24 Japanese names with strange meanings in other languages
In Japan, the meaning of names can often be easily understood since they are typically made up of two or three Chinese characters. But what does that same name mean in other languages? But …
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Recent articles — page 199
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Criminals of Japan’s Edo Period Were Often Punished by Getting Face Tattoos
Called a “tattoo penalty” (irezumi kei) it was handed down to perpetrators of relatively minor crimes like theft and burglary. Afterwards the culture moved away from tattoos well until the Edo P…
Botaoshi: The crazy, violent highlight of Japan’s National Defense Academy open house【Video】
In the fall, many educational institutions in Japan invite the public onto their campuses for exhibitions of the talents and passions of their student bodies. The National Defense Academy, locat…
What do Japanese kids spend their allowance on? Survey finds out
But looking at a new survey of kids in elementary and junior high school, I learned that maybe we really aren’t all that different after all. Their goal was to see how much kids are getting for …
Suzuki CEO tells reporters that only poor people buy his company’s cars
As the man in the hot seat, Suzuki CEO Osamu Suzuki has come up with a bold and unorthodox plan: openly insult his customers. CEO Suzuki, unsurprisingly upset by this, has accused the government…
Edward Snowden Reacts to His Cameo in Lupin III: Goodbye Partner
Long before he became a whistleblower and cybersecurity activist, Edward Snowden was an anime fan who worked with his friends on a start-up company selling anime art. Last year, he became a…
Vlogger walks us through a traditional Japanese handicraft fair 【Video】
Last weekend, YouTuber Sharla in Japan paid a visit to the Arakawa traditional handicraft festival in Tokyo and made a short video briefly showcasing a variety of these traditional goods. We’ve …
Top Japanese baby names for 2016 feature flowers and other flora on both boys’ and girls’ lists
Japanese parents have a lot of things to take into consideration when choosing a name for their baby. Those sensibilities are reflected in the list of the most popular names for girls and boys i…
“There are many mentally unwell girls in AKB48” claims ex-member of Japan’s top idol singer group
Five-year veteran talks about indirect “cries for help.”Being an idol singer in Japan is at least as much about the personality you radiate as the vocals you produce. Sure, idol songs may b…
Rules of tea, business cards, and bowing - 10 Japanese business manners young people are tired of
As a country that takes both work and etiquette very seriously, it’s probably not a surprise that Japanese business etiquette has a detailed code of proper conduct, all in an effort to foster an atmo…