Live cams in Japanese

Japan keeps its clocks still all year, without a spring or autumn change, so the gap between a Tokyo evening and your own shifts whenever your local clocks move. That small quirk explains a lot of missed shows. Anyone who lists Japanese lands here, whether they broadcast from Osaka or from much further away.

Chat mixes kana, kanji and the odd English loanword, and many hosts are happy with romaji from viewers who cannot type Japanese. Polite forms make a safe opening; the host will tell you soon enough if the room is more casual. Japanese-style emoticons, the upright faces built from brackets and symbols, are part of the chat's charm, and replying with one is a small way to join in.

From Europe, a Tokyo evening often means an afternoon session, and for the Americas a very early start or a late night before. Rooms vary from soft-spoken chats with background music to explicit shows, and hosts usually make the menu clear in both Japanese and English. A simple arigatou after a tip or a reply is noticed more than you would think.