Writer Hannah Kirshner first moved to Yamanaka Onsen to better understand its craft culture. Almost 10 years later, she’s ...

So without really intending it, writing about Japanese craft and food and rural life sort of became my niche.” “As I moved there to write about the community, I became a part of it—and ...

Discover Kofu, Japan’s smallest town, where every day feels like a close-knit community gathering. In this video, we talk to locals, explore the new town hall, and even get a look at traditional ...

Drawn to the appeal of a slowly paced life in the Japanese countryside, some foreigners have settled down in the region. We follow Spanish photographer Tina Bagué as she captures images of fellow ...

Tiny box-shaped cars that look like toys move slowly on the roads, setting the pace of life in the far west of Honshu Island – a place that feels off the beaten path, making it one of Japan’s ...

The number of high school students in Japan is on the decline: Data from the education ministry. Many schools are being merged or closed due to a lack of students. Schools in some rural areas don ...

In response to the ongoing challenges posed by Japan’s shrinking population and aging rural demographics, the agriculture ministry is introducing a new initiative to dispatch corporate personnel ...

J. W. Traphagan is a social anthropologist with research interests in Japanese rural life, population aging, medical anthropology, and the anthropology of science. He has published widely in academic ...