• Mon. Feb 10th, 2025

Japan Subculture Research Center

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

Bring Them Home: Ongoing Battle for Japanese Hostages in North Korea

It's been 46 years since Takumi Yokota last saw his sister Megumi. Their family was just like any other, until Megumi became one of the many Japanese hostages held captive…

Tokyo Vice Vice-O-Pedia: Nuclear workers (原発作業員)

The Japanese underworld thrives beneath the surface, weaving a subterranean society that infiltrates every corner of Japanese life. The Yakuza, Japan’s infamous mafia, proudly upholds age-old structures and rituals tracing…

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.…

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 Tokyo Vice Vice-0-Pedia: Your Snarky Guide To The Japanese Underworld

Japan's underworld is a fascinating blend of Edo-era rituals and intriguing personalities. In this article, we'll introduce you to three of them.

Nigerian Court Refrains from Extension, Yet Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla Remain Detained Without Charges

Tigran and Nadeem dedicated their careers to revolutionizing the financial world, particularly in the realm of cryptocurrency. Despite their tireless efforts, they find themselves unjustly detained, with no legitimate charges…

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…

Creators behind The Walking Dead launch Japanese content division

Skybound Japan's inaugural project, in collaboration with Fuji TV, is Heart Attack, an electrifying sci-fi television series based on the Skybound original graphic novel series by Shawn Kittelsen (Injustice 2,…