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May 03. 2024 Topics 10 Japanese Gestures, Mannerisms, and Customs You Need to Know In Japan, body language and gestures are as important, if not even more important, than words. A lot of what Japanese people think or feel goes unsaid and is instead conveyed through how they move or behave. If you want to fit in when you are in Japan, or at least be able to understand some of what people are telling you through their actions, the...
Apr 26. 2024 Topics What to Expect at a Wedding in Japan Every country in the world has its own unique wedding styles and customs. In Japan, traditional Shinto weddings are still commonly held, though modern Western-inspired ceremonies are popular too. If you find yourself invited to a wedding in Japan, it is important to know what to expect at the ceremony and reception so that you can prepare properly...
Apr 19. 2024 Housing What is Key Money in Japan? Do You Have to Pay? Moving is never cheap, what with paying the first month's rent, security deposits, real estate agency fees, and all the costs of hiring movers or buying new furniture and appliances. In Japan, it can be even more expensive to move into an apartment than in many other countries, and a big chunk of that cost comes from key money. Key money, or "rei...
Apr 12. 2024 Topics Golden Week: Japan's Busiest Holiday Season Golden Week is one of the three main holiday seasons in Japan, generally falling between April 29th and May 5th every year. It isn't actually one long holiday, but rather several different holidays that happen to fall within the same week. Since Golden Week is the only long holiday season in Japan where it isn't traditional to return to one's home...
Apr 05. 2024 Topics A guide to the Post Office in Japan When you are living in another country, especially one where you may not speak the language, something as simple as mailing a letter can seem that much more challenging. But if you are living in Japan, there is a good chance you will need to go to the post office to mail something, and this can seem daunting. So let's make going to the post offi...
Mar 22. 2024 Medical Hay Fever in Japan: What You Need to Know It's hay fever season in Japan, and with many people reporting worse allergy symptoms earlier in the year every year, it seems like hay fever is becoming more and more of a nuisance for residents in Japan. If you suffer from hay fever in your home country, you may be worried about whether you'll still have allergies when you come to Japan. And som...
Mar 15. 2024 Topics Funeral Etiquette in Japan: What You Need to Know If you are living in Japan, there may come a time when you are invited to a funeral or someone in your family passes. This can be a stressful, painful time, especially if you are not sure what you should do to pay your respects. Funeral culture and etiquette in Japan may be quite different from that of your home country, so it can be hard to know...
Mar 08. 2024 Topics All About Cherry Blossom Season in Japan Spring is almost here, and with it comes Japan's world-famous cherry blossom season. In late March or early April, depending on where in the country you are, you'll see everyone flocking to parks, shrines, gardens, rivers, or wherever else you can sit under the beautiful cherry blossoms to enjoy hanami, or cherry blossom viewing in English. If yo...
Mar 01. 2024 Life Support How to Get a Smartphone in Japan If you've moved to Japan, you're probably going to need some way to communicate with people. Whether you bring your own phone from your home country and get a new sim card to use it in Japan or buy a new one here, you'll want to make a contract with a mobile carrier so that you can start using your phone in the country. But coming to a new countr...
Feb 23. 2024 Housing How to Set Up Electricity, Gas, and Water in Japan So you've obtained your Japanese visa, packed your bags, and finally made the big move to Japan. While the most time-consuming parts of moving may be over, you will be faced with another important task: setting up gas, electricity, and water in your new apartment or home. While this can seem daunting when you've just arrived in a new country, as lo...

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