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May 17. 2024 Life Support A Guide to Owning a Pet in Japan While still not as widespread as in many other countries, having a pet is becoming more and more common in Japan. With this increase in popularity, it is becoming easier to provide all the luxuries and comforts to your pet that you would have in your home country. However, there are important things you should take into consideration if you are p...
May 10. 2024 Topics Protecting Your Home from Humidity and Mold During Japan's Summer When you think of Japanese summers, you may think of festivals, people wearing traditional yukatas, and spectacular fireworks shows. But with the summer fun comes extreme humidity that can cause big, long-term problems for your home. Protecting your home from humidity and mold is a constant battle from the onset of the rainy season until the fall...
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...
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...
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...
Feb 09. 2024 Life Support Moving to Japan This Spring? Here's What You Need to Know! In Japan, spring is a time of new beginnings for people of all ages. In April students start the new school year, and recent graduates begin the next stage of their lives by starting new jobs and becoming part of Japan's workforce. Many people already in the workforce are transferred to new branches to work, and some people simply decide to take u...
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...

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