Not everyone has the years to dedicate to learn how to take care of bonsai trees (that sometimes live for centuries and are passed on from generation to generation), but there are other Japanese arts and crafts that you can try at home. Simple, cheap materials and very often you can improvise. There are tons…

Japan is generally well-regarded because of the country’s infrastructure that puts pedestrians first. One of the most striking things when visiting cities like Tokyo, is the prevalence of tactile pavings. These tactile tiles can be found across Japan, and their predominance has made them become one of the things people associate Japan with. With that…

The novel coronavirus or COVID-19 is raging around the planet, affecting everyone’s lives. With the virus still being researched as it spreads, information and measures are quickly changing, depending on the data. Here are some official resources: The World Health Organization JNTO Advisory regarding COVID-19 – useful and constantly updated information on visa policy changes,…

by Zoria Petkoska The Novel Coronavirus pandemic is disrupting every facet of life around the globe, and humanity is scrambling to react and adapt our fragile systems. Japan is behind countries like its neighbours China and South Korea, as well as countries in Europe, both in covid-19 cases but also in taking measures to contain…

Many people visiting or living in Tokyo spend some time debating which airport to choose, Haneda or Narita. The general consensus has always been that Haneda was the overwhelming number one option because of its proximity to Tokyo, which is why numerous airlines started salivating when Haneda announced that they were going to increase international…

Japan is being rocked by another scandal concerning the #MeToo movement. The newspaper The Asahi Shimbun has reported that Yasuharu Ishikawa, the CEO of Stripe International Inc., had been accused of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct multiple times-In. However, the company decided not to punish him. The news has been spreading like wildfire across social…

According to the Ministry of Defense, Filipinos are the 3rd or 4th largest foreign population living in Japan (depending on the year, it continues to be a toss-up with Vietnamese residents), and they have had a long and strong presence in the country. The number of Filipinos living in Japan had increased in the late…

Cherry blossom and plum blossom trees are iconic for their pink(ish) flowers and are deeply rooted in culture especially in Japan, Korea, and China. Plum blossoms, however, are less significant in Japan when compared to cherry blossoms. However, originally it was plum blossom that were admired and celebrated in the royal court of Japan and…

Japan is a well-known creator of many brilliant cameras and has many established manufacturers which were founded in the country. These include top companies such as Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and Fujifilm. For a camera geek, Japan would appear to be a match made in heaven. However, buying a camera in Japan is not necessarily as…

by Zoria Petkoska If you have ever been online (what am I even saying?! You ARE online right now!) you have seen a snapshot of bugs being eaten somewhere in Asia. And NOT accidentally, like when a gnat flies into your moth by mistake! Stalls and stalls with skewered scorpions, stir fried mealworms, even… OMG…