• Wed. Oct 4th, 2023

Japan Subculture Research Center

A guide to the Japanese underworld, Japanese pop-culture, yakuza and everything dark under the sun.

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  • The Typewriter Was His Paintbrush

The Typewriter Was His Paintbrush

Keith Armstrong, born in 1950, was not just an artist. He was a symbol of unwavering tenacity. Suffering from polio, he found himself confined to a wheelchair, with limited use…

The Subculturist: The man behind Tokyo’s most infamous city guidebook

For a decade, Steven Schultz was the world’s window into the most extreme and intriguing corners of Tokyo. Until one day, suddenly, he wasn’t.

The Johnny & Associates Scandal: A Silent Japanese Media Was An Accomplice Says Expert Panel

On August 29, Japan witnessed the unfolding of one of its most controversial entertainment revelations. The scandal surrounding the late Johnny Kitagawa, former president of Johnny & Associates, who passed…

Upcoming “Tree Hugging” Event In Tokyo Will Protest Controversial (and Wildly Unpopular) Meiji Jingu Redevelopment

On April 9, 2023, protestors convened outside the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building to oppose the planned redevelopment of the culturally and historically significant Jingu Gaien area in central Tokyo. It…

The Evaporated: 神隠し(かみかくし)Gone with the Gods –On Air now

People have a habit of vanishing in Japan---even hundreds of years ago, it happened often enough that myths were created to explain these sudden disappearances. 神隠し (kamikakushi)--to be hidden by…

The 99% has a Very Different Meaning in Japan

By Henry Rogers Japan has an astonishing 99% conviction rate for suspects going to trial. This has caught the attention of the Human Rights Watch, and the organization has built…

Corporate Turmoil: The Ups and Downs of the Elevator Business

By Henry Rogers Fujitec, a major Japanese company that has been in business for the last 75 years, has come into the spotlight over the last couple of months. Fujitec…

“Tibet is one of the biggest prisons in the world” Filmmaker Exiled by China Speaks Out in Tokyo

By Henry Rogers Between 2007 and 2008, Tibetan filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen traveled around Tibet, interviewing Tibetans about their plight against neighboring China. The resulting film, Leaving Fear Behind, was pivotal…

THE TWO CYCLE ENGINE SAAB AND SAVING THE PLANET EARTH

As you read this, you may be asking yourself why I am so fascinated by these cars with three cylinders and a two-cycle engine. Because the earth itself may be…

Ainu Nation’s Lawsuit For Fishing Rights Draws The Support of the International Indigenous Community

By Henry Rogers In Japan, Hokkaido has a reputation for being the place where everything is better: the beer, the skiing, the milk, the vegetables, even the hot springs. But…