What is the country of Japan like? Watch a special program on a symposium entitled "Japan from Withi...

Japanese public bathhouses, also called sento. From the outside, some of them look like Shinto shrin...

Ramen is one of Japan's favorite foods. Broth, noodles and toppings are the 3 elements, but within t...

Mt. Fuji is Japan's tallest peak. Its beauty changes from season to season, from day to day. Frequen...

Maneuver your pieces to capture the opponent's king - that's the essence of shogi, Japan's most popu...

Springtime in Japan means cherry trees in bloom. Cherry blossoms flower gloriously, but briefly, the...

Akihabara, with its mix of gadgets and geekdom, is a one-of-a-kind experience. Shops selling everyth...

Wagashi, Japan's traditional sweets. Each colorful, exquisite morsel contains a clear sense of the s...

Under cover of darkness, moving by stealth, ninja used superb physical skill and special equipment t...

From sushi to sake, rice is an absolutely essential part of Japanese cuisine. Appliance makers offer...

Japan's castles are masterworks of wood and stone. They bristled with defences and functioned as sym...

This time, we present an installment of our special talk-show series Japanophiles, which features li...

This time, we present another of our special talk-show series Japanophiles, which features lively in...

This time, we present an installment of our special talk-show series Japanophiles, which features li...

Microphone in hand, tens of millions of people in Japan belt out songs in private party rooms known...

Bento are portable boxes of food, typically composed of rice, protein-rich main dishes, and vegetabl...

Through the ages, bamboo has been profoundly important to Japan's industry, culture and everyday lif...

Japan's taiko drums—made in many shapes and sizes, played at various occasions—are an ancient herita...

Tokyo's Tsukiji Market is the world's largest fish market - hundreds of kinds of seafood from around...

Festivals are held in every region of Japan throughout the year. The oldest date back well over a mi...

This time on Japanology Plus, our theme is Japanese gardens, compact evocations of nature's majesty....

Origami, the traditional Japanese art of creating objects by folding paper. It's a classic pastime t...

Japanese Buddhist statues come in countless shapes and forms, and they are not just objects of praye...

Yokai: the collective name for all sorts of bizarre creatures and supernatural phenomena in Japanese...

The Shinkansen is Japan's bullet train system. Since it debuted 50 years ago as the world's fastest...

Whether it's learning about a traditional custom, or a newly popular sport, people in Japan love to...

Japan is a robotics superpower. There are approximately 300,000 industrial robots at work in Japan—t...

Sports days are all-day athletic meets held annually at schools in Japan—pretty much every Japanese...

With just one plant in one pot, you can create your own personal vision of nature. This is bonsai. A...

Sushi is basically vinegared rice topped with something else—usually seafood. Simple ingredients, bu...

A private banquet in the company of geisha is considered the ultimate in elegant hospitality. A comm...

This time, we present an installment of our special talk-show series Japanophiles, which features li...

This time, another installment of our special talk-show series Japanophiles, featuring lively interv...

This time, another installment of our special talk-show series Japanophiles, which features lively i...

The Seikan Tunnel, the world's longest undersea tunnel, connects the Japanese islands of Honshu and...

The "snow country" that covers nearly half of Japan gets huge amounts of snow every year. Local peop...

Japanese comedy has always been different from Western comedy, with its own approach to getting laug...

The Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway is the capital city's most important road system. Begun 50 years a...

Cherry blossom season in Japan is also a season of change. In late March, graduations take place all...

To many foreign visitors, Japan's streets seem amazingly free of litter. Making the most of what's a...

Plays, movies and TV dramas that depict Japan as it was in the eras up to the samurai times are call...

Japan has the lowest obesity rate in the industrialized world, and yet, from schoolgirls to business...

Giant man-made structures dominating steep canyons, dams are a common feature of Japan's mountainous...

Japan's cherished homegrown pubs, izakaya, offer refreshing drinks, comfort food made with care and...

For decades, the big breweries dominated Japan's beer market. But in the last few years, so-called "...

Fermented foods are a staple of the Japanese diet, and they come in countless forms: soy sauce, miso...

Japan leads the world in sales of umbrellas, with 140 million purchased each year. In rainy Japan, u...

In the business districts of Japan, a major battle plays out each year: the job hunt. Students spend...

This time, we present an installment of our special talk-show series Japanophiles, which features li...

Despite years spent studying the language at school, many Japanese feel inept at English. Perhaps th...

Students in Japan receive years of instruction in English, usually starting in elementary school, bu...

Japan boasts many shrines and temples built using sophisticated techniques that have been passed dow...

Bunraku is a traditional Japanese performing art dating back more than 4 centuries. It combines a st...

Every year children in Japan eagerly look forward to their summer vacation, which generally runs fro...

From young children to seniors, Japanese people love to swim. In samurai times, swimming gave warrio...

It's Japan's timeless summer thrill...haunted houses! There are dozens of haunted-house attractions...

Japan has a lot of active volcanoes, which means it also has a lot of hot springs. Known in Japan as...

This time, we present an installment of our special Japanophiles series, which features lively inter...

From compact point-and-shoot digital cameras to high-end SLRs, and those built into smartphones, cam...

From the nifty wrapping of convenience store rice balls to intricate cardboard packing, the Japanese...

From detached homes to tower blocks, from micro-houses on tiny lots to large dormitories, a vast var...

This time, we present an installment of our special Japanophiles series, which features lively inter...

Scientists think there are around 20,000 species of seaweed. They include many varieties of kombu, a...

One important part of any trip is choosing a place to stay. And if you come to Japan, you have a wid...

Since ancient times in Japan, cleanliness has been seen as a moral virtue. It's part of living life...

Mt. Takao, a peak that's visited by around 2.7 million people per year, is less than an hour by trai...

This time, we present an installment of our special Japanophiles series, which features lively inter...

What gives Japanese kimonos their luxurious appeal? Pure silk, a natural fiber made from the cocoons...

Hidden beneath Tokyo are underground spaces of many kinds: intricate webs of subways and roads, tunn...

From volcanic eruptions to torrential rain, Japan is one of the world's most disaster-prone countrie...

This time, we present an installment of our special Japanophiles series, which features lively inter...

This time, we present an installment of our special Japanophiles series, which features lively inter...

Okinawa Prefecture, the southern tip of Japan, was once home to the ancient independent kingdom of R...

While Japan is halfway around the globe from the world's traditional whisky-making centers, in recen...

Japanese women are among the world's most passionate about skin care. For centuries, elite and commo...

In this edition of of Japanology Plus, host Peter Barakan pays a visit to the city of Sakai, which i...

Plants, all kinds of creatures and the beauty of nature are among the inspirations for Japanese fami...

In Japan, a traditional breakfast consists of steamed rice with miso soup and other side dishes. But...

Footwear has taken many different forms in many different cultures, but somehow Japan seems to have...

Japan is a country of 10 million runners and some 2,000 open-entry running events, the most popular...

Messages and e-mail are full of emoji, a means of communication that was invented in Japan. Emoji de...

In Japan, no leisure trip by rail would be complete without an ekiben: a boxed meal sold at the stat...

Japan's first bicycles were made by former gunsmiths around the 1870s. Mid-20th century innovations...

A garment that embodies Japanese tradition, the kimono fascinates people the world over. It took cen...

The plain, unassuming wooden dolls called kokeshi are believed to have originated about 200 years ag...

Business. It’s a dog-eat-dog world. And nowhere is that more true than in Tokyo’s uptown Shibuya nei...

The latest edition of our periodical Japanophiles series focuses on a Bangladeshi who was drawn to a...

Toilets in Japan date back 2,000 years. A modern one typically features a heated seat and electronic...

Few countries in the world can boast as many bridges as Japan. Due to a mountainous terrain and many...

Enjoyed by Japanese of all ages, choral singing is a feature of school events, tour buses, baseball...

Japan's castles are a legacy of the samurai era. To maintain their splendor, they sometimes require...

Japan is a volcanic hotspot, with 7 percent of all the world's volcanoes. The archipelago actually c...

Secondary schools in Japan offer extracurricular pursuits where students join sports teams, or clubs...

Breath mints, sprays and countless other products that tackle body odors offer evidence of widesprea...

No traditional Japanese home is complete without items that incorporate paper, including doors and s...

This time, we present an installment of our special Japanophiles series, which features lively inter...

Katsuobushi: hard blocks of smoked skipjack tuna that are shaved to make flakes which add goodness t...

With more women in Japan entering the workforce, day care for small children is a hot topic. While b...

From a rainbow of flavored chocolates to regional treats, Japanese sweets and snacks are tasty, and...

One survey of foreign visitors to Japan revealed that 40% of women from other parts of Asia want to...

We meet a nakai, a waitress at a luxury Japanese restaurant. In a Japanophiles interview with Peter...

Noh theater is said to be the world's oldest contemporary performing art. After emerging 650 years a...

In Japan, where real estate is at a premium, houses can be very cramped inside, especially in major...

Karate is practiced by more than 60 million people around the world, and its roots are in Okinawa. O...

Japanese spend less time asleep each night than people in many other countries, a situation that may...

Tokyo's highly efficient rail network is known for safe and punctual operation. Most trains run on s...

Jeans are among the world's most popular clothes, and Japanese denim has a great reputation. Harness...

The "Soei" in Randy Channell Soei is a name this Canadian was given to mark his ascent to mastery of...

Zoe Vincent from the United Kingdom works for an organization that promotes tourism in Fukushima. Sh...

A Buddhist altar, or butsudan, is a feature of many homes in Japan. Family members kneel before them...

In Japan, most people aiming to get a driver’s license go to a driving school. On closed courses com...

Curry is one of Japan's favorite foods. A thick Japanese-style curry sauce is very different from th...

Coffee first reached Japan in the 17th century, but it wasn't until the 19th century that it started...

Yoram Ofer from Israel runs a bar in Kyoto that offers a chance to explore the world of nihonshu, or...

The school lunch is a key part of a child's diet in Japan. Meals are nutritionally balanced and desi...

Capsule toys, also known as gachapon, are small toys purchased from vending machines. Though the cos...

In Japan, around 60,000 buses run along designated routes to designated stops, and operate on a time...

Modern Japanese music is influenced both instrumentally and stylistically by Western music, but the...

For centuries the art of playing traditional music on Japanese instruments was passed down through a...

Nsenda Lukumwena is an architect from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who has carved out a nich...

In 1872, when Japan’s first railway opened between Yokohama and Tokyo, the population of Tokyo was l...

Along with the hum of cicadas, the twinkling of wind chimes and the cracking of baseball bats, nothi...

In any Japanese city, you'll see countless signs and posters featuring anthropomorphic characters. T...

In countless everyday settings, individuals, companies, administrative bodies and others in Japan us...

Swimming, soccer, gymnastics and more: Japanese children these days are increasingly enthusiastic ab...

As in other countries around the world, the local amusement park is an essential part of childhood f...

This edition of "Japanophiles," the series within Japanology Plus that profiles foreign residents le...

Though the title of this edition of Japanology Plus might inspire a few double-takes, rest assured,...

Walk through any neighborhood in Japan, and before too long you'll come across a shrine devoted to S...

Japan is prone to an array of natural disasters: earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis, and more. It's als...

At Japan's busiest airports, a flight may arrive or depart every two minutes or so. In spite of this...

Fernando Lopez, originally from Guatemala, runs an okonomiyaki restaurant in Hiroshima. Made on a ho...

For as much as we talk about Japanese food, music, movies and other cultural exports, Japan's greate...

Tea ceremony, tea gathering, the way of tea, cha-no-yu, chado, sado...no matter what you call it, th...

In this special two-part edition of Japanology Plus, we look at how the tea ceremony is performed, i...

Japan is an island nation that stretches thousands of miles. “A country surrounded by the sea,” as o...

Japan is one of the safest countries in the whole world. With its impressively low crime rate, the w...

The long history of Japanese culture is replete with various forms of traditional music and storytel...

Japan, like the rest of the developed world, has taken a serious shine to online shopping. 3.9 billi...

When exploring the streets of Tokyo, you won’t have to go very far before running into some type of...

Here's a fact that may surprise Japan travelers who have only visited Tokyo: for months during winte...

As in much of the industrialized world, a significant amount of shopping in Japan takes place in tow...

What do samurai and sushi have in common? The first answer that comes to mind might be that they’re...

For decades, rail was the dominant form of transport for both people and freight in Japan. But while...

Japan has a serious fondness for doing things in miniature. Whether it's capsule toys, model trains,...

Springtime has arrived in Japan, and that means wedding season is starting to get into full swing! N...

Over the past year, 98% of people in Japan shopped at a 100 yen store. These shops were once associa...

Deep-fried food—also known as agemono—might not be as photogenic as some other types of Japanese cui...

Exposed to the fury of waves and weather, lighthouses hold a cherished place in Japanese hearts. In...

Japanese cuisine is internationally renowned—restaurants serving sushi, ramen and more can be spotte...

A mere 150 years ago, while countries in the West and elsewhere were undergoing rapid industrializat...

The way a society deals with death, and how it pays tribute to those who have passed away, will tend...

Rice has been an integral part of life in Japan for over 2,000 years. Traditionally, one alternative...

This time on Japanology Plus, our theme is the Ogasawara Islands, a remote archipelago with a unique...

The Ogasawara Islands, located 1,000 kilometers off Japan's Pacific coast, first welcomed permanent...

Bruce Gutlove is an American who for decades has contributed to the growing reputation of Japanese w...

One unique feature of regional Japan in particular is the roadside station, a place that offers not...

In Japan's hottest months, many people head out to summer resorts. While the concept initially came...

Japanese ghosts (yurei) often appear in a type of painting called yureiga ("ghost pictures"). One fe...

Each morning millions of Japanese start their day with radio calisthenics. This time on Japanology P...

Japan is a world leader in utilizing underground space, and that's exemplified by its network of und...

This edition of Japanophiles centers on Jagmohan S. Chandrani, an Indian who has been in Japan for f...

Japan's many shrines and temples are not interchangeable; they represent very different customs, and...

Japan is a country with frequent earthquakes and protecting buildings is a key concern. Over the yea...

Every year, children in schools all across Japan take part in a sports day. It’s one of the most imp...

Almost every primary school student in Japan uses the same type of school bag. These distinctive, bl...

About 20% of all the world's aquariums are found in Japan. Many feature unique specialties, from jel...

With 10 billion eaten every year, onigiri (rice balls) are one of Japan’s most popular foods. They c...

David Stanley Hewett is a contemporary artist who specializes in ceramics and abstract painting. Jap...

Coffee is consumed around the world, but Japan seems to have a special relationship with the beverag...

2018 marks the 150th year since the beginning of the Meiji era, as well as the end of the age of sam...

Uniforms are a familiar sight in Japan, whether it’s the jacket of a taxi driver, or the black suit...

Soba, or buckwheat noodles, are served everywhere in Japan. But soba is more than just a food; it's...

If there's one thing that makes Japanese homes immediately identifiable, it's their roofs, or to be...

Thomas Bertrand, from France, is the proprietor of a bento box shop in Kyoto. Bertrand's shop stocks...

When the West first established trade relations with Japan, one of its major exports, alongside good...

Between the 17th and 19th centuries, Christianity was banned in Japan. During the ban, believers fac...

70% of Japan's land is covered in forests and woodland. For centuries, wood has been used for furnit...

70% of Japan is covered in forests. The Japanese have been using wood as a building material for hun...

When Oussouby Sacko, from the Republic of Mali in western Africa, arrived in Japan, he knew very lit...

Japan offers a huge variety of meat dishes, including sumptuous wagyu beef and casual chicken skewer...

"Taishu engeki," or "popular theater," is a fun and engaging form of entertainment that is intended...

Oni -- Japanese ogres -- appear to be halfway between humans and beasts, with animal horns and scowl...

There are 6 dog breeds native to Japan, including Akita and Shiba Inu. Each has adapted to the regio...

After studying English literature and philosophy, Peter MacMillan moved from his native Ireland to J...

Konamon means "flour-based cuisine," but in Osaka Prefecture the word generally refers to 2 specific...

Frozen food exists all over the world, but Japan is at the cutting edge of research and development....

In Japan, people often wear slippers inside their homes, schools or workplaces. It's a well-known cu...

Kyogen is a traditional form of Japanese theater. It's comedy, performed on a bare stage with imagin...

Tokyo was once known as the "city of water," but many of its rivers and waterways are now hidden fro...

Tokyo is an energetic, bustling metropolis. But take a few steps off the main streets, and it reveal...

Karakuri-ningyo, or mechanical dolls, can be regarded as traditional robots. Their technology is not...

In Japan, sword fighting is a common feature of period dramas. But Japanese swords, katana, were mor...

In Japan, the bath has a special status. And for Japanese, using one is an essential part of daily l...

For years, David Atkinson from the United Kingdom worked in Japan as a respected financial analyst....

Japanese macaques, a species of monkey unique to Japan, are a common sight in the country's forests...

Japan's paper money incorporates some of the most advanced security features in the world, including...

Plasterwork has been an indispensable feature of Japanese architecture for hundreds of years. You ca...

In 1987, Wolfgang Loeger left his native Austria and came to Japan. After nearly 3 decades as a ski...

Japan shares a close relationship with the insect kingdom. The lifecycles of different bugs mark the...

"Donburi" is a bowl of rice with various toppings. It's quick, cheap and tasty, making it one of Jap...

On New Year's Day, Japanese families gather to share a special meal called Osechi. It consists of mu...

In Japan, the craft beer boom is in full swing. One pub in Kyoto Prefecture takes a particularly inn...

A "Sunakku" is a small bar with counter seating and a friendly host. There are thousands of them spr...

In March 2011, a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami devastated communities on the east coast of Toh...

In March 2011, a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami devastated communities on the east coast of Toh...

In Japan, professional wrestling has gained popularity as an entertaining combination of entertainme...

There are over 90,000 cleaning establishments in Japan, and a huge number of Japanese use them regul...

Miso, a fermented soybean paste, is a bedrock of Japanese cuisine. For many Japanese, it offers a ta...

Rakugo is a traditional form of storytelling that emerged in 17th century Japan. Using minimal props...

Over the centuries, Japan has suffered from repeated outbreaks of diseases like smallpox, measles an...

Wasabi is a plant that grows natively in Japan's mountain valleys. It's used to make a condiment wit...

Geisha have existed for hundreds of years, but in modern Japan they are declining in number. It's a...

Throughout Japanese history, expert craft skills requiring dexterity and judgment have enhanced ever...

South Korean film, TV drama and music have been popular in Japan for some time, but more recently th...

Aloha shirts are popular symbols of Hawaii, worn by tourists and Hawaiians alike. A look back at the...

Kohfukuji, a World Heritage Site, is a prominent Buddhist temple in Nara, western Japan. One of its...

Rice crackers and other rice-based snacks have been widely consumed in Japan for hundreds of years....

A significant portion of Japan's manufacturing industry is handled by small factories known as "urba...

Tokyo is a crowded city. Its rooftops represent valuable space, and they're used in some very creati...

The city of Tokyo is normally crowded with tourists, but the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the c...

The city of Tokyo is normally crowded with tourists at all times of the year, but the COVID-19 pande...

The Ainu people are indigenous to Japan, and the Ainu community is now concentrated in Hokkaido Pref...

Japan is home to thousands of different mushroom species. Some can be found lining the supermarket s...

Kamishibai, or paper theater, is a form of storytelling that uses large picture cards. It was wildly...

This time, our theme is moss. In some countries, it is regarded almost as a weed, but in Japan, it's...

Japan's libraries are cornerstones of their communities. Besides loaning out books, they promote loc...

The kimono, Japan's national garment, is generally seen as traditional clothing -- something to wear...

Ukiyo-e is a Japanese artform that emerged in the 17th century. Using woodblock prints, people and l...

On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake off the coast of northeast Japan caused a devastating ts...

Japanese use a wide range of cleaning implements, from old-fashioned brooms to modern carpet rollers...

Lacquerware is made by coating objects with the sap of the lacquer tree. It's a traditional craft th...

Japanese started wearing Western clothing around 150 years ago, and today, suits are standard busine...

The Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami left around 19,000 people dead or unaccounted for. It re...

In a Japanophiles interview, Peter Barakan meets Chad Mullane, a comedian from Perth, Australia. Cha...

Furoshiki are traditional Japanese wrapping cloths. For hundreds of years, these square pieces of fa...

Over the centuries, Japan has suffered from repeated outbreaks of diseases like smallpox, measles an...

Tiny houses are homes that occupy around 50 square meters of land. They're appearing more and more i...

Japanese watches and clocks are respected around the world for their accuracy and durability. Many o...

Plastic food samples are astonishingly accurate replicas of real dishes. They can be found at the en...

In a Japanophiles interview, Peter Barakan meets Asa Ekstrom, a manga artist from Sweden. Her work t...

Cats have recently become the most-owned pets in Japan, and their popularity continues to grow. This...

It's common to find robots in factories, assembling products. But recently, Japan has been embracing...

After scissors arrived in Japan, they evolved in unique ways. Japanese artisans applied traditional...

In a Japanophiles interview, Peter Barakan meets Marty Friedman, a legendary guitarist from the USA....

In Japan, a great number of places, objects and customs are considered to be auspicious. Examples in...

Tatami mats are a quintessentially Japanese flooring material. They're made of rice straw, covered i...

Traditionally, wooden chests and cabinets are built and maintained by master artisans, using time-ho...

In a Japanophiles interview, Peter Barakan meets Nicholas Rennick, an Australian doctor working at a...

Bamboo is sturdy, supple and abundant. For thousands of years, it has been indispensable in Japanese...

The Ainu are an indigenous people who live in and around northern Japan. Traditionally, they are hun...

The Ainu are an indigenous people who live in Hokkaido Prefecture (northern Japan) and surrounding a...

In a Japanophiles interview, Peter Barakan meets Tom Hovasse, a basketball coach from the USA. After...

Kotatsu are low tables with a heat source underneath, and a blanket draped over the top. For hundred...

VTubers create online content using a computer-generated avatar. Motion capture technology enables t...

Traditional Japanese homes, featuring earthen walls, wooden beams and thatched roofs, have been used...

The Jomon period lasted from around 13,000 BC to 300 BC. This society of hunter-gatherers cherished...

The Jomon period lasted from around 13,000 BC to 300 BC. This society of hunter-gatherers cherished...

Steve Tallon is a cycling enthusiast from the UK. In 2005, he spent 8 months cycling from the UK to...

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, people all over the world have become accustomed to wearing masks. B...

Japanese paper, known as washi, is attractively textured and extremely durable. For centuries, it ha...

For hundreds of years, Japanese have used name stamps, known as Hanko, to prove their identity. Peop...

The "Showa era" was the period of Japanese history between 1926 and 1989. The 60s, 70s and 80s are f...

Claudio Feliciani is a Swiss-Italian scientist whose main interest is the movement of crowds. He wor...

40% of the motor vehicles in Japan are ultra-compact "kei" cars. These light vehicles are maneuverab...

In Japan, vinyl records have made a comeback. Sales in 2021 were 10 times higher than they were in 2...

Okinawa Prefecture is a group of subtropical islands in the far south of Japan. It was previously a...

Okinawa Prefecture is a group of subtropical islands in the far south of Japan. It was previously a...

In Japan, frozen food is an essential part of many people's lives. Companies are constantly developi...

Gregory Khezrnejat is an author and university associate professor from the United States. In 2021,...

Goldfish were introduced to Japan in the 16th century, and since then, they have become widely admir...

The average age of the Japanese population is rising quickly. To offer care that matches the diverse...

Japan suffers from frequent water-related natural disasters, such as flooding, landslides and storm...

Andrew Dewar, originally from Toronto, Canada, is a designer of paper airplanes. His interest was sp...

The moon has been cherished and admired throughout Japanese history. People have long held moon-view...

Japan is one of the world's top consumers of cardboard. The cardboard beds used during the Tokyo 202...

Around 500 years ago, sea traffic in the Seto Inland Sea was monitored and controlled by a group cal...

Around 500 years ago, sea traffic in the Seto Inland Sea was monitored and controlled by a group cal...

Hanawa-bayashi is the name both of a parade of floats in Kazuno, Akita Prefecture, and of the tradit...

In centuries past, cooking in a Japanese kitchen involved moving between a dirt floor and a raised a...

Sweet potatoes are widely grown and enjoyed in Japan. They're baked, fried, served in stews and used...

Japan, once thought to have no dinosaur fossils, is now a hotspot for dinosaur discovery. Kamuysauru...

In the mountains of Okayama Prefecture, Kamimomi is a community whose features include beautiful ter...

In Japan, interest in camping is booming. Popular choices these days include women-only camping and...

In Japan, economic conditions may be challenging, but male cosmetics are selling increasingly well....

Konnyaku is an important element of Japanese cuisine. It has long been known as a high-fiber, diet-f...

The Japanophile series looks at Japan through the eyes of long-term residents who were born in anoth...

Ueno, in Tokyo, is visited by 25 million tourists each year. It is home to world-class museums and e...

In Japan, businesses are linking meteorological data and sales figures in order to predict consumer...

We explore Amami Oshima, a subtropical paradise, through the stunning art of Tanaka Isson. Sometimes...

Life in Amami Oshima was once so tough that the islanders devised a way to make a poisonous plant ed...

An Italian psychiatrist who uses an original "anime therapy" approach is the guest in this episode o...

In Japan, one in every seven homes is empty. These 8.5 million vacant properties may increase the ri...

Sometimes described as "solo opera," Rokyoku was once Japan's most popular form of entertainment, wi...

Japanese honeybees are wild, difficult to farm, and produce less honey than the Western honeybees us...

In ningyo joruri, three people work together to make beautifully crafted puppets seem amazingly life...

Luna lionfish and black rabbitfish ... these are examples of "unused fish" that tend to be discarded...

Japan was arguably one of the cleanest places in the world in centuries past. But today, garbage is...

Wildfires are becoming more frequent and residential fires are posing new challenges. Japan is respo...

Fermented foods are a longstanding staple of Noto cuisine. This region in Ishikawa Prefecture has a...

Each year, Japan's deities are said to gather in Izumo in western Japan. We visit Izumo Taisha, a sh...

In the late 19th century, writer Lafcadio Hearn (Japanese name: Koizumi Yakumo) helped introduce Jap...

While Japan's population ages, many "active seniors" energetically participate in work and hobbies....

Two-thirds of Japan is covered in forest, and wood has long been the building material of choice. Bu...

Matthew Headland, a Canadian, works in marketing at a hand-hammered copperware workshop. In a Japano...

It's a 20th anniversary special! Presenters and viewers join Peter Barakan to look at some highlight...

It's a 20th anniversary special! Presenters and viewers join Peter Barakan to look back at some high...

After a slow start, Japanese washing machines have become some of the most advanced in the world. We...

Japan's many vacant homes are being used as investments, hotel rooms and opportunities for creative...

Nicoleta Oprisan from Romania is highly skilled at ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging. In...

Wakocha, black tea grown and processed in Japan, is winning major international awards. To discover...

Roughly 90% of Japan's plastic models are made in Shizuoka, a city whose manufacturing roots date ba...

Japanese food tech products such as soybean-based meat substitutes are made using new technology. La...

Shugendo is a uniquely Japanese spiritual tradition known for its grueling ascetic practices. We exp...

Scholar Minakata Kumagusu made contributions to biology, folklore and other fields. He laid the foun...

Lekh Raj Juneja, from India, leads Japan's largest manufacturer of rice snacks. In a Japanophiles in...

One of the world's top three production centers for eyeglasses is Sabae, in Fukui Prefecture. We tra...

About 900 service areas provide amenities to drivers on Japan's expressway toll roads, generating 53...

Japanese raccoon dogs, or tanuki, are globally rare but have increasingly been seen in Japan's citie...

French journalist and "sento ambassador" Stephanie Crohin promotes sento, or public bathhouses, on s...

The world loves Japan's heavy machinery. We explore the secrets of its popularity and learn about it...

End-of-life planning is spreading in Japan, with many people now thinking hard about what to do with...

The spaces under Japan's elevated train tracks are now being used not just for pubs and restaurants...

Adam Smith is a potter from England who follows a self-sufficient lifestyle in the mountains of Naga...

Admired by John F. Kennedy, Uesugi Yozan was a feudal lord who took over the Yonezawa Domain at the...

A feudal lord admired by John F. Kennedy, Uesugi Yozan prioritized the well-being of his people. Thi...

Onigiri are becoming a global phenomenon. Colorful new styles are generating a buzz on social media,...

As the need for circular economies grows, there's a new focus on repairing products. We look at how...

Johan Leutwiler, from Switzerland, is currently Japan's only foreign swordsmith. In a Japanophiles i...

Octopuses are not only eaten in Japan but also depicted in works of art. They may be regarded as obj...

Japan's bespoke leather shoes are admired around the world, and there is even a Japanese leader in t...

Found all over Japan, torii are gateways to Shinto shrines and the deities within. We meet people tr...

Mamachari bikes, which originated in Japan, are designed to meet the needs of all kinds of people. T...

Stephen Turner, from the UK, loves Japanese trains so much that his passion became his job. We join...

Family restaurants are uniquely Japanese establishments that are also popular with solo diners. We s...

With its unique smell and stickiness, people either love or hate natto. But eating natto has been li...

Japanese stationery is famous for its quality, design, and functionality. We look at many unique ite...

Once a poor fisher boy, John Manjiro became the first Japanese person to receive a formal education...