If you head north from Tokyo for an hour on a bullet train, you will reach Nasushiobara. This area is a popular destination for alpine hiking in the summer, skiing in the winter and hot springs all year round. You can take a local bus from there for...
“Free schools” are on the rise in Japan, as the number of k-12 students with extended absence from classrooms (futoko) continues to grow, reaching the record high of 200,000 in 2022. Often triggered by bullying, the ratio of truancy is highest in...
Sumie Nakaya
