to US #tariffs, Chinese state media says | Reuters

Wth?! #Trump has not created a return to 19thC Gilded Age for USA.

Instead he realigned China ties back to pre-European Ming Dynasty superpower level.

And #Canada back to its 17C role as indispensable core resource supplier to Europe.

https://www.reuters.com/world/china-japan-south-korea-will-jointly-respond-us-tariffs-chinese-state-media-says-2025-03-31/

”My strong recommendation to Canada, Mexico, Japan, and the European Union is to join together to create a free trade zone that excludes the United States… They need to negotiate from a position of strength. A non-U.S. free trade union will give them that strength.”
—Robert Reich
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/what-canada-mexico-japan-the-uk-and
#trump #usa #canada #mexico #japan #eu #tariffs

Japan's a relatively safe place to travel. But disasters happen - and navigating them when you don't know the local language can be harrowing. Popular navigation app NAVITIME hopes to bridge that gap with a new Safety feature in its multilingual app for travelers.

https://unseen-japan.com/navitime-app-safety-tourists/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #travel #tourism

Many of these tariff rates seem much higher than some economists & policymakers had been expecting.

#Trump says the US will calculate a tariff rate for other countries based on #tariffs & “other forms of cheating” — whatever that means.

He says #China will face a 34% tariff, while the #EU will be 20%. #Japan will be 24% & #India 26%.

#RevengePolitics #economy #tariffs #inflation #recession #TrumpTariffs #Trumpcession #geopolitics #USpol

“The beer a new hire did their best to pour”

#japan #unseenjapan

Ginza Cozy Corner has announced it'll start selling a sweet cream custard used in cream puffs but packaged as a mayonnaise bottle, laying the groundwork for some truly disgusting culinary incidents to occur. The faux mayo goes on sale April 4th.

#japan #unseenjapan #food

Title: Hanazakari - Avenue of Cherry Trees in Full Bloom (1935)

Artist: Hiroshi Yoshida

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20250331164309345/index.html #ShinHanga #HiroshiYoshida #Showa #Spring #Sakura #CherryBlossoms #Japan

Title: Hanazakari - Avenue of Cherry Trees in Full Bloom (1935)

Artist: Hiroshi Yoshida

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20250331164309345/index.html #ShinHanga #HiroshiYoshida #Showa #Spring #Sakura #CherryBlossoms #Japan

They’re critical points of transit for hundreds of thousands of people every day in Tokyo. So why are Shibuya and Shinjuku Stations so dang hard to use? A recent deep dive into the station’s evolution says you can blame it on history and necessity.

https://unseen-japan.com/shibuya-shinjuku-stations-why-complicated/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #travel

Japanese food etiquette has a series of dos and don'ts. But one etiquette expert says even most Japanese people get these things wrong. Here's how to level-up your food manners game in Japan.

https://unseen-japan.com/japanese-food-etiquette-advanced-manners/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #travel

World Expo 2025 is set to open in Osaka this month. However, the event continues to be plagued by an overwhelming lack of interest - and food prices that are raising some netizens’ eyebrows.

https://unseen-japan.com/osaka-world-expo-backlash-prices/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #food #travel

Musashino Higashi Gakuen is one of Japan's few schools that are supportive of autistic kids. However, ever since a new chairman took the reins, parents say the environment has become increasingly hostile & unsafe for students, parents & teachers alike.

https://unseen-japan.com/musashino-higashi-gakuen-school-crisis/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #school #kids #children

45.8% of Japanese people in a recent survey said they have refused to speak with someone in English, with 76.5% citing a "lack of confidence." By contrast, 70% of foreign visitors said they found English speakers in Japan easy to understand. What explains the gap?

https://unseen-japan.com/japanese-english-confidence/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #language #english

Racism mars a popular Japanese late-night program, Sukiya closes most stores, Osaka Expo's expensive food, and where to live for cheap in Tokyo and still get a train to work - this & more in our roundup of the week's best content in the Unseen Japan Newsletter.

https://us20.campaign-archive.com/?u=e9c0d2fc400d4b96cabfca61a&id=e675356969

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite

From the years 1920 to 1929, the modern girl and modern boy were the main stars in Japan’s own Roaring 20s. Much as the new woman reigned in the 1910s, the modern girl, or moga for short, took on a larger life thanks to mass media and academic discourse.

https://unseen-japan.com/mobo-moga-modern-girl-taisho/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #history

We’ve been producing Unseen Japan for almost seven years now. During that time, the country’s changed a lot – and continues to evolve. Here are a few of the most prominent myths we've spotted, as well as some things that are slowly changing.

https://buff.ly/WPb7Yax

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #travel

It’s supposed to be fun, people. Unfortunately, a piano meant to be open for the public became a point of controversy when the company that owns it made it clear that only good players were allowed.

https://unseen-japan.com/osaka-street-piano-controversy/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite

We visited Soundo, a cozy bookshop cafe in Matsumoto City Nagano. Recommended! #bookshop #japan

Last year, JP Post's April Fools joke was to announce a "Yu-Pack" (ゆうぱっく) face mask ( ゆうパック is the name of their parcel service). This April 1st, they're...actually selling it?! It's available for a limited time at 10 locations in Tokyo.

https://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/28414257/

#japan #unseenjapan

A multinational group of experts advocating a world without nuclear weapons has outlined several principles in its call for urgent action to prevent a nuclear war. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/01/japan/nuclear-war-prevention/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #nuclearweapons #atomicbombings #nagasaki

A multinational group of experts advocating a world without nuclear weapons has outlined several principles in its call for urgent action to prevent a nuclear war. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/01/japan/nuclear-war-prevention/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #nuclearweapons #atomicbombings #nagasaki

“Sure, it’s been fun covering stories about the lack of women in elected government positions and how not everyone in Japan actually watches anime,” publisher Jay Allen said of the rebrand before he paused and continued, “Actually, it’s been real f*cking depressing."

https://unseen-japan.com/unseen-japan-rebranding-to-seen-japan/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite

The independent committee investigating ex-SMAP member Nakai Masahiro for sexual assault revealed he didn't want his victim breaking their privacy agreement - and was relieved when she quit the station. This and more in our exhaustive summary of the report.

https://unseen-japan.com/nakai-masahiro-independent-committee-findings/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #women #tv #entertainment #music

"I screamed - thought these were towns I'd never heard of"

Sign shows a train bound for Shizuoka and Tokyo, but the names are meant to be read left-to-right. Reading down - which is still standard in Japanese print media - produces "Shizuto" and "Okakyo."

#japan #unseenjapan

Police have arrested the ex-husband of a snack bar owner, 37-year-old Tokuyama Tomomi, who was murdered in her store in Nishitokyo. Reports say the 41-year-old man had just been released from jail for his *previous* assault on his ex-wife.

https://unseen-japan.com/snack-bar-murder-arrest/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #crime #news

"I asked why foreigners go out of their way to study Japanese and was told 'because it's Otaku Latin' and I get it now. Otaku Latin is the best mother tongue"

#japan #unseenjapan

Title: The Beginning of Spring (1964)

Artist: Kasamatsu Shiro

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15689989 #ShinHanga #SosakuHanga #Art #Showa #KasamatsuShiro #Winter #Snow #Spring #Japan

Title: The Beginning of Spring (1964)

Artist: Kasamatsu Shiro

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15689989 #ShinHanga #SosakuHanga #Art #Showa #KasamatsuShiro #Winter #Snow #Spring #Japan

Traditionally, formality is everything in the Japanese underworld. However, the guard is changing as police crack down on yakuza families. That old formality is something the new generation of gangsters, the so-called “hangure,” are casting aside.

https://unseen-japan.com/hangure-japan-yakuza/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #crime #news

Parents in Japan often knock the country for not providing enough support for raising children. However, one aquarium in Hokkaido is finding that good intentions aren’t always rewarded with good behavior.

https://unseen-japan.com/hokkaido-baby-stroller-thefts/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite

Bad tourist behavior has drawn a lot of media attention in Japan recently. Now, one shrine in Nagasaki Prefecture has banned any tourism – from inside or outside of Japan – in a bid to protect its grounds.

https://unseen-japan.com/watadzumi-shrine-bans-tourists-visitors/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #travel #tourism

Cherry blossom trees.

#photography #nature #art #flower #flowers #花 #写真 #japan #beautiful #beauty #bloomscrolling #landscape #scenery #fantasy #oldlens #filmlike #vintage #retro #春 #spring #桜 #cherryblossom #cherryblossoms #sakura #town #city #tree

Cherry blossom trees.

#photography #nature #art #flower #flowers #花 #写真 #japan #beautiful #beauty #bloomscrolling #landscape #scenery #fantasy #oldlens #filmlike #vintage #retro #春 #spring #桜 #cherryblossom #cherryblossoms #sakura #town #city #tree

An independent commission looking into allegations that Nakai Masahiro sexually assaulted a former Fuji TV announcer confirmed the assault in its findings today. They also found it was directly connected to the station's management.

https://buff.ly/o7e5wRF

#japan #unseenjapan

With the resignation of Fuji Media Holding's Hieda Hisashi, the Nakai Masahiro scandal is now the most impactful media event in decades, writes Jake Adelstein: "This isn’t the West exporting protest. This is Japan evolving—painfully, publicly, and irrevocably."

https://unseen-japan.com/nakai-masahiro-scandal-impact/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #television #tv #entertainment

Woah. Woah.
Japan investigated the murder of Shinzo Abe and discovered that the killer was completely correct in accusing Abe of ruining his family's fortunes and his life?? So now Japan is dismantling the church and ordering restitution to families impacted? WOAH! #Japan #politics #judiciary

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/world/asia/japanese-court-church-disband.html?unlocked_article_code=1.8E4.7PIh.RPZ3PRbdMJtd&smid=url-share

With the resignation of Fuji Media Holding's Hieda Hisashi, the Nakai Masahiro scandal is now the most impactful media event in decades, writes Jake Adelstein: "This isn’t the West exporting protest. This is Japan evolving—painfully, publicly, and irrevocably."

https://unseen-japan.com/nakai-masahiro-scandal-impact/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #television #tv #entertainment

One company looked at how cheap you can live in Tokyo while still being close to a train station so you can get around easily. Here are the stations where you can live nearby for as low as 65,000 yen ($350) a month.

https://unseen-japan.com/cheapest-train-station-neighborhood-rents-tokyo/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite

A new Japanese website purports to deliver just that in the form of a sex offender map. That’s sparked a debate over whether the service is legal under existing Japanese law. At least one expert says it may not be - and could get its owner in hot water.

https://unseen-japan.com/sex-offender-map-japan-legal/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite

Go to a Japanese restaurant these days, and odds are 50/50 you won’t see a paper menu. Instead, you’re given a QR code you can use to order from your own smartphone. While restaurants love it, some Japanese customers resent the impersonal trend.

https://unseen-japan.com/qr-code-restaurant-ordering-japan-backlash/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #food

#tokyo #cherryblossoms #japan #tokyocameraclub #東京カメラ部

Japanese municipalities helped to light up the recent Taiwan Lantern Festival, which showcased Taiwanese culture and traditions from close neighbors. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/30/japan/taiwan-lantern-festival-japanese/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #taiwan #tourism

Japanese municipalities helped to light up the recent Taiwan Lantern Festival, which showcased Taiwanese culture and traditions from close neighbors. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/30/japan/taiwan-lantern-festival-japanese/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #taiwan #tourism

One important rule to obey when bicycling in Japan is the hook turn rule. To turn right at a signal, you need to go straight ahead through the crosswalk, turn to the right, and go straight when the light turns again. I.e., you do NOT use the right-turn lane that cars use.

https://unseen-japan.com/bicycling-in-japan-for-tourists/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #travel #tourism #bicycling

After a second major contamination incident, Japanese beef bowl chain Sukiya says it'll close most stores nationwide for four days to ensure adequate hygiene. It's bad news for Sukiya fans - including one guy who's become famous by eating at the chain daily for years.

https://unseen-japan.com/sukiya-store-closures/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #food

Japanese society has grown more attentive to women’s rights in recent years. However, institutions can be slow to catch up. In the latest positive development, Japan’s National Police Agency is taking a leap forward by updating its fashions for female police officers.

https://unseen-japan.com/japan-national-police-agency-skirts/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #women #news

Japan is struggling to counteract a rapidly declining and aging population. A new survey shows that, if trends continue, the country won’t be able to depend on its youth to rescue it – at least, unless both economic and working conditions in Japan improve.

https://unseen-japan.com/japan-youth-no-children/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite

Want a taste of Japan you can eat during a natural disaster? You're in luck! Onisi Shokuhin makes "travel onigiri" that keep for five years and rehydrate with hot water in 15min (cold in 60). The question is: Do they taste any good? We put them to the test.

https://unseen-japan.com/travel-onigiri-add-water/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #food

Japan is grappling w/ increasing complaints from parents about pornographic ads being shown online to kids - even on school-issued tablets. However, both Japan's Children & Families Agency and its Digital Agency say the issue isn't within their jurisdictions.

https://buff.ly/RCggCXG

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #news

Japan's MHLW released final data showing the number of suicides among schoolkids in Japan hit 529 last year - a new high. The number one cited reason was issues at school. Gov officials say they are evolving new strategies to address the rising epidemic.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/89fd0e905691007bbc0c8413fefaa3d61f528c33

#japan #unseenjapan

A snack bar owner was found dead in her business in Nishitokyo, her ex-husband injured and unconscious nearby. What happened is still murky. However, the story emerging shows a familiar pattern of escalating abuse unchecked by the police until it was too late.

https://unseen-japan.com/snack-bar-owner-murder-nishitokyo/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #women #crime

Walking around Tokyo can sap your energy. Finding a place to rest can also be a challenge. Fortunately, Tokyo is home to many great cafes, kissa, and junkissa where you can kick up your feet, enjoy a beverage, and even sometimes grab a full meal.

https://unseen-japan.com/cafes-kissa-junkissa-tokyo/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #travel

The Alien Enemies Act was deployed to imprison both citizens and noncitizens during World War II. Survivors have a few things to say about Trump’s abuse of it now. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/03/26/japan/japanese-incarceration-alien-enemies-act/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #donaldtrump #wwii #japaneseamericans #internment #us #venezuela #immigration #alienenemiesact

Language is wonderful. As the constantly evolving product of the minds of millions or billions of people, there’s no way to predict when – and how – it’s going to change. Look no further than what the youth of Japan have done to the word egui (エグい).

https://unseen-japan.com/egui-japanese-meaning-change/

#japan #unseenjapan #ujwebsite #japanese

The Alien Enemies Act was deployed to imprison both citizens and noncitizens during World War II. Survivors have a few things to say about Trump’s abuse of it now. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/03/26/japan/japanese-incarceration-alien-enemies-act/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #donaldtrump #wwii #japaneseamericans #internment #us #venezuela #immigration #alienenemiesact

🔴 Da muss ich hin:

🌊 Die Bayerische Staatsbibliothek zeigt mehr als 130 Exponate aus ihrer großartigen Sammlung japanischer Farbholzschnitte. Auch Hokusais „Große Welle” ist dabei.

🌊 Vom 27. März bis 6. Juli 2025 ist die Ausstellung „Farben Japans – Holzschnitte aus der Sammlung der Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek” in #München zu sehen.

🌊 Eintritt frei. Samstags und an Feiertagen geschlossen.

https://www.bsb-muenchen.de/ueber-uns/article/farben-japans-staatsbibliothek-zeigt-erstmals-ihre-japanischen-farbholzschnitte-6714/

#ausstellung #japan #kunst #hokusai

peace of spring.

#photography #nature #art #flower #flowers #花 #写真 #japan #beautiful #beauty #bloomscrolling #landscape #scenery #fantasy #oldlens #filmlike #vintage #retro #春 #spring #ポピー #poppy #リビングストンデージー #livingstondaisy #チューリップ #tulip #菜の花 #rapeseedblossoms #peace #colorful #colors

peace of spring.

#photography #nature #art #flower #flowers #花 #写真 #japan #beautiful #beauty #bloomscrolling #landscape #scenery #fantasy #oldlens #filmlike #vintage #retro #春 #spring #ポピー #poppy #リビングストンデージー #livingstondaisy #チューリップ #tulip #菜の花 #rapeseedblossoms #peace #colorful #colors