Recently, there has been some good news in the fight against the pandemic. Antibody research is investigating novel methods of combating the virus, while others…

Pregnancy, I’ve been told, is tough all around. From morning sickness to mood swings, without a doubt it sounds like a gargantuan undertaking just to…

Japan is a fashion mecca. We at Grape Japan recently covered cosplayers Nakanojojo and Akira Itsuki, both of whom flash eye-popping anime-inspired styles to their…

If I were to go home and sift through the boxes in my parents’ basement, I’d come across many memories. Old yearbooks, school textbooks, baseball…

Dirty roommates are the worse. You come home from a long day, and there are empty pizza boxes and Doritos bags everywhere. They say they’ll…

Life has a learning curve. Spend some time with younger children, and you’ll quickly understand that many still haven’t mastered the basics. Forming a line,…

The ongoing pandemic has changed the landscape in Japan. While certainly not alone, the country has seen a dramatic change in the industries that keep…

Working at a cafe or bar, you meet a lot of different people. Perhaps you could compare the situation to a watering hole in the…

There might be something to the adage “an apple a day, keeps the doctor away.” As many know, Japan has the longest life expectancy of…

Studio Ghibli movies are pretty classic, especially the 1997 blockbuster “Princess Mononoke.” The animated movie is an epic story complete with demon curses, battles, and…

What people fail to think about when they are panic buying [manga] During the outset of the pandemic, like a lot of the world, Japan…

Preschools in Japan are a little different than back home. While there are poorly and expertly run academies, some of the more exciting nurseries seem…

It’s Saturday night as I write this. It’s been a long week, and I’ve worked hard, so I figured why not have a drink. It’s…

Little gremlins are a different breed. While hyperactive at times—especially with sugar in their system—they are capable of surprisingly deep introspection. At particularly cogent times,…

Japan appears poised for hard times. Exports have plummeted and job losses and pay cuts are a haunting specter. Domestic demand, slammed late last year…