Becoming an English conversation instructor is one of the most common ways to build a career in Japan. Despite that fact, it can be difficult to find accurate, balanced information on what the teaching experience is like and where it can lead. To address this issue, I reached out to my network to help me…
Expressing Love in Japanese Culture
When you are interested in a culture and start learning a new language, for some reason, the word “love” and the phrase “I love you” are some of the first people usually want to know and remember. Maybe this is why you are now reading the article. While love may be universal, the ways to…
Tokyo Cycling: Discovering Nature along the Kanda River
Living in Tokyo can feel claustrophobic, especially if you live far from the city’s amazing parks and waterways. A perennial westside resident, I’ve often felt isolated from some of the best nature the city has to offer. Although I’ve been cycling in Tokyo since I arrived in 2009, my recent desire to connect with nature…
My Evolving Relationship with Japanese Television
Before moving to Japan, I visited the country on two separate occasions. During those trips, few things were more enjoyable than marveling at Japanese television after a long day of non-stop sightseeing. Like many things in Japan, the shows and commercials were strikingly different from what I was used to. Each night, my hotel-room televisions…
Don’t Overlook These 3 Things When Choosing a Tokyo Neighborhood
When it comes to home hunting in Tokyo, certain considerations, such as price and access to public transportation, are obvious. However, in dealing with the usual and unexpected challenges of finding a place to live in Tokyo, it’s easy to overlook a few basic things that can have a major impact on your health and…
Living and Working with Nendo, the Japanese Fiscal Year
When does a new year in Japan really start? The obvious answer would be January 1, just like many cultures throughout the world. However, there’s another “New Year’s Day” in Japan, and that’s April 1. When spring is in full swing, cherry blossoms bloom and life begins anew. Introducing the Japanese Fiscal Year: Nendo (年度)…
What You Should Know Before Visiting a Dentist in Tokyo
Take a stroll through any part of Tokyo and you’re bound to pass several dental clinics. The city has more than its fair share of dentists ready and willing to help you keep your smile bright. However, not all clinics and the procedures they offer are created equal. If you have recently relocated to Japan,…
Meiwaku: The Threat to Japanese Harmony
Last month, a Japanese website raised criticism: its principle was that users could submit meiwaku noise information about their neighborhood. Most of the time, users complained about the sounds of children playing, and the word “meiwaku” was heavily used in the comments. “Meiwaku” can be translated in several ways: trouble, annoyance, annoying. In Japanese, spam…
The Merits of Plain Japanese
In 1995 the Great Hanshin Earthquake devastated the city of Kobe and its surroundings. Over 6,400 people tragically lost their lives during the disaster. According to Kyodo News, the Urban Disaster Research Institute in Tokyo revealed that one out of every 100 Japanese residents in the region suffered injuries. That ratio was nearly double for…
Asking Japanese People – Online Services
The pandemic has changed many of our habits, especially how we buy things and our media consumption. Like many people, I have started buying online more, and I am also watching Netflix more than I used to. This got me wondering about the preferences of the Japanese people around me, and I have decided to…