A put-upon Japanese office worker pretends to be pregnant to get out of menial tasks – that’s the cue for Emi Yagi’s biting observations about male-dominated workplaces.

Cannibalism with casual couplings, furniture and clothing made from human body parts – Sayaka Murata’s short stories in Life Ceremony make madness seem matter-of-fact.

Joining the Hong Kong exodus? A Zen Buddhist priest has some advice on making a move abroad less stressful, and about living mindfully.

Japan’s best ski resorts depend on foreign tourists, and after two winters without them many are on their knees and some have gone out of business. A lifting of the ban on arrivals still appears months away.

Ramen and tempura may seem typical Japanese dishes, but they, along with another national favourite – curry, were all introduced from overseas.

Japanese beers aren’t all Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo – craft beers and bars are seeing a revival thanks to law changes and a focus on IPAs, but many are seen little outside the nation.

Jesus’ burial in a northern Japanese village might be one of the country’s stranger tales but the land of eight million gods unsurprisingly has a complex relationship with religion.

Okunoshima has been attracting tourists with its resident population of bunnies, but alongside the cute, cuddly kawaii, visitors can also learn about the tiny Japanese island’s dark and deadly wartime secrets.