It’s not always easy to stay healthy and fit in Japan. When you change occupations, often your entire lifestyle shifts, and this is particularly so when you move to a new country. The food, environment, and even your schedule are likely to be different. Even perceptions about weight and health are often intrinsically tied with…
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…
Psychologist Ayako Ishida Talks about Mental Health in Japan
Ayako Ishida has been a psychologist in Japan for eight years. Highly motivated in helping others, she works as a school counselor and as a clinical psychologist at a hospital. Through helping her clients on a personal level, she is also a witness of social issues and changes in Japan’s society. In 2020, on top…
Gogatsubyo – Why Does Japan Have the Blues during May?
Every May, many Japanese people suffer from gogatsubyo, which literally means “May sickness.” Even if that is not an official Japanese medical term, it refers to a real seasonal affective disorder phenomenon. According to a study about stress done in 2018 by the life insurance company Zurich, one Japanese out of four has experienced gogatsubyo…
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,…
In Japan, Healthy Eating Habits Start at School
Fumiko Ichimura is a nationally registered dietitian in Japan. She uses her knowledge about balanced meals in a primary school, where she makes the menus so that children grow healthy and learn to enjoy eating. I asked her about the effects of Japanese food on health, the changes in Japan’s eating habits, and teaching kids…
Surviving the Japanese Heat
The Japanese summer heat, with its high humidity, is famous for being difficult to bear. Japanese people themselves have a hard time coping with it, and “Atsui ne,” [“It’s so hot, isn’t it?”] is the seasonal start of most conversations. Summer 2020 is an exception in the sense that it is even worse than usual….