~JAPAN Forward reached new milestones in monthly and daily readership in 2020. We invite you to find what attracted readers to our most popular articles of the year, including favorites 20-16, below~
Thanks to you, our valued readers, JAPAN Forward reached new milestones in monthly and daily readership in 2020.
Millions of readers around the world followed our top news coverage; got their sports and entertainment updates from us; made culture and lifestyle discoveries alongside our writers; and gained insights into scientific advances, political, security, economic, and historical issues, courtesy of our contributing analysts.
Many of you tuned-in to our podcast, watched The King’s Singers “Finding Harmony” concert online, were entertained with our Rakugo coverage on YouTube. Even more kept up to date through our four weekly newsletters.
From heartfelt stories of the coronavirus fighting Amabie, to the sports coverages that kept us entertained, discoveries about our universe and of course, cultural pieces that kept our wanderlust on high, our 2020 JAPAN Forward Top 25 highlights the stories that best gave readers a unique understanding of the Real Issues, Real Voices, and the Real Japan in 2020.
This article highlights the second set of five of the most popular articles of 2020, numbers 20 to 16. We invite you to take a look and find what attracted your fellow readers to each one.
20 [A Photographer's Notes] Tokyo Spot Check: Shibuya Stream
If you find yourself in Tokyo and looking for a new place to explore and photograph, I suggest checking this area out.
19 [A Photographer's Notes] In Search of Omoide Yokocho's 'Corner of Memories'
As a photographer, I would say a nighttime visit is best as this is when all the shop lights and paper lanterns (chochin) along the street come on.
18 [Hidden Wonders of Japan] Daruma for 2020? Why Not a Cute Mouse from Hiratsuka?
In the town of Hiratsuka, a remarkably inconvenient place to reach in Kanagawa Prefecture, there is a Daruma Store called “Arai Darumaya.”
17 COVID-19: The Lessons We Haven't Learned From the Spanish Flu of 1918
Over 18 months it would affect 500 million people, or roughly one-third of the world’s population, and kill 50 million (according to the numbers quoted the CDC), making it deadlier than both world wars combined.
16 Wa' — Harmony — is Shoko Kanazawa's 1st Reiwa New Year Kanji for JAPAN Forward Readers
The first year, 2018, Shoko wrote hikari or “light,” and in 2019 her kanji for us was inori — “prayer.”
Check back for the rest of our reader's 25 favorite stories of the year, daily from December 14 to 18, 2020.
