A Dying Japanese Village Brought Back to Life—by Scarecrows
Japan’s population is declining. For example, the rural village of Nagoro used to have around 300 residents. Now it has 30. Visitors know they’ve arrived when they see the three farmers in floppy hats resting against a telephone pole by the side of the road. They’re scarecrows, life-sized figures made of cloth and stuffed with cotton and newspapers.
How Art Transformed a Remote Japanese Island
Art can enlighten, soothe, challenge and provoke. Sometimes it can transform a community. Case in point: a 5.5-square-mile island called Naoshima in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea, where art tourism has brought big changes to the island and the lives of its residents.
Japan’s Centuries-Old Tradition of Making Soba Noodles
Here in Japan, the buckwheat noodles known as soba are a staple. Nowhere more so than in the mountains of the southern island of Shikoku. The soil there is poor. Buckwheat is one of the few crops that will grow. So the region has been known for its soba for centuries.
Japan on Missile Mission to Get 127 Million People to Hide—Fast
Natalie Andrews reports on Japan’s efforts to train its citizens how to effectively respond to a missile threat, a necessary process given looming threats from North Korea.
Why Japan Is Paying Single Mothers to Move to the Countryside
Japan’s population is projected to shrink by a third by 2065. With small towns getting smaller, local governments are looking for creative ways to bring in new people.
Tokyo’s Best Karaoke Is Karaoke Sung Alone
A 2017 JCIE Journalism Fellow discovers the joys of “hitokara,” the private karaoke rooms for those who want to sing alone.
Japan Eases Immigration Restrictions to Fill Chronic Care Worker Shortage
In the past, Japan allowed mostly highly skilled professionals in the country. Now, due to severe labor shortages, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has ordered the government to look into new policies that would attract less-skilled workers to fill additional jobs. But the government will have to go beyond simply easing employment restrictions.
How a Small Dairy Store from Ohio Became One of the Biggest Names in the Japanese Convenience Store Industry
Japan and the United States have a long history of not only economic competition, but also cultural exchange. In the U.S., for instance, sushi and anime are popular. And the Japanese long ago adopted baseball and jazz. If that’s old news to you, here’s one America-to-Japan export that might surprise you: US convenience stores.
Postcard from a Japanese Steel Town
JCIE Journalism Fellow Adrian Ma, a reporter based in the American Midwest, explores Japan’s oldest steel town, Kamaishi.
Seven Decades after the Bomb, Children of Hiroshima Victims Still Worry about Hidden Health Effects
“Nakatani Etsuko says her father rarely spoke of the day that the world’s first atomic weapon killed 140,000 people in his city of Hiroshima, Japan. But she says he did mention one thing: ‘That there were so many dead bodies in the river, you couldn’t see the water.’ Etsuko’s father was a teacher in Hiroshima. […]
