January 9, 2018 • 28m
Japan is an island nation that stretches thousands of miles. “A country surrounded by the sea,” as one common expression has it. P...Read more
January 16, 2018 • 28m
Japan is one of the safest countries in the whole world. With its impressively low crime rate, the worst that most people need to ...Read more
January 23, 2018 • 28m
The long history of Japanese culture is replete with various forms of traditional music and storytelling, many of which have been ...Read more
February 6, 2018 • 28m
Japan, like the rest of the developed world, has taken a serious shine to online shopping. 3.9 billion home deliveries were made i...Read more
February 13, 2018 • 28m
When exploring the streets of Tokyo, you won’t have to go very far before running into some type of game arcade with an interior f...Read more
February 20, 2018 • 28m
Here's a fact that may surprise Japan travelers who have only visited Tokyo: for months during winter, a large portion of the coun...Read more
March 6, 2018 • 28m
As in much of the industrialized world, a significant amount of shopping in Japan takes place in towering shopping malls and chain...Read more
March 13, 2018 • 28m
What do samurai and sushi have in common? The first answer that comes to mind might be that they’re both Japanese, but their conne...Read more
March 20, 2018 • 28m
For decades, rail was the dominant form of transport for both people and freight in Japan. But while trains and subways still enjo...Read more
March 27, 2018 • 28m
Japan has a serious fondness for doing things in miniature. Whether it's capsule toys, model trains, dioramas, or more, the countr...Read more
April 3, 2018 • 28m
Springtime has arrived in Japan, and that means wedding season is starting to get into full swing! No matter where you are in the ...Read more
April 10, 2018 • 28m
Over the past year, 98% of people in Japan shopped at a 100 yen store. These shops were once associated with cheap, low-quality me...Read more
April 17, 2018 • 28m
Deep-fried food—also known as agemono—might not be as photogenic as some other types of Japanese cuisine, but it has captured the ...Read more
May 1, 2018 • 28m
Exposed to the fury of waves and weather, lighthouses hold a cherished place in Japanese hearts. In recent years, the advent of GP...Read more
May 22, 2018 • 28m
Japanese cuisine is internationally renowned—restaurants serving sushi, ramen and more can be spotted in countries around the worl...Read more
June 5, 2018 • 28m
A mere 150 years ago, while countries in the West and elsewhere were undergoing rapid industrialization, Japan was still a traditi...Read more
June 19, 2018 • 28m
The way a society deals with death, and how it pays tribute to those who have passed away, will tend to reveal a great deal about ...Read more
June 26, 2018 • 28m
Rice has been an integral part of life in Japan for over 2,000 years. Traditionally, one alternative name for Japan is mizuho no k...Read more
July 3, 2018 • 28m
This time on Japanology Plus, our theme is the Ogasawara Islands, a remote archipelago with a unique ecosystem and multicultural h...Read more
July 10, 2018 • 28m
The Ogasawara Islands, located 1,000 kilometers off Japan's Pacific coast, first welcomed permanent human inhabitants in 1830. Wav...Read more
July 17, 2018 • 28m
Bruce Gutlove is an American who for decades has contributed to the growing reputation of Japanese wines. His career highlights in...Read more
July 31, 2018 • 28m
One unique feature of regional Japan in particular is the roadside station, a place that offers not just free parking, restrooms, ...Read more
August 7, 2018 • 28m
In Japan's hottest months, many people head out to summer resorts. While the concept initially came from Western expatriates, summ...Read more
August 21, 2018 • 28m
Japanese ghosts (yurei) often appear in a type of painting called yureiga ("ghost pictures"). One feature of this art is the frequ...Read more
September 4, 2018 • 28m
Each morning millions of Japanese start their day with radio calisthenics. This time on Japanology Plus, our theme is radio calist...Read more
September 11, 2018 • 28m
Japan is a world leader in utilizing underground space, and that's exemplified by its network of underground shopping streets. The...Read more
September 25, 2018 • 28m
This edition of Japanophiles centers on Jagmohan S. Chandrani, an Indian who has been in Japan for four full decades. We hear how ...Read more
October 2, 2018 • 28m
Japan's many shrines and temples are not interchangeable; they represent very different customs, and offer different objects of pr...Read more
October 9, 2018 • 28m
Japan is a country with frequent earthquakes and protecting buildings is a key concern. Over the years people have developed many ...Read more
October 16, 2018 • 28m
Every year, children in schools all across Japan take part in a sports day. It’s one of the most important dates on the calendar, ...Read more
October 30, 2018 • 28m
Almost every primary school student in Japan uses the same type of school bag. These distinctive, blocky satchels are spacious, du...Read more
November 6, 2018 • 28m
About 20% of all the world's aquariums are found in Japan. Many feature unique specialties, from jellyfish to frozen river scenery...Read more
November 13, 2018 • 28m
With 10 billion eaten every year, onigiri (rice balls) are one of Japan’s most popular foods. They combine rice, salt, nori seawee...Read more
November 20, 2018 • 28m
David Stanley Hewett is a contemporary artist who specializes in ceramics and abstract painting. Japanese techniques, as well as i...Read more
November 27, 2018 • 28m
Coffee is consumed around the world, but Japan seems to have a special relationship with the beverage. On this edition of Japanolo...Read more
December 11, 2018 • 28m
2018 marks the 150th year since the beginning of the Meiji era, as well as the end of the age of samurai in Japan. Meiji means “En...Read more
December 18, 2018 • 28m
Uniforms are a familiar sight in Japan, whether it’s the jacket of a taxi driver, or the black suit of a new office worker. Among ...Read more
December 25, 2018 • 28m
Soba, or buckwheat noodles, are served everywhere in Japan. But soba is more than just a food; it's also an auspicious way to end ...Read more