Japanese Popular Culture

Japan is the forge of the world’s fantasies: karaoke and the Walkman, manga and anime, Pac-Man and Pokémon, online imageboards and emojis. But as Japan media veteran Matt Alt proves in this brilliant investigation, these novelties did more than entertain. They paved the way for our perplexing modern lives.

The Japanese roleplaying game (JRPG) genre is one that is known for bold, unforgettable characters; rich stories; and some of the most iconic and beloved games in the industry. Inspired by early Western RPGs and introducing technology and artistic styles that pushed the boundaries of what video games could be, this genre is responsible for creating some of the most complex, bold, and beloved games in history. In Fight, Magic, Items, Aidan Moher guides listeners through the history of JRPGs.

The idea of the sword-wielding samurai, beholden to a strict ethical code and trained in deadly martial arts, dominates popular conceptions of the samurai. As early as the late 17th century, they were heavily featured in literature, art, theater, and even comedy. This book gives listeners access to the real samurai as they lived, fought, and served. Much as they capture the modern imagination, the samurai commanded influence over the politics, arts, philosophy, and religion of their own time, and controlled Japan from the 14th century until their demise in the mid-19th century.

Tsukemono is a kind of food, mostly vegetables, that has been pickled in salt, rice bran, miso, or something else.

Today, though, there are a lot of stylish yakitori places that are like café bars, and it is not unusual for women to dine alone, or for couples to come on dates.

When the cold season comes to Japan, many people start eating Japanese nabe hot pots.

In addition to sashimi and sushi, there are various ways of eating and preparing fish, such as grilling, boiling, salting, fermenting, drying, smoking, and pulping into a paste.

Among the many types of egg cuisines, tamagoyaki is said to be one of Japan's unique household dishes. It is also known as atsuyaki tamago.

In the 1960s, chicken became a common food in Japan.

To make shabu-shabu, you cook vegetables and tofu in a hotpot filled with flavored broth, and dip thinly sliced pieces of meat into the broth. The meat and vegetables are eaten with ponzu or sesame sauce.

Umeboshi are a type of pickle made from ume (plums) fruits that are dried in the sun after being salted and soaked in ume vinegar.

Chawanmushi is a dish made by mixing various ingredients along with a beaten egg and dashi stock in a small bowl.

Rice has been an important part of the lives of Japanese people since ancient times.

The fundamental components of Japanese meals are rice, soup, and side dishes, with the soup providing both water and salt.

As well as okonomiyaki and takoyaki, there is another type of well-known "flour-based food" called monjayaki.

Sweet foods, such as Japanese and Western confectionaries, are known as kanmi (sweets).

It is said that donburimono—rice served in a dish with its side dish placed on top—was created in the Edo period and originated with unadon, rice topped with eel.

Natto is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans.

Tsukudani is a dish that boils foods like seafood, seaweed, or vegetables in a salty-sweet seasoning made from ingredients such as sugar, soy sauce, and mirin.

In Japan, "croquette" refers to a food that is made by mixing boiled and crushed potatoes with minced meat, covering it in bread crumbs, and frying it until the outside is crispy.