School
5 stories
The school lunch where a classmate holds the ladle
Where you grew up, an adult behind a counter probably served lunch. In many Japanese schools the children serve each other, and the reason is written into a national law.
Who is watching the six-year-old on the way to school?
In much of Japan, small children walk to school without a parent. The interesting question is not how brave they are, but how many people quietly share the job.
Why are so many anime set in high school?
Romance, sport, time travel, giant robots: in anime the hero is very often a high school student. Why do so many stories return to those three years?
Why People in Japan Bow to Someone Who Can't See Them
Guides list neat angles for the Japanese bow. Watch someone bow into a phone, though, and the angle starts to look like the least important part.
Why does everyday life in Japan run on so many small courtesies?
On a Japanese train, the top complaint is someone who will not shift over to share a seat. Where do so many small courtesies come from?