Japanese culture
I Went to a Maid Cafe That's Been Called ‘Hooters for Incels’
A dreamy day out at Animaid Cafe, the anime-themed bubble tea spot that caused a moral panic.
For Rent: Tokyo Apartment for $300. The Catch? It Has No Shower.
A Japanese TV report touting life in a “no bath” home has prompted discussions about poverty and tradition.
Photos of Cosplayers Between the Worlds of Fiction and Reality
Cosplay is more than just playing dress-up. It’s a journey of self-discovery too.
'Isle of Dogs' Is a White Man's Fantasy of Japan
Wes Anderson's latest film is funny, charming, and just straight up cultural appropriation.
Woodblock Prints Illustrate the History and Sensuality of Japanese Baths
An exhibition of ukiyo-e woodblock prints depicts the evolution of Japanese bathing culture, even the dirty parts.
How 'Persona 5' Embraces the Devil on Your Shoulder
In a series largely about duty and self-control, 'Persona 5' decides you can't have salvation without a little sin.
The Closing Credits to This Japanese TV Show Were The Most Emo Thing Ever
Loneliness. A bug superhero suit. A slow walk toward the camera. The closing credits of "Kamen Rider Black RX" had it all.
Photos of the Most Kawaii Costumes at a Brooklyn Cherry Blossom Festival
People dressed as Sailor Moon characters, Pikachu, or in seven-foot-tall robot suits cat-walked to high-pitched J-pop and J-rock in a pursuit of all things happy and positive.
Japan’s Building an Army of Over-Friendly Androids for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
This summer, Japan unveiled plans for a digital tourist-assistance system that mimics the concept omotenashi: anticipating guests' needs and exceeding their expectations to the point of it being eerily predictive.
Meeting the Man Behind the Game Where You Harass and Kill Japanese Schoolgirls
Yandere Simulator is a controversial PC game where panty shots and poisoning are all part of the 'fun.'
Meet FEMM, the Sentient Mannequin J-Pop Supergroup
Do you like dance music but wish it were performed by glamorous robots in space-age catsuits?
What Happened at Japan's Moshi Moshi Nippon Festival
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, no booze, cross-dressing, and segregation: this fest is all about promoting Japanese Harajuku culture to foreign bodies.