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Your Official “Hometown” Is the Imperial Palace? Welcome to Japan’s Honseki System

Your Official “Hometown” Is the Imperial Palace? Welcome to Japan’s Honseki System

The bizarre loophole that’s turning castles, stadiums and airports into official family homes
10 Lesser-Known Secondhand Bookstores in Tokyo that Sell English Books

10 Lesser-Known Secondhand Bookstores in Tokyo that Sell English Books

Quirky spots to find cheap English books in Tokyo

What’s Up With Bad Sex in Murakami?

What’s Up With Bad Sex in Murakami?

Pleasure and prose in ‘Killing Commendatore’ and other novels
Ukiyo: Creative Cuisine in Yoyogi-Uehara

Ukiyo: Creative Cuisine in Yoyogi-Uehara

Elevating Japanese ingredients into a sophisticated dining experience
Where to Buy Pokémon Cards in Tokyo

Where to Buy Pokémon Cards in Tokyo

The best shops in the city, with map links to find them

Is There Hantavirus in Japan?

Is There Hantavirus in Japan?

A guide to history, risk, and the 2026 cruise ship outbreak
The Bullet Train, A Loaded Story

The Bullet Train, A Loaded Story

Japan likes to say the Shinkansen arrived just in time for the Olympics. But in truth, it arrived in spite of everything.

Horoscope Your Weekly Horoscope May 15 – 22

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See what the stars have in store for you this week. World-renowned astrologer Cathryn Moe discusses love, money, luck and all else in this weekly series.

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Events

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Culture

What is Zakka Style?

What is Zakka Style?

A kind of curated coziness

Artist Tomei: Curating Transparent Life (+Aesthetic Jelly Recipe)

Artist Tomei: Curating Transparent Life (+Aesthetic Jelly Recipe)

Interview with mysterious artist Tomei on the beauty of clear things.
Book Review: The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami

Book Review: The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami

A quiet return to memory, longing and surreal boundaries
The Most Handsome Anime Crushes of 2026

The Most Handsome Anime Crushes of 2026

The hottest heartthrobs this year
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Living

Best Summer Beer Gardens in Tokyo 2026

Best Summer Beer Gardens in Tokyo 2026

Cold pours, sunset views and rooftop grills
Your Official “Hometown” Is the Imperial Palace? Welcome to Japan’s Honseki System

Your Official “Hometown” Is the Imperial Palace? Welcome to Japan’s Honseki System

The bizarre loophole that’s turning castles, stadiums and airports into official family homes
10 Lesser-Known Secondhand Bookstores in Tokyo that Sell English Books

10 Lesser-Known Secondhand Bookstores in Tokyo that Sell English Books

Quirky spots to find cheap English books in Tokyo

Where to Buy Pokémon Cards in Tokyo

Where to Buy Pokémon Cards in Tokyo

The best shops in the city, with map links to find them

See more

Community

Domestic Violence in Japan: Every Third Woman

Domestic Violence in Japan: Every Third Woman

The prevalence of domestic violence in Japan
English-Speaking Sports and Fitness Groups in Tokyo

English-Speaking Sports and Fitness Groups in Tokyo

Find community and stay healthy through these sports and fitness groups
Metropolis Winter Issue 2025

Metropolis Winter Issue 2025

See what’s inside and where to pick up a copy

Speak Japanese With Confidence: Private Lessons With Omusubi Japanese

Speak Japanese With Confidence: Private Lessons With Omusubi Japanese

From ordering dinner to building your career—learn Japanese for real life
Metropolis Autumn Issue 2025

Metropolis Autumn Issue 2025

See what’s inside and where to pick up a copy

Hungary Pavilion: A Calming Forest in the Middle of Expo 2025

Hungary Pavilion: A Calming Forest in the Middle of Expo 2025

Hungary’s pavilion stood out with folk music, food and craft at Expo 2025
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Travel

Matsue: A City in the “Shade,” Full of Stories 

Matsue: A City in the “Shade,” Full of Stories 

What to know about the San’in region’s largest city
Mikuni Minato: A Peaceful Port Town Away from the Crowds

Mikuni Minato: A Peaceful Port Town Away from the Crowds

Blow off steam like a wealthy Edo merchant
Hilton Okinawa Sesoko Resort, Okinawa

Hilton Okinawa Sesoko Resort, Okinawa

Unwind in Sesoko Island’s only luxury resort
Conrad Tokyo: Where Omotenashi Guides Every Detail

Conrad Tokyo: Where Omotenashi Guides Every Detail

How General Manager Neil McInnes and his team shape thoughtful hospitality through detail, design and anticipation
Christmas in Okinawa

Christmas in Okinawa

A festive escape to the sea in sunny Okinawa

Kyoto’s Hidden Palaces

Kyoto’s Hidden Palaces

Escape the tourist mobs at former imperial villas
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Dining

Sushi Omakase at Hashida Tokyo

Sushi Omakase at Hashida Tokyo

An artist’s hands, a chef’s eye: seasonal seafood, rare sake and an omakase shaped by the morning’s market
Yoshoku: The Tokyo Food Tradition You’ve Never Heard Of—But Need to Try

Yoshoku: The Tokyo Food Tradition You’ve Never Heard Of—But Need to Try

It’s not Japanese food. It’s not Western food. It’s something Tokyo made entirely its own.
“Bougie” Spots to Eat and Drink in Tokyo

“Bougie” Spots to Eat and Drink in Tokyo

Explore the latest trends in dining at locations created by premier fashion brands

Tokyo Cafés Featured in Anime

Tokyo Cafés Featured in Anime

Tokyo Cafes to visit in real life that your favorite characters dined at
We Tried Tokyo’s Weirdest Ice Creams in One Day

We Tried Tokyo’s Weirdest Ice Creams in One Day

Fried oyster ice cream? Here’s our honest opinion

Which City Has the Most Michelin Stars? (2025 Ranking with 2026 Updates)

Which City Has the Most Michelin Stars? (2025 Ranking with 2026 Updates)

Which country and city have the most Michelin stars, and why?
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Literature

The Best Japanese Mystery Novels to Read

The Best Japanese Mystery Novels to Read

Honkaku, thrillers and crime sagas — Japan’s got it all
10 Must-Read Japanese Novels Set for Release in 2026

10 Must-Read Japanese Novels Set for Release in 2026

Read ahead of the flow by picking up these translated masterpieces as they hit global bookstore shelves
How to Lose Weight the Japanese Way

How to Lose Weight the Japanese Way

Wa – the art of balance by Kaki Okamura
Lafcadio Hearn (Yakumo Koizumi) and His Many Lives

Lafcadio Hearn (Yakumo Koizumi) and His Many Lives

The Irish-Greek wanderer who became Japan’s foremost folklore chronicler
Romantic Horror in Japanese Folklore and Literature

Romantic Horror in Japanese Folklore and Literature

Japanese stories of love and ghosts that offer something both delicate and terrifying
Japanese Onomatopoeia

Japanese Onomatopoeia

Everyday sounds and oddly specific quirky expressions
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Japanese Movies

LGBTQ+ Anime That Strive To Get It Right

LGBTQ+ Anime That Strive To Get It Right

No heavy-handed yaoi or male-gaze pandering yuri here
The Best Japanese Films for Beginners Learning Japanese

The Best Japanese Films for Beginners Learning Japanese

Why children’s stories and quiet domestic life work better than reading textbooks will
Japanese Netflix Shows You Can Watch With English Subtitles

Japanese Netflix Shows You Can Watch With English Subtitles

Yes, Netflix does count as studying
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Western Movies in Japanese Cinemas

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