40 years in Japan · Written in English

The Real Japan.
No filters. No guidebooks.

I'm Yosi, and I've lived in central Japan for over 40 years. This is my obsession: sharing the Japan tourists miss — the food, the culture, the anime, and the gloriously strange stuff nobody tells you about.

新着記事

Strange things in Japan

Quirky Japan Chronicles – Episode 21: Ekiben — Why Eating on the Shinkansen Is One of Japan’s Greatest Pleasures

Quirky Japan Chronicles – Episode 21: Ekiben — Why Eating on the Shinkansen Is One of Japan's Greatest PleasuresBy Yoshi...
2026.06.25
Strange things in Japan
Strange things in Japan

Quirky Japan Chronicles – Episode 20: Japan’s Toilets Are a Different Planet — and You Need a Guide

Quirky Japan Chronicles – Episode 20: Japan's Toilets Are a Different Planet — and You Need a GuideBy Yoshi | Japan Unve...
2026.06.24
Strange things in Japan
Strange things in Japan

Quirky Japan Chronicles – Episode 19: Blood Types and Personality — Japan’s Favourite Pseudoscience

Quirky Japan Chronicles – Episode 19: Blood Types and Personality — Japan's Favourite PseudoscienceBy Yoshi | Japan Unve...
2026.06.23
Strange things in Japan
Strange things in Japan

Quirky Japan Chronicles – Episode 18: Japan’s Paid Crying Services — When You Need to Weep But Don’t Know How

Quirky Japan Chronicles – Episode 18: Japan's Paid Crying Services — When You Need to Weep But Don't Know HowBy Yoshi | ...
2026.06.22
Strange things in Japan
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Japanese culture

Cherry Blossoms in Central Japan: Where Yoshi Actually Goes for Hanami
Kodo: The Art of Listening to Incense
Japanese Fashion Subcultures: From Harajuku to Shibuya and Beyond
How Japan Handles Death: Funerals, Ancestors, and the Buddhist Way of Grief
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Japanese food

Japanese Sweets Shops (Wagashi-ya): A Seasonal Journey Through Traditional Confectionery
Japanese Whisky: How a Small Island Nation Became the World’s Best Distiller
Ramen Shop Culture: The Unspoken Rules of Eating at a Japanese Ramen Counter
Izakaya Ordering Guide: How to Navigate a Japanese Pub Like a Local
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Manga & Anime

Voice Actors (Seiyuu) in Japan: Why They’re as Famous as the Characters They Play
The Anime Season System: Why There’s Always Something New to Watch
Light Novels: The Books That Become Anime (And Why They’re Everywhere)
Why Japanese Anime Characters Don’t Look Japanese — and Why That’s Fine
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Otaku Culture

Retro Arcades and Game Centers: Why Japan Never Let Go of the Coin-Op
The Rise of the Cafe Culture in Otaku Japan: From Maid Cafes to Theme Cafes
Japanese Board Games and Card Games: Beyond Shogi and Go
Nendoroids and the Art of Tiny Figures: A Collector’s Introduction
もっと見る

Strange things in Japan

Quirky Japan Chronicles – Episode 21: Ekiben — Why Eating on the Shinkansen Is One of Japan’s Greatest Pleasures
Quirky Japan Chronicles – Episode 20: Japan’s Toilets Are a Different Planet — and You Need a Guide
Quirky Japan Chronicles – Episode 19: Blood Types and Personality — Japan’s Favourite Pseudoscience
Quirky Japan Chronicles – Episode 18: Japan’s Paid Crying Services — When You Need to Weep But Don’t Know How
もっと見る