For those who do not have a rainy season in their home country, hearing of a rainy season might sound a bit depressing and something you would rather prefer to skip, if possible. After all, rain usually means having to stay at home, because going out becomes a hassle. Or maybe you would think it’s…

There is an old song English speakers know as Sukiyaki, and it has a remarkable story. After leaving a band to seek a solo career under Toshiba Records, Kyu Sakamoto recorded the song, known in Japan as Ue o Muite Arukō (Look Up As I Walk), and it became the number #1 hit in the…

Japanese summers are hot and humid, and in recent years have only got worse and surprisingly dangerous. Since summer is almost here, we thought it would be beneficial to talk about heat stroke as we remember what to do in order to avoid them. As a reminder, many of the things people have to do…

The 2020 Summer Olympics event is fast approaching in Japan, and a huge influx of foreigners is expected as the event draws near. Some major problems that visitors may face (and are already facing) in visiting the country include the language barrier and cultural differences. Believe it or not, there are both of those barriers…

Japanese New Year holidays usually start from December 29 and go until January 3, but depending on the year and one’s job it can start as early ad December 27th and go until January 8th. During this time, people are busy cleaning their houses in the osoji ritual before New Year, making or buying osechi…

Being famous for delicious food, exotic culture and a different lifestyle, Japan also has a very intense youth culture with a wide range of fashion styles. One smaller sub-culture would be Lolita fashion. First of all, there is no connection with the novel written by Vladimir Nabokov or the related Lolita complex which describes the…

With a low birthrate and an aging population, the aftermath of the effects of Japan’s shrinking population is worse outside the big cities. The charm of big cities is obvious: shopping centers are everywhere, convenience stores are nearby, and most importantly, there are plenty of schools and work opportunities. That’s why the number of young…

Japan is a country with many rules. There is no need to worry too much if you do not know all of them, as most of them are manners and not criminal offenses! But you will likely notice some differences between Japan and the rest of the world when it comes to etiquette on public…

Japan, as a country, is not only made of big crowded cities but is also a home to abundant nature covered with mountains and trees. As these places are not a favorable environment for living, most people live on coastal plains. Most of these places are left untouched by humans making it a suitable place…

Japan – with all its facets – is a mysterious and very exotic country. Foreigners get either to love it or stay forever puzzled. And those who stay longer here surpass a queer metamorphosis. They become extremely strange and will never be able to recover, me included. jp.fotolia.com/ Japanese who stay abroad and come back…