Nippon.com
@nippon_en
Scholarly analysis and entertaining articles on Japan's society, economy, and politics. Real-life images of Japan in seven languages. Successor to @japanecho.
"A giant hole appeared without warning in a busy intersection, swallowing pavement, utility poles, and a passing delivery truck whole."
Japan’s first school lunch is said to have been served in 1889, consisting of salted rice balls, salted salmon, and pickled greens.
The value of vinyl record production increased by 26% in 2024 to ¥7.9 billion.
“Mono no aware” has been variously translated as the “pathos of things” and as an “empathy” or “sympathy toward things.”
“Host clubs” are staffed by men who seek to charm their female clients into spending heavily, boosting their own income and rankings at the clubs. The industry has a dark side, though, as an urban sociologist and observer of the club scene explains.
Made from seaweed, the traditional Japanese food kanten is rich in dietary fiber and has almost zero calories.
The Buddhist temple Tōdaiji in Nara Prefecture is a priceless trove of history and culture.
Japanese kanji with the tree radical, written as 木, tend to focus on characters with a strong semantic connection to trees and wood.
If climate change marches on unabated, Japan is at risk of losing its cherished four seasons, becoming a country with only two.
A sake specialist on what must be done to keep Japan’s sake culture vibrant.
Sakura season is around the corner again. Check the forecast here to find when Japan’s famous cherry trees are expected to bloom.
Hashimura Kōei, chief abbot of Tōdaiji in Nara, talks about the nearly 13 centuries of history at the temple.
Five shrines dedicated to serpents that may bring good fortune in the Year of the Snake.
Snakes, associated with water in Japan, may bring good or bad fortune. In 2025, the Year of the Snake, here are some festivals in which they play a central role.
A delightful introduction to the fascination and history of tea rooms, unique spaces first conceived by Sen no Rikyū centuries ago.
Three of Japan's “naked festivals” where participants wear the bare minimum for the sake of the festivities.
The kanji 金, carrying meanings like “gold” and “money,” was selected once again as the Kanji of the Year for its associations with the gold medals Japan won in the Paris Olympics, as well as the “money scandals” that engulfed the LDP.
