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.

The above image shows two characters, one done in the "anime style" and the other in an American comic book style. What follows is an explanation as to why Chie Satonaka "looks Japanese."

On Valentine's Day in Japan, women traditionally give men chocolate. Each year, a group of protesters gathers to march, carrying signs that read "Pulverise Valentine's Day" and "Making out in public is terrorism".

A junior high school in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture is allowing students to mix and match uniforms how they please in an effort to be more aware of LGBTQ students' feelings.

Traffic cones are roadside eyesores. But in Japan, there are spiritual ones, depicting the guardian of travellers and children.

If you've ever been to a Buddhist temple in Japan or looked at a Japanese map, you've probably seen swastikas, called "manji" in Japanese, all over. In Japan, the character has become popular youth slang.

On New Year's Eve, one member of Japan's most famous comedy duo donned blackface for nationwide television.

Every year across Japan, people line up at Kentucky Fried Chicken joints to place their orders for Christmas dinner.

The last time my family went to a Halloween party with friends here in Japan, my oldest son ended up bummed out with how his outfit turned out, saying it wasn't a very good cosplay. I don't think that was the word he was looking for. 

When people in Japan see "FF," they immediately think Final Fantasy. And for good reason! For decades, "FF" has been shorthand for the iconic role-playing game series. But recently, Twitter users have been using "FF" as a polite way to reply to others.