[data-hero-title] span, [data-hero-subtitle], [data-hero-reveal] { opacity: 1 !important; transform: none !important; clip-path: none !important; animation: none !important; }

VOL. 2026 · JUL 5, 2026

Radiance of summer

Japan, to the World.

Listen. Watch. Connect.

The depth of culture, the edge of business, the beauty of everyday life. Premium storytelling from Japan.

Latest

Why Are Japanese Trains Always on Time?

Featured

The stories we’re reading right now

Shrine vs Temple: Shinto and Buddhism in Japan Explained

Article

Culture & Arts

Shrine vs Temple: Shinto and Buddhism in Japan Explained

A shrine is Shinto and a temple is Buddhist — yet most Japanese people practice both without contradiction. Here's the difference, the shared history, and how to tell them apart at a glance.

By J-Times Editorial·Jun 24, 2026

Trending

Trending This Week

What everyone is listening to right now

For You

Based on what you have listened to

New

New Episodes

Just published this week

SERIES · AUDIO

Podcast Series

Long-form dialogue, binge-ready.

2 episodes

AUDIO

Japanese Manners Decoded

SERIES · VIDEO

Video Series

Watch the full collection, back to back.

VIDEO

Step into a world of stories where time stands still.

VIDEO

english and distance

Latest Stories

9 / 39 showing

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Innovation & Web3Jun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

Why Are Japanese Trains Always on Time?

A Tokyo train pulled out 20 seconds early — and the railway apologized to the whole country. That isn't fussiness; it's a clue. Japan's trains run to the second because of a system — and a humble promise to honor other people's time. Here's how it clicks into place.

Why Do Japanese Take Their Shoes Off? The Genkan Explained

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Culture & ArtsJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

Why Do Japanese Take Their Shoes Off? The Genkan Explained

Just inside every Japanese front door runs an invisible line — cross it in your shoes and you have missed something quietly important. Meet the genkan, and discover why taking your shoes off is, at heart, an act of respect for the home that welcomes you.

Why Do Japanese People Bow? The Meaning and Rules of Ojigi

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Culture & ArtsJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

Why Do Japanese People Bow? The Meaning and Rules of Ojigi

Bowing in Japan isn't just a greeting — it's a body language of respect measured in degrees. Here's where ojigi came from and how it actually works.

What Is Umami? Japan's Fifth Taste, Explained

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Life & PhilosophyJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

What Is Umami? Japan's Fifth Taste, Explained

In 1908 a Japanese chemist leaned over a steaming bowl of kelp broth and asked a single curious question — and the world got a new word for flavor. Meet umami, the savory fifth taste, and the quiet magic of synergy that makes dashi sing.

Is Tipping Rude in Japan? The Real Reason There's No Tipping

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Culture & ArtsJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

Is Tipping Rude in Japan? The Real Reason There's No Tipping

Short answer: no, you don't tip in Japan — and trying to can confuse staff or get politely refused. Here's why, plus what to do instead.

Onsen Etiquette: Rules, Tattoos, and How to Bathe

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Culture & ArtsJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

Onsen Etiquette: Rules, Tattoos, and How to Bathe

Japanese onsen have clear, unwritten rules — wash before you soak, no swimsuits, keep the towel out of the water. Here's how to bathe and why the rules exist.

Tipping Rates and How to Tip: A Country-by-Country Guide to the US and Europe

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Life & PhilosophyJun 24, 2026J-Times 編集部

Tipping Rates and How to Tip: A Country-by-Country Guide to the US and Europe

Tipping abroad, decoded. From why the custom exists overseas but not in Japan, to country-by-country rates and how-tos across the US and Europe — plus a smart, no-stress mindset for travelers.

The Complete Guide to Japanese Etiquette (Dos and Don'ts)

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Culture & ArtsJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

The Complete Guide to Japanese Etiquette (Dos and Don'ts)

Shoes off, quiet on trains, no tipping — Japan's etiquette rules look random until you see the one idea behind them: avoid meiwaku (causing trouble for others) and protect group harmony. Here's the complete dos-and-don'ts guide, with the why.

How to Visit a Japanese Shrine (Step by Step)

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Culture & ArtsJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

How to Visit a Japanese Shrine (Step by Step)

Bow at the torii, purify your hands and mouth at the font, then bow twice, clap twice, and bow once. Here's the full step-by-step for visiting a Japanese shrine — and why each step matters.

Loading more...

Our Philosophy

The depth of tradition.

伝統の奥行きと

The pulse of tomorrow.

未来の鼓動を、

For you.

あなたへ。

J-Times delivers the essence of Japanese culture, business, and innovation through world-class storytelling.

Podcasts

Deep conversations and insights, anytime

Video

Experience Japan's stories through film

Articles

Culture and business frontlines, in depth

[data-hero-title] span, [data-hero-subtitle], [data-hero-reveal] { opacity: 1 !important; transform: none !important; clip-path: none !important; animation: none !important; }

VOL. 2026 · JUL 5, 2026

Radiance of summer

Japan, to the World.

Listen. Watch. Connect.

The depth of culture, the edge of business, the beauty of everyday life. Premium storytelling from Japan.

Latest

Why Are Japanese Trains Always on Time?

Featured

The stories we’re reading right now

Article

Culture & Arts

Shrine vs Temple: Shinto and Buddhism in Japan Explained

A shrine is Shinto and a temple is Buddhist — yet most Japanese people practice both without contradiction. Here's the difference, the shared history, and how to tell them apart at a glance.

By J-Times Editorial·Jun 24, 2026

Trending

Trending This Week

What everyone is listening to right now

For You

Based on what you have listened to

New

New Episodes

Just published this week

SERIES · AUDIO

Podcast Series

Long-form dialogue, binge-ready.

2 episodes

AUDIO

Japan Decoded

2 episodes

AUDIO

Tech Japan Forward

8 episodes

AUDIO

Essential Japanese Manners

5 episodes

AUDIO

Discover Japan

8 episodes

AUDIO

Japan & The World: Crossroads of History

8 episodes

AUDIO

Japanese Manners Decoded

SERIES · VIDEO

Video Series

Watch the full collection, back to back.

VIDEO

Step into a world of stories where time stands still.

VIDEO

english and distance

Latest Stories

9 / 39 showing

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Innovation & Web3Jun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

Why Are Japanese Trains Always on Time?

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Culture & ArtsJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

Why Do Japanese Take Their Shoes Off? The Genkan Explained

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Culture & ArtsJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

Why Do Japanese People Bow? The Meaning and Rules of Ojigi

Bowing in Japan isn't just a greeting — it's a body language of respect measured in degrees. Here's where ojigi came from and how it actually works.

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Life & PhilosophyJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

What Is Umami? Japan's Fifth Taste, Explained

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Culture & ArtsJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

Is Tipping Rude in Japan? The Real Reason There's No Tipping

Short answer: no, you don't tip in Japan — and trying to can confuse staff or get politely refused. Here's why, plus what to do instead.

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Culture & ArtsJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

Onsen Etiquette: Rules, Tattoos, and How to Bathe

Japanese onsen have clear, unwritten rules — wash before you soak, no swimsuits, keep the towel out of the water. Here's how to bathe and why the rules exist.

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Life & PhilosophyJun 24, 2026J-Times 編集部

Tipping Rates and How to Tip: A Country-by-Country Guide to the US and Europe

Tipping abroad, decoded. From why the custom exists overseas but not in Japan, to country-by-country rates and how-tos across the US and Europe — plus a smart, no-stress mindset for travelers.

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Culture & ArtsJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

The Complete Guide to Japanese Etiquette (Dos and Don'ts)

Article

1 min read

+5 MTC

Culture & ArtsJun 24, 2026J-Times Editorial

How to Visit a Japanese Shrine (Step by Step)

Bow at the torii, purify your hands and mouth at the font, then bow twice, clap twice, and bow once. Here's the full step-by-step for visiting a Japanese shrine — and why each step matters.

Loading more...

Our Philosophy

The depth of tradition.

伝統の奥行きと

The pulse of tomorrow.

未来の鼓動を、

For you.

あなたへ。

J-Times delivers the essence of Japanese culture, business, and innovation through world-class storytelling.

Podcasts

Deep conversations and insights, anytime

Video

Experience Japan's stories through film

Articles

Culture and business frontlines, in depth