This episode of Japan Station is a re-broadcast of episode 52 of Ichimon Japan.   On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: What are gyaru? Topics Discussed What the term gyaru/gal means/refers to About the word gyaru How the word gyaru was used in Dragonball by Master Roshi What a kogyaru/kogal is About the singer Namie Amuro and her role in …

It’s not easy having a pompadour but to Yuki it’s totally worth it. The pompadour, or rīzento as it is known in Japan, is a classic hairstyle that was adopted by juvenile delinquents (不良: furyō/ヤンキー: yankī) in Japan during the Showa era. Just watch an anime or Japanese TV drama set in the 1970s or ’80s and you’re bound to eventually …

On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: Whar are buruma? Topics Discussed What buruma/bloomers are A brief overview of the history of school uniforms in Japan About the gakuran style school uniform About the supposed link between gakuran uniforms and Prussian military uniforms About sailor uniforms (sērā fuku) About “blazer” style uniforms The controversy over whether it was a school in Kyoto …

On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: What is a yankī or furyō? Topics Discussed What a furyō is The literal meaning of furyō All about juvenile delinquent culture in Japan The possible origin of the term furyō What a yankī is The possible origins of the Japanese term yankī and its links to Osaka’s Amemura area What a tsuppari is Classic …

On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: Why did samurai have such weird haircuts? Topics Discussed What a chonmage is The Japanese people’s pursuit of  excellence of the hairstyle The historical origins of the topknots in Japan Hats and their connection to the topknot The supposed reason why samurai started using topknots and shaving the front of their heads …

On this episode of Ichimon Japan we once again ask: What annoys you about living in Japan? Topics Discussed The frustratingly useless nature of many English-language versions of Japanese websites Booking hotels in Japan The frustrating but hilarious nature of bad English translations of Japanese (a.k.a. Engrish) Engrish t-shirts The practice of using Japanese readings for kanji when reading a …

 Today’s Question On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: Why are school rules in Japan so strict? Topics Discussed Experiences working at and attending Japanese schools A selection of “weird” school rules (kōsoku) from across Japan The history behind why school rules became strict in Japan The case of a female high school student who filed a lawsuit …

It’s only a matter of time before a black market emerges for “classic” female train station employee uniforms. Whereas the general trend for companies in Western countries has been to move away from the practice of having female workers dress in uniforms with traditionally feminine features such as skirts and high heels, in Japan many companies have yet to embrace …

Are you manly enough to use a parasol? Japan’s infamously hot and humid summers can be pretty brutal. In fact, in 2018 high summer temperatures resulted a new record with almost 100,000 people being taken to the hospital due to heatstroke. With figures like this it’s no surprise that Japan’s government is looking into ways of protecting its citizens from …

Why pluck your grey hairs yourself when you can get an expert to do it for you?

Welcome swimsuit aficionado. The official start of summer is just around the corner in Japan and judging by her latest video it appears that gravure idol, Kamen Joshi member, and YouTuber Erina Kamiya is totally ready to spend some quality time at the beach. In one of her most recent videos, which was released Friday, Kamiya shows off three of …

Japan just can’t get enough of those cat ears. The Japanese retailer Village Vanguard is known for their vast assortment of attention-getting products and the latest of these appears to be a new line of cat-themed lingerie that comes complete with, you guessed it, cat ears. This line of two cat girl lingerie sets comes in a black and a …