• Mon. Dec 2nd, 2024

Japan Subculture Research Center

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

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Performing Kaoru’s Funeral

"Performing..." is also a funny, melancholic and classic Japanese love story. Classic because within the traditional Japanese relationship, a man and woman only realize the depth of their love for…

Corruption, Cults, and Collapse: Why Voters Rejected Japan’s Ruling Party in Major Election Blow

In a not-so-surprising twist that has Japan’s ruling party licking its wounds, the 2024 lower house election results show the ruling coalition crumbling to pieces. After decades of near-uninterrupted dominance…

Election Update: Japan’s Ruling Party Looks Likely to Lose Majority and finds out karma is a bitch.

As the ballots trickle in from Japan’s general election, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) —which is infamously neither liberal nor democratic–is having the kind of night you wouldn’t wish…

Update: Tigran Gambaryan, American Hero and Good Guy is Free!

UPDATE: The Nigerian Government dropped the charges against Tigran circa October 23rd and he is now home.

The Real-Life Kamurochō: A Yakuza History Lesson with Tokyo Noir’s Jake Adelstein

The Real-Life Kamurochō: A Yakuza History Lesson with Tokyo Vice’s Jake Adelstein We explore Tokyo’s Kabukicho, the inspiration behind the central setting of the series formerly known as Yakuza. (originally…

The Race To Run Tokyo: Who’s going to be the next governor of the megapolis?

Will The Empress Continue To Reign? Probably.

Tokyo Vice Vice-O-Pedia: Why Do Yakuza Chop Off Their Fingers or The Art of ENKOZUME (エンコ詰め)

Ever spotted something odd about someone’s hands nearby? Everything seems ordinary until you notice it: one finger joint missing, maybe a whole finger, maybe several. lt leaves a noticeable gap.…

Cybercrime Fighting Heroes Held Hostage In Nigeria; Free Tigran and Nadeem

Tigran Gambaryan's career is anchored by one constant: an unwavering dedication to justice He put child pornographers and crypto-criminals out of business. Now he's being held hostage in Nigeria, a…

You Don’t Truly Know Nagano Until You Visit These 5 Spots

Nature's canvas, landscapes shaped by mountain breezes – these 5 spots in Nagano prefecture will steal your heart in no time!

 

In Ichigatsuno Koeni Yorokobiwo Kizame (International title: Voice), a young woman named Reiko (Atsuko Maeda) professes to her boyfriend-for-hire that she had been sexually abused as a child. Reiko had been six years…