INTjAPAN

The fate of Akiyas and rural areas in Japan continue to be tested. With Japan losing a chunk of its population and more and more young people choosing to live in the city, villages and small towns are rapidly disappearing. Many houses stand empty and dilapidated for years on end. The government is now taking steps to counter the issue before things gets any worse.... Message me on instagram if you...

Congratulations for winning the World Baseball Classic for the third time, Japan! Today was truly a historical moment in baseball. The tension was there and the ending was so dramatic everyone was calling it a "movie-like moment". Shohei Ohtani won the MVP award in this championship and he well deserved it. Dubbed the "once-in-a-century" talent, Shohei Ohtani has revived many p...

Japan has a fairly straightforward description when it comes to beauty. Some of the traditional ideas of beauty still applies until today, especially when it comes to skin complexion. There are subcultures that try to go against this norm, but they fail to dominate the beauty industry. Follow me on instagram: @introvertjapanpod

In this episode, I will talk about why many foreigners choose to leave Japan after a year or two. There are many reasons for it, and it's not entirely on Japan. What I've learned is that cultural differences in Japan can be greater than other countries, and it's difficult for many foreigners to adjust.  Follow me on instagram: @introvertjapanpod #japan #society #culture

Cyberbullying case is on the rise. In Japan, it has led a 22-year-old young start to take her own life. Hana Kimura had a promising future ahead of her as a pro wrestler. Her appearance in the Japanese reality TV show "Terrace House" showed her as a passionate and empathetic woman who knew what she wanted. After a series of insults flooded her social media, Hana Kimura's mental health started to d...

CLANNAD is known to be one of the saddest anime ever made--and for a good reason. The anime is all about love, friendship, family and forgiveness. Tomoya Okazaki was held back by his hatred for his father for the longest time. Because of this, he forgot how to live his life and move on. By befriending his classmates and understanding their struggles, Tomoya was able to confront his past, too.&nbsp...

Japanese people are known for being polite. During the FIFA World Cup in 2022, Japan drew the world's attention when fans started cleaning up after themselves after the game.  So, where does this etiquette come from? Why are they so strict when it comes to social interactions?  Recently, a few media outlets have expressed concerns about Japan's politeness. What appears to be the perfect...

Everybody living in Japan will be familiar with Hay Fever. Most likely, you know someone or many people who suffer from this allergy. Caused mostly by pollen from cedar and cypress trees, this allergy had not always existed in Japan. After the war, the government was desperate to restore the forests that were destroyed during the war. Demands for housing and construction increased, and so the gove...

Japan hasn’t had a lot of terrorist attacks, but one changed history. Aum Shinrikyo, labeled Japanese deadliest cult, is responsible for a lot of crimes. Their most famous crime being the Tokyo sarin gas attack in March of 1995 where over 5000 people were injured. Under the leadership of Asahara Shoko, the notorious cult managed to gather a lot of followers. His followers were very devoted to Asah...

Dragon Ball is well-known all over the world. Since its release almost 4 decades ago, Dragon Ball continues to inspire a lot of anime that follows after it like Naruto, Hunter x Hunter and even One Piece. Akira Toriyama didn't expect Dragon Ball to succeed the way it did, but his passion, creativity and imagination catapulted Dragon Ball into stardom. How did it start? Was Toriyama simply a genius...

Japan is on high alert regarding smartphone-walking. In Japanese, they call it "arukisumaho".  More and more people are not watching where they're going because they are too focused on their phones. As a result, lives are lost and people get injured. Accidents and crimes related to smartphones are rising and the government is desperate to stop these from happening. Why are smartphones so addi...

In today's episode, we will talk about the love letter campaign held in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. As everyone knows by now, Japan is becoming an aging society. The population is shrinking fast as the number of couples and children are diminishing. Miyazaki government decided to get a little creative and go back to the good old days. People are encouraged to write love letters to each other! They...

Talks about adoptions and orphans are still uncommon in Japan. Most people have never considered adoption and they are unfamiliar with how the system works. Unlike in other advanced countries, Japan also doesn't have a typical adoption process and its foster care system is limited at best.  Why are adoptions so rare in Japan? Why do they care so much about preserving their bloodline? What are...

Japan has been obsessed with Disney for a long time. Disney animation is quickly becoming more popular than Japanese animation. In this episode, we will talk about the background of Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea, some of the popular characters and the reason behind Disney's success in Japan. 

Junji Ito is a famous Japanese horror manga-ka. People often describe his works as "grotesque" and "spine-chilling" because of the themes he chooses. Unlike most horror writers, he doesn't deal much with ghosts. More accurately, he likes to play with people's fear. As a fan of horror, I feel that his works deserve more recognition globally. His imagination is definitely one of a kind. They are gua...