Want to drink and see a brewery for free? You can do just that at the Kirin Brewery Factory! This past weekend I visited the Yokohama Kirin brewery location for a tour of the factory. It was easy to set up, just go online to the website and sign up for a tour about a…

Japanese culture is widely known for introducing the world to various interesting things like manga, geishas, and famous foods such as ramen. But one of the most infamous things in Japanese culture are the advertisements you’ll encounter in the country. Japanese advertisements are well-known for their manic pace, bizarre subject matter, and impressive productions. But…

Odaiba Island, one of many such artificial islands constructed in Tokyo Bay, is a popular travel destination for tourists looking to explore Tokyo. Traveling to the island is an attractive sight, as visitors can observe scenic buildings such as the FujiTV offices and Tokyo Big Sight as they cross over the bay onto the island.…

Arcades are still a common sight in Japan, where you can find new games still being released exclusively for arcades, many of which rarely if ever see an international release. If you enjoy playing video games, it’s worth visiting some of these arcades to take part in this unique way of playing. We’ve been to…

One of the highlights of living in Japan is the variety of festivals and other special occasions that are celebrated throughout the year. Whether it’s a crisp spring day or a cold winter afternoon, you can reliably find crowds of people flocking to a local shrine. One of the most celebrated festivals in Tanabata, a…

Osaka is a special city. As soon as you arrive you can easily tell things are completely different, which is what makes it so fun. Osaka is a bit more disorganized, a bit more hectic, and a bit louder. People will stand on the right side of the escalator, rather than the typical left, or…

Many people know about Japan through its creation of manga and the enormous industry that has developed over the 20th century. The manga industry includes a large number of magazines, websites, and even original fan-made manga distributed at events like Comic Market. The International Manga Museum was dedicated in order to preserve the vast history…

When Americans think of animated movies, what comes to mind are the grand animated musicals of Disney or the hilariously animated characters of Illumination. These films are enjoyed around the world by millions of people, but don’t let that obscure the fact that many of these countries produce animation of their own. Japan in particular…

As one of the biggest cities in the world, Tokyo, Japan is home to dozens of shopping centers where visitors can take full advantage of their duty-free status. Odaiba, the reclaimed island inside Tokyo Bay hosts a number of different industries such as shipping, manufacturing, and entertainment. But visitors to this futuristic space will find…

Picture this: You’re in Japan during the summer enjoying yourself, when you suddenly smell the telltale scent of rainclouds. The sky is darkening, the wind is picking up, and you can feel drops of moisture in the air. Japan’s rainy season is nothing to take lightly, with a monthly average of 15 centimeters of rainfall…