When you live in Japan you see that for half of the year in most places, it’s a rainy country — beginning with the fall of the cherry blossoms, then the thunderstorms in May, the monsoons in June, and the…
The Expat's Guide to Japan
Everything you need to know about living and working in Tokyo & Yokohama
More results...
Yearly Archives: 2012
Japanese Summer Customs
Summer in Japan is a season full of festivals and events, and is when many people get a chance to have a weeklong break for overseas traveling or family trips. It is also the time of year, along with the…
If you’re asked to a Japanese wedding
June in Japan is a month with a lot of weddings. Though the image of a sunny wedding may be at odds with a season of perpetual rain and clouds due to the ‘plum rains’, as you might expect many…
Singing in the Plum Rain
This year’s ‘plum rains’ (tsuyu) are upon us, and across the length and the whole country will be plunged into the long rainy season. This may be a yearly occurrence, but people still get depressed about the days of endless…
Hunting Fireflies
The end of May and throughout June is firefly season in Japan. Beginning with the genjibotaru (ゲンジボタル, laciola), you can spot many different varieties of fireflies near clear streams. Firefly viewing is a time-honored tradition and one of the features…
Rocking Out Without Ropes: Bouldering in Tokyo
Over the past few years the number of bouldering gyms in the heart of Tokyo has increased, along with the number of people discovering a great sport they can do on the way home from work. As you only need…
Vegan Food in Tokyo
For those of us who are vegetarian or vegan inclined, the prospect of finding anything to eat in Tokyo can be particularly daunting. In a country where is ubiquitous and where the concept of vegetarianism is still relatively unfamiliar, never…
