Real Life in Japan– category –
Work, family, relationships and social questions in Japan, with space for differences across generations, regions and individual lives.
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More Than a Konbini: The Store That Keeps Everyday Japan Running
Beyond onigiri and 24-hour lights, discover how Japan’s konbini support daily life—and the workers, food waste, and community changes behind their convenience. -
Beyond the Shutters: The Changing Life of Japan’s Shopping Streets
Explore Japan’s shotengai, from neighborhood greengrocers and familiar faces to shuttered shops, changing communities, and hopeful new beginnings. -
Reading the Air: The Unspoken Rules of Everyday Japan
What does “reading the air” mean in Japan? Explore honne and tatemae, everyday kindness, social pressure, school, work, and the cost of fitting in.
