If you’re in Japan, keep this mantra in mind: never do drugs in this country. Ever.

Since Ariana Grande revealed her new tattoo last week, the pop star has been criticised in the English-speaking world for cultural appropriation. But what does the Japanese internet think? Let’s find out!

It might be hot as hell in Australia, but for Japan it's cold and flu season. That means people in Japan are wearing sickness masks in public. Either they are sick or are trying to avoid a cold.

The default is still the white sickness mask, but recently, black ones are becoming more popular among the country’s youth.

Earlier this week, Naomi Osaka fielded a question from a Japanese reporter who wanted the tennis star to reply in Japanese. “I’m going to say it in English,” Osaka replied.

Manners in Japan are tricky, complex and sometimes hard to follow — even for Japanese people.

When Japanese politicians visit the Yasukuni Shrine, the country’s most controversial Shinto shrine, it causes an international incident. The same is true for Pokémon developers.

At Toon Town in Tokyo Disneyland, there is a photo spot area with a bunch of boxes. The spot has become even more popular thanks to social media. And now, it has apparently been fenced off to the public.

In the Queen movie Bohemian Rhapsody, a t-shirt was digitally changed as not to cause offence.

In Japanese, there is an expression: deru kui wa utareru (出る杭は打たれる). It’s the equivalent of the English phrase, “The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.”

Visting Japan? Or perhaps you already live in the country. Here are some handy rules to follow for eating and drinking protocol.

After the Japan vs. Columbia World Cup game, it wasn't only Japanese soccer fans who were cleaning up after themselves. Colombian fans were, too.

In Japan, many hot springs, public pools, sports clubs and hotels will not allow guests with permanent ink. A new website helps those with tattoos find welcoming establishments.

Japan has brought the world some truly delicious treats, but one of the best of all has to be meron pan (melon bread). We know it tastes good, but how was it invented? And why is it called that?

Artist Ray Tatsumi has done an exhaustive in-depth study of Japanese maid outfits, tracing their origins from the UK and the USA.

During Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recent trip to Israel, he and his wife Akie dined with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara. Desert was chocolate served in what appeared to be shoes.

A Japanese morning show recently did a report on how some kids are doing their homework while playing clips of YouTubers studying.

Earlier this month, Tokyo-based YouTuber TkyoSam put a GoPro on the conveyor belt at a Sushiro rotating sushi restaurant. The chain has issued an apology and is now banning photography in their restaurants.

In the latest Yarisugi!!! Itazura-Kun, a serialised gag manga for kids, an image of Genghis Khan is shown with a dick doodled on his forehead, along with the word "penis" in Japanese. An international incident ensued, involving protests, an angry sumo wrestler, and an apology to the Mongolian Embassy.

I've been driving in Japan for over 15 years now. One of the things that always resonates is how polite people are on the road, especially the way drivers say thanks with their hazard lights.