Unseen Japan
@unseenjapan.com
Since 2018. Going beyond the clickbait headlines to tell the story of a changing, evolving Japan. https://unseen-japan.com/newsletter?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social-bio&utm_campaign=newsletter
If you ride Japan's trains, you've seen his ads. Fukami Tōshū (real name Handa Haruhisa) leads the Shinto group Worldmate and sells books promising "strong fortune." A reporter counted 643 of his newspaper ads in one year, costing one billion yen.
[Insider] Worldmate, Elon Musk's Mom, and The Man All Over Japan's Trains - Unseen Japan
Feeling lucky? We look at Fukami Tōshū, Worldmate, and the mysterious female prophet on whom the organization's teachings are based.
unseen-japan.com
One Kyoto resident interviewed by a paper argued that ikezu-ishi ("rude rocks") should be called “kindness stones” instead. The reasoning is straightforward: the stones are there to signal to people to be more careful so that neither property nor vehicle gets scuffed.
Ikezu-Ishi: Are Kyoto's "Rude Rocks" an Insult, or a Kindness?
Some local tourists point to one local custom, the "rude rock," as proof of Kyoto spite. But it isn't even specific to Kyoto.
unseen-japan.com
Famous onsen towns like Kusatsu and Gero can get overcrowded. Enter Suwa, a lakeside town in the middle of Nagano Prefecture that pairs old-school bathhouses with serene lake scenery. Compact and low-key, it hasn't been choked by overtourism (well, yet).
Suwa: One of Japan's Best Onsen Towns You’ve Never Heard of - Unseen Japan
Japan is popular. Hot springs are super popular. But Suwa, an onsen town in Nagano Prefecture, remains a hidden gem.
unseen-japan.com
NEW: Should Japan's shinkansen (bullet trains) have women's-only seats like regular Japanese trains? A social media post has reignited an age-old debate about how to keep women safe...and spare them from "foul-smelling middle-aged men". buff.ly/ZiaMRqf
“Foul-Smelling Men”: Demand for Women-Only Shinkansen Seats in Japan Goes Viral
Should Japan's bullet trains have women-only spaces? Proponents say it would protect women, but implementation wouldn't be easy.
unseen-japan.com
Japan's permanent-residency proposal would also require projected pension benefits equal to 30 years in the employees' pension system. Those who fall short can make it up with savings or assets.
Japan's New Permanent-Residency Rules Would Demand Foreigners Out-Earn Most Japanese
Japan may soon raise the income requirements for permanent residency, shutting out most workers here from ever qualifying.
unseen-japan.com
KUDOCHI isn't the only onsen in Tokyo. Toyosu Manyō Club has trucked real hot spring water from Hakone and Yugawara into the city since opening beside Toyosu Market in 2024, a mass-market take on the same "carried water" idea.
A "Carried Water" Onsen in Tokyo Offers Private Mixed Bathing (Tattoos Welcome)
Want a private, mixed onsen experience in the heart of Tokyo that won't sweat your tattoos? Welcome to KUDOCHI.
unseen-japan.com
Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free, so soba seems like a safe choice. But most soba in Japan is a blend of buckwheat and wheat flour. Unless it's labeled 100% buckwheat (十割そば, juwari soba), it likely contains gluten.
Traveling Gluten-Free in Japan: What You Need to Know
Traveling to Japan while also wrestling with a gluten allergy? It's tricky but it can be done. Here's what you need to know.
unseen-japan.com
NEW: The "meal cancel crowd" trend has become the latest "cancel kaiwai" trend among Japan's youth. One viral post, however, argued that the "trend" is a sign of Japan's increasing poverty. The truth, according to the data, is complicated.
The Meal-Skipping Crowd: Cute Japanese Gen Z Slang, or a Sign of Japan's Poverty?
Are young people skipping meals because they don't want to eat? Or are they just too broke? The data paints a complex picture.
unseen-japan.com
this kind of nonsense should lead to premeditated murder charges
Unseen Japan@unseenjapan.com · 21h agoTwo Habita employees are now confirmed dead after the company's sales manager, Yuse Kōji, had them sent back into the Aeon Mall store following the earthquake to save the store's precious cash. The victims are Ōtake Kurumi (22) and an unnamed 25-year-old.
Two Habita employees are now confirmed dead after the company's sales manager, Yuse Kōji, had them sent back into the Aeon Mall store following the earthquake to save the store's precious cash. The victims are Ōtake Kurumi (22) and an unnamed 25-year-old.
NHK debunked a lie on X that "Indonesians stole an entire case from FamilyMart" after the Kumamoto earthquake. The video, which actually showed factory workers resting in the parking lot of bread maker Fujipan's Kumamoto factory, has been viewed more than 11 million times.
ICYMI: On July 1, Japan raised its departure tax and visa fees to help fund overtourism measures, while lowering passport fees for its own citizens the same day. With the yen this weak, though, visiting Japan remains a bargain.
Japan Just Made Visiting More Expensive: Departure Tax, Visa Fees Jump
On the same day that departure tax and visa fees for travelers went up, passport application fees for Japanese nationals went down.
unseen-japan.com
A three-minute walk from Akihabara Station sits a bank of vending machines locals call "cursed." They sell canned yakitori with a five-year shelf life, a taped-over jar of what looks like plastic bugs, and a rotary phone priced at one million yen.
I Bought Something from Akihabara's "Cursed" Vending Machines - Unseen Japan
There's still a lot of fun stuff to see and do in Akihabara. Then there are the vending machines selling oden, bugs, and even an old phone.
unseen-japan.com
Calls for women-only seating on the Shinkansen gained traction on Japanese X as passengers shared experiences of harassment and intimidation during long-distance travel. Supporters argue these are concerns that many women regularly face but rarely report.
Japan Trend Radar: Kumamoto Anger, Takaichi Criticism, Empress Support
Japanese social media condemned corporate greed, re-iterated their support for an Empress Aiko, and demanded women-only Shinkansen seats.
unseen-japan.com
For decades, love hotels have been part of Japan's sex scene, serving everyone from couples to casual hookups. Traditionally they had one hard and fast rule: you couldn't leave until your stay was over. Some rooms even had auto-locks.
Japan's Love Hotels: Everything I Didn't Know Before Having Sex in Them - Unseen Japan
Wanna experience a love hotel in Japan? Don't be caught off-guard - read up on a few gotchas you may not know about.
unseen-japan.com
The five-pointed star at Kyoto’s Seimei Shrine resembles a Western pentagram, but the two are unrelated. It stands for the Five Elements of Chinese cosmology (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) and serves as a charm against misfortune.
Pentagrams and Boulder Gods: Japan’s Shrines That Break the Mold
A boulder as an object of worship. A "breakup shrine" that's a stone covered in papers. Meet the Shinto shrines that defy traditional shrine architecture.
unseen-japan.com
Japan is starting its road fixes around three airports for a reason. Foreign rental-car trips cluster in Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Okinawa, where visitors rent cars to reach national parks, coastlines, and hot springs that trains don't serve.
Japan Moves to Curb Tourist Rental-Car Crashes as Right-Turn Accidents Soar
Japan is rolling out low-tech road fixes near major airports as the number of foreigner-driven rental car traffic accidents goes up.
unseen-japan.com
Higashino Keigo wrote using a technique Japanese calls "opening up" kanji: spelling certain words (e.g., ones that might use rare or non-standard kanji) in hiragana so a page reads faster and lighter. It's a big reason his novels are beloved by people learning to read Japanese.
How Higashino Keigo Improved My Japanese
In the wake of the beloved author's death, our author shares how Higashino Keigo's accessible writing made his own Japanese better.
unseen-japan.com
Most of the life-sized figures in Japan's roadside sex museums were engineered by Tokyo Soken, a firm founded by ex-Toho film-studio staff, using wax-and-fiberglass techniques they honed making movies.
Hihōkan: Japan's Vanishing Roadside Sex Museums, and the Tokyo Bar Keeping Them Alive
Learn more about the hihōkan, the erotic museums where drunken salarymen used to while away their time before dinner.
unseen-japan.com
NEW: Traveling to Japan while wrestling with a gluten allergy? It's tricky but doable. Here's what you need to know, including everywhere that gluten hides in Japanese cuisine, what's safe vs. what isn't, & how to handle eating outside cities.
Traveling Gluten-Free in Japan: What You Need to Know
Traveling to Japan while also wrestling with a gluten allergy? It's tricky but it can be done. Here's what you need to know.
unseen-japan.com
NEW: Traveling to Japan while wrestling with a gluten allergy? It's tricky but doable. Here's what you need to know, including everywhere that gluten hides in Japanese cuisine, what's safe vs. what isn't, & how to handle eating outside cities.
Traveling Gluten-Free in Japan: What You Need to Know
Traveling to Japan while also wrestling with a gluten allergy? It's tricky but it can be done. Here's what you need to know.
unseen-japan.com
In the first half of 2026, Japan logged 123 sexual deepfake cases where AI was used to make content using images of real minors, up from 60 in H1 2025. Over 90% were middle/high schoolers. The largest group of perpetrators? Classmates at the same school (83 cases).
Something I noticed: EVERY combini in Japan has a mid rating. Was in a great 7-Eleven yesterday w/ tons of product and ample seating & even *that* didn't break a 4-star on Google Maps. A combo of (1) Japan rates low generally and (2) combini are regarded as infrastructure
The TBS afternoon program "Gogosuma" (ゴゴスマ) warned women staying in shelters after the Kumamoto earthquake to wear plain, non-revealing clothes to deter sexual assault. Angry women on JP social media are lashing out at "advice" that blames women for their own sexual assault.
ICYMI: Is Kabukicho safe? Yes - but Tokyo's biggest nightlife district has its own rules. Violent crime is rare; the real risks are overcharging, illegal touts, and scam bars. Here's how to navigate it and what to avoid.
Is Kabukicho Safe? How to Navigate Tokyo's Raucous Nightlife District
The answer is yes - but you should be aware of a few rules and these common traps before stepping foot inside the famous nightlife district.
unseen-japan.com
ICYMI: The Japan Butler Association is opening what it calls Japan's first systematic "maid school." Twelve Zoom sessions, ¥290,000 tuition, and three certification tiers aim to revive professional domestic service. (No "moe kyun-kyun" involved.)
Japan's New "Maid School" Trains Professionals for the Mansion, Not the Maid Cafe
Forget maid cafés. Japan Maid School is training professionals for luxury private homes, focusing on housekeeping, etiquette, and discretion.
unseen-japan.com
In Japanese, there are many ways to refer to one's husband. Among them is a word fraught with controversy: 主人 (shujin), which means either "husband" or "master." It originally meant "master of the house," or "master whom one serves."
Husband in Japanese: 6 Words and When to Use Each - Unseen Japan
How to say husband in Japanese: shujin, danna, otto, tsureai and more. Why the most common word literally means "master," and which one to use today.
unseen-japan.com
Japan's population of Japanese nationals has fallen below 120 million for the first time in over four decades, its steepest drop on record, even as the number of foreign residents passed 4 million for the first time ever.
Takaichi Wants Japan to "Coexist" With Foreigners. Japan's Hard Right HATES Her for It
Takaichi Sanae's pledge for "coexistence" with Japan's immigrant population has Japan's online right on the warpath.
unseen-japan.com
Hostile architecture isn't new to Japan. Since the Heian period, people in Kansai have set out ikezu-ishi, "rude rocks" placed at corners and narrow lanes to keep carts and people away.
Osaka Station's "Exclusion Art": Hostile Architecture Comes to Kansai
Why did 150 concrete blocks outside JR Osaka Station spark outrage? We explore the divide in Japan's "exclusion art" debate.
unseen-japan.com
NEW: Anger at businesses post-Kumamoto quake, a new nativist disinformation campaign aimed at foreign resident pensions, and support for a female empress dominated Japanese social media last week. Learn more about what's trending in our weekly roundup.
Japan Trend Radar: Kumamoto Anger, Takaichi Criticism, Empress Support
Japanese social media condemned corporate greed, re-iterated their support for an Empress Aiko, and demanded women-only Shinkansen seats.
unseen-japan.com