NOW Japan Spends About $27 Billion a Year on People Who Don’t Know They Exist
Oshi-katsu is a ¥4.1 trillion market built on affection that runs one way. A Japanese counsellor on why the asymmetry is the point, not the sad part.
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NOW What’s Actually Trending in Japan — and Why It’s Happening
Not a list of trends. A Japanese counsellor explains what need each one is meeting — from stuffed animals in hotels to a ¥4.1 trillion fan economy.
NOW Japan Has Hotels That Take Bookings for Stuffed Animals
There are cafés, hotels and a day nursery in Japan for stuffed animals. The customers are adults. A Japanese counsellor on what the research actually shows.
NOW In China They Call It “Digital Ibuprofen”: What Japan’s Cutest Character Is Actually About
A Japanese counsellor on what Chiikawa is actually about: monsters, unpaid work, and a certification exam the main character failed for eight years straight.