Languages can be stubborn things. You can see this clearly in Japanese, where multiple layers of kanji pronunciation exist to this day.

Want to break up with someone, but are afraid what their reaction might be? Japan has a new type of service for that.

A woman says her boyfriend seemed poised to break up with her for the way she ate yakitori. Does Japan really have a gendered rule here?

Does Japan REALLY welcome its new robot overlords? A deep dive into what Japan currently thinks about AI usage.

Want to break up with someone, but are afraid what their reaction might be? Japan has a service for that.

Forget the JLPT. If you want to take a truly hard Japanese test, check out the Kanji Kentei, whose highest levels have an abysmal pass rate.

Sometimes, love hotels mask themselves as ordinary hotels. Learn the key differences and what to look for when booking your next trip.

What you need to know to avoid the typical izakaya traps: all about touting, snuck-in fees, and fishy business practices.

Does Japan REALLY welcome its new robot overlords? A deep dive into what Japan thinks about AI.

A canceled baseball pitch demonstrates how Japan's nightlife workers are stigmatized, even after they move on with their lives.

Sick in Japan? Don't panic. Learn where tourists can get care, what it costs, and why travel insurance matters.

Curious why there are two names for salmon in Japanese? There's an interesting historical (and scientific!) reason behind that.

Sick in Japan? Don't panic. Learn where tourists can get care, what it costs, and why travel insurance matters.

A recent social media discussion that could have turned dicey instead became a referendum on a single Chinese particle.

A viral post brings to light that changing a name in Japan is much cheaper than you might think... but that doesn't mean it's easy.

Languages can be stubborn things. You can see this clearly in Japanese, where multiple layers of kanji pronunciation exist to this day.

Curious why there are two names for salmon in Japanese? There's an interesting historical (and scientific!) reason behind that.

How a coffee shop with rock-bottom prices became a home away from home for the diverse denizens of Kabukicho.

A woman says her boyfriend seemed poised to break up with her for the way she ate yakitori. Does Japan really have a gendered rule here?

Languages can be stubborn things. You can see this clearly in Japanese, where multiple layers of kanji pronunciation exist to this day.

Forget the JLPT. If you want to take a truly hard Japanese test, check out the Kanji Kentei, whose highest levels have an abysmal pass rate.

What you need to know to avoid the typical izakaya traps: all about touting, snuck-in fees, and fishy business practices.

Sometimes, love hotels mask themselves as ordinary hotels. Learn the key differences and what to look for when booking your next trip.

A woman says her boyfriend seemed poised to break up with her for the way she ate yakitori. Does Japan really have a gendered rule for meat on a stick?

A canceled baseball pitch demonstrates how Japan's nightlife workers are stigmatized, even after they move on with their lives.

Forget the JLPT. If you want to take a truly hard Japanese test, check out the Kanji Kentei, whose highest levels have an abysmal pass rate.

Read writing from Unseen Japan on Medium. The Japan you don’t learn about in anime. A selection of popular stories from our website.

What you need to know to avoid the typical izakaya traps: all about touting, snuck-in fees, and fishy business practices.

Japan's tourist traps know how to look trustworthy online, creating paid reviews, inflated ratings, and search rankings to mislead travelers.

A Zainichi Korean woman is suing a hotel in Tokyo after they refused to let her check in under her Korean name.

Exactly what is it about this year's Halloween event that requires a waiver and an R-18 rating? Psychological horror and legal liability.

Sometimes, love hotels mask themselves as ordinary hotels. Learn the key differences and what to look for when booking your next trip.

A canceled baseball pitch demonstrates how Japan's nightlife workers are stigmatized, even after they move on with their lives.

William Andrews’ new book explores Adachi Masao's radical cinema, the Japanese New Left, and decades of involvement with the infamous Japanese Red Army.