Despite the country’s reputation for long hours at the office, Japan has 16 annual public holidays—more than any other G8 nation. Whether you’re a new resident or an aspiring tourist, it’s important to know at least a little about Japan’s public holidays, as they can have a significant impact on your experience. For some holidays,…
What Will Change in Japan in 2022
As the Japanese fiscal year comes to an end, now is a good time to review some changes that will affect Japanese society in 2022. ※This article was available as an early release in the Kokoro Media Newsletter. Click here to subscribe. The Change of the Age of the Majority in Japan The most important…
Top Japanese Names in 2021: What Are New Parents Naming Their Children?
So much can go into picking the right name for a child. You may think of choosing a name inherited from a cherished family member or friend, a name that represents an admirable characteristic, or a name that simply sounds nice. In Japan, people consider these factors as well as the kanji used to represent…
Why Japanese Mayo Is So Good and How to Make It at Home
Japanese mayo is very popular among customers in the United States—so much so that it even ranked number one in its category on Amazon US in 2010. What is Japanese mayo? What makes Japanese mayo different from its US counterpart? And how can you make it at home? What Is the Original Mayonnaise? The origins…
The Best Ways to Stay Healthy in Japan, the Land of the Rising Carbs
Before I went to Japan for my first time as an exchange student, I believed the generalization that Japan is extremely healthy and that I would lose several pounds by not even trying. Although I spent my normal weeks walking to class every day around my massive American college campus, generally eating healthy meals, and…
Using a Kindle in Japan: 4 Reasons to Buy One, and 4 Steps to Make it Work for You
The first time I went to Japan as an exchange student, I got a little too excited with the books. Books, and not just textbooks, are amazing language learning tools, and Book Off and the Amazon.co.jp marketplace were my weaknesses. It’s safe to say that my luggage was overweight from buying everything from Japanese classics…
Buying an Akiya or Vacant House in Japan
Akiya, or vacant houses in Japan, have become a hot topic on international news websites. Articles about Japan giving away countryside houses for free or for 500 US dollars have fueled the dreams of people desiring to come and live in the Japanese countryside. Reality is much more complex—although rural real estate in Japan can…
Tea Varieties From Japan
In Japan, 99.9 percent of the tea produced is green. All the famous Japanese teas, such as sencha, gyokuro, and hōjicha, are green teas. So what is the difference between all the tea varieties from Japan? This article was kindly provided to Kokoro Media by our partner the German-Japanese Association in Munich (Deutsch-Japanische Gesellschaft (DJG) München), and was…
Looking Back on 2021 as a Foreign Resident in Japan
It’s February 2022 and Japan is in the midst of its sixth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, with much of the country under a quasi-state of emergency. Foreign tourists and new long-term residents remain barred from entering the country. Initiatives that could have propelled the economy even after the pandemic, such as remote work, have…
Visiting Prospective Apartments: What to Look out for in Japan
In my previous article, I shared 20 tips for research and communication as you go about the search for a new apartment. Hopefully, you will find a few apartments to your liking and want to go see them in person. This time, I want to share my top 20 pointers for what to check when…