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Jan 19. 2024 Topics The Best Products at 100 Yen Shops in Japan! What comes to mind when you think about dollar stores? Cheap, low-quality products that will break after being used one time? Chaotic stores with no organization that make it difficult to find what you are looking for? If so, you'll be happy to know that 100 yen shops, the Japanese equivalent of an American dollar store, are popular with Japanese...
Jan 05. 2024 Topics Special Events in January and February in Japan: Coming of Age Day and Setsubun As Japan gets back into its normal routines after New Year's and settles into the cold winter months, celebrations and festivities don't end. January and February are host to two popular and important celebrations: Coming of Age Day and Setsubun. Both holidays are deeply rooted in Japanese traditions but have completely different purposes and mean...
Dec 21. 2023 Topics 5 Amazing Parks and Green Spaces in Tokyo! When you think of Tokyo, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Giant billboards and bright neon lights? A concrete jungle that stretches as far as the eye can see? Millions of people filling city streets, trains and stores? These are all a part of what makes Tokyo a unique and amazing city, but the description is missing one key component: p...
Dec 08. 2023 Topics 9 Japanese New Year's Traditions New Year's, or Shogatsu in Japanese, is the most important holiday of the year in Japan. In your home country celebrating New Year's might involve watching the ball drop in New York City at midnight, heading to the beach, drinking champagne, or partying all night with friends, but in Japan New Year's is celebrated by returning to one's hometown, s...
Dec 01. 2023 Topics How is Christmas Celebrated in Japan? If you are in Japan any time between November 1st and December 25th, you will absolutely notice that the Christmas season is in full swing. As soon as the clock strikes midnight at the end of Halloween night, department store windows and city streets across the country are suddenly full of Santas, Christmas trees, and beautiful light installations...
Nov 24. 2023 Topics Is Japanese Really So Difficult to Learn? If you're planning on visiting or moving to Japan, you are probably wondering if it is important to start learning Japanese before you make the trip over. While in major cities like Tokyo, you will find people who speak English or other languages that can help you out and much of the signage is also in English (and sometimes Chinese or Korean), t...
Nov 03. 2023 Topics What is Shichi-Go-San? How to Celebrate This Japanese Tradition at a Temple or Shrine Visiting shrines or temples in Japan in November? If so, there's a good chance you'll see young children dressed in beautiful kimonos participating in ceremonies or posing for photos with their families. This is Shichi-Go-San, a popular traditional Japanese celebration of important milestones in a young child's life. While this is a traditional J...
Oct 13. 2023 Topics Halloween in Japan: How is it Different? Western holidays like Christmas have become more and more popular in Japan every year, and Halloween is no exception. As soon as October starts you'll find department stores and shop windows filled with black cats, witches, and Jack-o-lanterns, to the point where you would think that Halloween in Japan is no different than any other country that c...
Oct 06. 2023 Topics The Best Ways to Enjoy Autumn in Japan Fall is one of the best times to be in Japan, and it's no secret why. The hot and humid summer is finally over, the leaves are changing from green to beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows, and though the days grow shorter, there's still so much to do as the weather cools down. If you're planning to visit Japan this fall, and especially if you're ...
Sep 29. 2023 Topics All About Vending Machines in Japan Visitors to Japan who aren't already aware of it are often surprised, if not shocked, by the sheer number of vending machines that can be found all over the country. In big cities like Tokyo, you'll see vending machines inside and outside stations, on train platforms, on street corners, in parks, in front of shops or peoples' houses... essentially...

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