A long article in the Guardian has been published that purports to be sociological and serious, but is actually perpetuating the usual myths we read about our great country — everyone is unhappy, everyone only works, no one has sex. The sexes, especially in Japan’s giant cities, are “spiralling away from each other”. Lacking long-term…

There’s been a lot of media attention about stalking recently, not least due to the sad case of 18-year-old Saaya Suzuki, murdered by a stalker earlier this month. Now comes another odd twist on the situation. The National Police Agency (NPA) has reported a 3.8 increase on incidents of stalking by citizens over 60 over…

It must be the season. Just as Tokyo is getting pounded by typhoons on a weekly basis, so is the foreign media taking an interest in reporting about “nerdy” Japan. First we had the respected newspaper the Guardian cherry-pick some statistics to produce the dubious conclusion that young people aren’t having sex anymore. Now the…

For around ¥4,000 an hour you can have a girlfriend or boyfriend. Well, you can have what’s nice about having a partner without the physical stuff, at any rate. Rental friends have been around for a while in many places and the ones in Japan have often disproportionately been given space by the foreign media….

After it got big media attention last year, designer Kaori Kato‘s novel if creepy “flip-a-skirt” calendar has returned with a new edition for 2014. We weren’t sure what to make of it when we blogged about the skirt-lifting calendar last year. Now we have been thoroughly won over by its charms. Like in 2013 you…

Japanese TV is disgraceful at times. Here is the shocking image from a TV show broadcast on state channel NHK. It shows quite clearly a young child fondling a certain member. What a scandal! Hang on, it’s not human. Does this make it worse? Is it bestiality as well as prepubescent porn? Well, no. But…

When we think of Japanese virginal girls, we tend to think of cute girls like this. But there were another kind. The Ojiroku and Obasa was a rural custom that is said to have continued until the twentieth century. They weren’t allowed contact with anyone except the oldest son and could not marry, instead being…

Idols are wonderful. We love them — their bodies, their cute looks, their habit of posing in small bikinis… But some people go too far. The Japanese internet has been delighted to find that the rumors are true. There are otaku so obsessed with idols that they need serious help. That’s why there’s this “consultation”…

In desperate need of a smooch? No girl around for a good kiss when you want one? Have this in your pocket for such situations! Gashapon capsule toys are one of the most famous kinds of Japanese vending machines and come in all shapes and sizes. Saying that, they are usually something to do with…

Take a look at the the lovlies competing in the Komaba High School’s Miss Tsukukoma beauty pageant. The beauties were all dolled up in make-up and mini skirts for the annual recent Tsukuba Cultural Festival. Which do you think is the hottest? But before you start licking your lips and getting horny, you should be…