Episode 78: Godzilla vs. Kong vs. America — our opinions are correct
It’s time to talk about the politics of kaiju. With the new Godzilla vs. Kong movie stomping our way soon, we’re discussing the long history of giant monsters in pop…
A Ghost in Brazil
Kikuko Tsumura I was ever so keen to visit the Aran Islands, but unfortunately, I died before ever making it out of Japan. I was seventy-two at the time. My…
The Cat Who Walked a Thousand Miles
At a time now past, a cat was born. This was not so long after the first cats came to Japan, so they were rare and mostly lived near the…
Artists Demand Removal of Their Works From Aichi Trienniale in Open Letter
The exhibition After ‘Freedom of Expression?’ was meant to probe Japan’s history of art censoring and celebrate artworks that had been previously excluded from museums in Japan. It was shuttered…
There Is Little Evidence That Mass Transit Poses a Risk of Coronavirus Outbreaks
“many have blamed subways and buses for coronavirus outbreaks, but a growing body of research suggests otherwise.” The piece noted that epidemiologists use the term “cluster” to describe major coronavirus…
Russia’s Last Czar, Nicholas II, Had a Massive Dragon Tattoo
In 1891, several years before he became Czar, Nicholas traveled to Japan. It was a difficult trip for the royal, in which he was the victim of a failed assassination…
At My Urban Farm, I’m Growing My Family and Growing Our Sanctuary
“Identity,” he said, “is formed from three components: first, self-identity; second, social identity; and third, legal identity—the most important of which is self-identity, the only facet of identity that involves…
Japan’s Prisons Are a Haven for Elderly Women
“Prison is an oasis for me—a place for relaxation and comfort. I don’t have freedom here, but I have nothing to worry about, either. There are many people to talk…
Japan’s youngest female mayor takes on its oldest all-male sport
One of the most interesting parts of this story is how the city where this woman is mayor and cities where other women are mayors in Japan have higher birth…