Are you or a friend subject to workplace harassment in Japan? Although I have never experienced this, I found myself at a loss when it happened to a friend. Recently, I have seen many people seeking help in various support groups and on social media. So, I have decided to write this summary regarding power…
Coralie Camilli Talks about Her Crossover Experience with Aikido and Kickboxing
In late 2020, I interviewed French philosopher and Aikido martial artist Coralie Camilli about her experience in Japan and her then-newly released book about the philosophy of martial arts, in which her Japanese experience played a great part. When I heard that Coralie plans to return to Japan and that her martial arts career has…
Momoka Miyoshi’s Modern Take on Buddhist Statues
Momoka Miyoshi is a young sculptor who made a sensation on social media thanks to her graduation art project, Day Off. The statue shows a Nio guardian–a Buddhist figure that usually stands at the entrance of temples with an angry face–on its day off. The statue’s gentle expression as it is holding a baby provoked…
7 Questions to Ask Yourself When Translating from Japanese to English
I’ve been living and working in Japan for more than ten years. Based on personal experience and talking with friends, I found out that when you are one of the few foreign assets in a Japanese company, and your Japanese level is fair, translating may be one of your unexpected jobs. Companies often overlook that…
How Ikkyu Built Trust with Kyushu Tea Producers
Aldo and Joëlle arrived in Japan more than ten years ago. Attached to good terroir, they wanted to import Italian products. However, unpredictable events made them move to Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu. There, they fell in love with the local green tea and, with some friends, they ended up founding Ikkyu, an online…
Free Wi-Fi Access Is Gradually Disappearing in Japan
Apart from the societal changes I have treated earlier on this website, changes in technology and services are also happening in Japan. In early June 2022, Tobu Railway (a railway company in the Greater Tokyo Area) terminated its free Wi-Fi services. Until then, trains used on the Tobu Skytree Line and Tojo Line provided free…
Join the Second Edition of Kokoro Conversations!
Dear reader, Why don’t you join us for the second edition of Kokoro Conversations? Kokoro Conversations are events in which you can get your voice heard and join fellow Kokoro Media readers for open-hearted conversations about the joys and the challenges of life in Japan. There, you can meet new people to exchange thoughts, compare…
Changing Perceptions of Marriage in Japan
On June 14, 2022, Japan’s Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office published a new report under the theme “Marriage and Family in the Age of 100 Years of Life: How to Face the Changing Shapes and Challenges of the Family.” The results, based on a governmental survey with responses from 20,000 people, have gathered the attention…
Aguyoshi In Milano
In November 2021, I interviewed Aguyoshi, a dance duo formed by contemporary dancers Aisa Shirai and KEKE. They usually explore the streets of Japan and their shapes through funny improvised dances that keep getting more and more attention online. As proof of their growing popularity overseas, the duo was invited to perform at the Triennale…
Cooking Vegetables from Higa Farm
Last summer, we asked our readers to vote for which vegetables to grow on our lot at Higa Farm. Some of the respondents, provided they currently lived in Japan, could get a chance to win some of the vegetables grown on the farm. Melanie is one of the winners and received her vegetables last winter….