Japan Is Making Up for Its Lost Decades
As the country’s economy and culture regain their influence, it is becoming a more active player on the world stage.
7-Eleven Japan sells more than 2 billion onigiri each year.
Photographer: Bloomberg
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New York might be 6,741 miles from Tokyo, but Japan’s soft power is visible everywhere in this city. NYU students aren’t just borderline addicted to Muji pens. They’re reading manga at the bookstore, spinning to Kyoto at SoulCycle, ripping onigiri at lunch, slurping Himokawa udon for dinner and catching the season finale of Shogun before bed. Oh, and don’t forget the skincare fridge in the dorm that’s stocked with Japanese serums, pimple patches and cleansers.