Japanese Society

Japanese Words & Culture

Obon Is Not a National Holiday—So Why Does Japan Shut Down?

Obon is not a national holiday in Japan, yet trains fill up, highways clog, offices quiet down, and families head home. Why does an unofficial holiday have so much power?
August 10, 2026
Japanese Words & Culture
Culture Gaps

Why Japan Is Obsessed With High School Baseball: The Beauty and Cruelty of Koshien

Why is Japan obsessed with high school baseball? Summer Koshien is more than a tournament: it is youth, nostalgia, inequality, heartbreak—and a national ritual watched by adults who may be remembering their own lost summers.
August 9, 2026
Culture Gaps
Culture Gaps

Japan Is Good at Avoiding Mistakes. That May Be Part of the Problem.

Japan is known for precision, reliability, and careful work. But its tendency to avoid mistakes may also slow innovation. A calm look at trial and error in ordinary Japan.
July 1, 2026
Culture Gaps