How to refer to your spouse in Japanese

What you call your spouse in private is your own business, but how you refer to them in public can be a more complicated...

Getting Connected in Japan: How to find free or cheap Wi-Fi

Most travelers to Japan (along with your author) come from places where the second we hop off the plane in a new place, we...

Two Halves make a Whole

The word Hafu (ハーフ)refers to someone of mixed-race in a mostly homogenous society. In Japan, this term has always been widely accepted without question or 2nd...

Deck The Halls with…lots of Kentucky Fried Chicken???

The days are getting shorter, the temperatures cooler, and the decorations brighter. Yep, it's Christmas time again, and people all over the world are...

Big in Japan (Nagoya) – Adam Demby

Hey folks, this Month's installment of Big in Japan features a truly uniquely eclectic drummer from New Jersey in the US. I met Adam many...

Undokai and Anarchism

If you are a parent in Japan and you have attended your child's undokai (運動会) or school sports day, then guess what: You're an...
damaged clay pot with blue flower

Exploring the Simplistic Beauty of Wabi Sabi (侘寂)

The daily struggle for perfection - especially on social media with its perfectly curated feeds - it’s becoming harder than ever to just take...
Picture of confidential number

Japan Implements the “My Number” System

My Number, Your Number, or the Government's Number?  Is it a mandatory number?  While many people wonder, if it will be used to encumber; there's...
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How to find fireworks festivals around Japan

OK, I'll admit, this article is a bit late actually. But we just launched our site last week, right in the middle of hanabi...
Homeschooling in Japan

Homeschooling in Japan

Anyone who's visited Japan or seen enough Japanese culture can imagine education in Japan is taken pretty seriously. Kids can be seen in uniform...

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