Weekly Finds 2021 04 18

Short (sometimes) videos or stories about interesting Japanese culture, language, entertainment, and many other things.

Metropolis brings us a short article from a ‘hafu’, half Japanese half any other nationality, in “Revelations of a Hafu”. See a little about what it is like to be half Japanese in Japan.

Is anything okay in Japan as long as it is ‘cute’? Refinery29 takes a look at the dark side of Harajuku style – yamikawaii. This is a style that is both ‘cute’ and sick. It incorporates images of depression, self-harm, and suicide along with the standard Japanese ‘cuteness’ that pop culture finds so alluring.

  
101 East brings us a story about Japan’s stalking crisis in 2014. Although a little dated, I do believe that stalking is still a concern in Japan. There are a few interviews with victims and stalkers themselves.

A short video on another of the oldest Ryokans in Japan, if not the world. Although, a few weeks ago I pointed out a video about another Ryokan in Japan that claimed to be the oldest. Interestingly, one of the Women in the family admits that most of the time she wishes that she wasn’t born into the family, and wasn’t required to stay and work there. Feelings like this won’t often be stated outright in Japan, they will be said in a more obtuse way.