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COVID-19 Infections Surge Again in Japan Amid Heatwave; 80% Linked to Nimbus Variant

September 15, 2025, reports indicate a resurgence of COVID-19 infections across Japan this summer, driven by the Nimbus variant (NB.1.8.1), an Omicron sublineage. The variant, first detected globally in January 2025, has been designated a “variant under monitoring” by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to its increased transmissibility, though it does not appear to […]

The Fox’s Wedding

Depending on where you are from, there are various expressions for rainfall on a sunny day. The proper term is “sunshower,” however in the Southern United States you might hear the phenomenon referred to as “the devil beating his wife.” In Japan the phrase kitsune no yomeiri or “The Fox takes a wife”, (or in other regions kitsune […]

The Will to Secede: Japan’s Micro-nation Boom

As US secretary of state John Kerry makes the rounds in Asia, meeting with various heads of state, it is inevitable that the leaders of some nations will be overlooked. One such person is Ben Iwata, the prime minister of the Kingdom of Inobhutan, a portmanteau of “Inobuta” – a hybrid between a wild boar […]

Exploring the art of Sumo (相撲)

The sport of wrestling has been around throughout various cultures since time immemorial. It is usually a friendly competition, traditionally between males, to measure their fighting prowess. In Japan, this is called Sumo and has very deep historical, religious, cultural, and even mythological roots. Sumo is pretty much synonymous with Japan’s history, and there’s a […]

Everything you wanted to know about school girl’s uniforms in Japan

School uniforms bring back memories of our bitter-sweet childhood days. In Japan, however, they aren’t just clothes, they’re symbols of “seishun” (youth) and a big part of the country’s culture. Girls in Japan love their school uniforms, and there are fans of Japanese school uniforms all over the world. We know you love these cute […]