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Japan Subculture Research Center

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

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  • Meet 281: Japan’s Anti-Nuke Lone Ranger turning protest into art

Meet 281: Japan’s Anti-Nuke Lone Ranger turning protest into art

after the accident, 281 wanted to find an outlet for his anger and a way to contribute to the anti-nuclear movement. It was then that he turned to street art.

Omedeto! You’re a cookie, a camera, a cell phone cover!

As shown above, the possibilities of taking an ordinary thing and making it completely extraordinary are endless. Japan’s customized goods boom is a lifesaver from those who want to see…

Doglegs disabled pro-wrestling: The fight club that wants you to stare

The members of Doglegs, the self-described "superhandicapped" pro wrestling league, aren't looking for your pity, however. They want you to watch, wide-eyed, and feel the power, the ability, and the…

The Incomplete Transsexual—a photo essay from Sanya

Tokyo, by Dan Ryan It was a little like the scenario in that Kinks song “Lola”, but only in passing. I met her in a little place called Seoul Bar,…

Bad News: Mysterious Smog (煙霧) Eats Tokyo ★ Good News: It’s Summer?!

According to the Meteorological Agency, Tokyo temperatures today reached 25.3 degrees Celsius making it the earliest “summer day” since readings began in 1876. At the same time, a strong wind…

“Saving 10,000:Winning A War On Suicide” Screened at the National Diet, Publicly Released

“A complete sense of desperation about the apparent hopelessness of the suicide situation pushed me to buy a movie camera and ask a 22 year old former student of mine…

Tora-san, Japan’s most famous tramp, is a yakuza? テキ屋

Tora-san, Japan's most popular movie figure, doesn't have a home. He's a tramp, and a tekiya (的屋)--a street-merchant yakuza--who earns his living by traveling in remote Japanese towns and selling…

You Don’t Know, Creap! 3 Odd Facts About Japan’s Awkwardly Named Coffee Creamer

Creap, the awkwardly named powdered milk product, was first launched in Showa 35 (1960) around the time that instant coffee became widely sold in Japan. Creap, which actually includes milk,…

Japanese Tattoo Master: “The carving is one’s personal symbol..”

“People’s clothing are the ‘social symbols’ which allows other people to understand whether he/she is a Buddhist monk, a Christian priest, a salary man, or a medical doctor. Therefore the…

Update: Japanese Citizens Protest Against Japan’s Dolphin Hunting and Whale “Research”

The protestors claim these practices are inhumane, unhealthy, and a waste of taxpayer money. Right wing activists have organized a counter demonstration saying that, “Killing the practice of whale hunting…