At the height of her career, Kazuko Hosoki was a full-fledged media phenomenon — a truly rare multi-hyphenate (wildly popular fortune-teller-slash-Iron Chef judge). She rose to prominence for her incredibly blunt persona, best known for the signature catchphrase she delivered to advice-seekers: “You’re going to hell.” As a new Netflix show revisits her legacy, learn her story here.

Other recent highlights:

From an uncanny, monumental pile of giant skulls to vivid paintings of a storm god, these are the eight can’t-miss art exhibitions in Tokyo this month.
This July, Haruki Murakami will publish The Tale of Kaho — marking the first time in his 16-novel career that a woman will serve as the sole lead character. (Critics are, of course, already abuzz.)
The 28th Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, the largest short film festival in Asia, is coming back to Tokyo — featuring a mix of Hollywood icons, K-pop stars and acclaimed Japanese directors.

— Callie Beusman, Editorial Director

The Real Story of Japan’s “Hell Lady”

Since its release on April 27, the Netflix series Straight to Hell has topped the streaming platform’s charts in Japan. At the same time, it has reignited a fascination with one of Japan’s most polarizing cultural icons, Kazuko Hosoki (細木数子).

Hosoki generated enormous interest because she subverted the image of the gentle, grandmotherly psychic. She became famous for her signature catchphrase, “You’re going to hell,” which she delivered to anyone who dared to ignore her advice.

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