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The Expat's Guide to Japan
Everything you need to know about living and working in Tokyo & Yokohama
Monthly Archives: April 2015
St. Luke’s International HospitalRecommended
Recommended
St. Luke’s International Hospital has been offering high quality healthcare to Japan’s international community since 1902. The hospital consists of more than 40 departments with an emergency center operating 24/7. Physicians are well experienced with patients of various nationalities, and…
ai International School
This is a preschool and kindergarten where children learn to respect differences and develop borderless friendships through an international atmosphere in the classrooms and during activities. As children experience many new things at their first school, they make it their…
Ayla International School
Ayla International School is a one of a kind boutique preschool. It is located in front of Donguri Park, where children spend most of their time playing and exploring. The school focuses mainly on art, music and nature. Ayla method…
American Clinic Tokyo
American Clinic Tokyo is an American-style practice founded in 1954. Serving the English speaking community for 60 years. Located adjacent to the U.S. Embassy in Akasaka, Tokyo.…
Club360 – Physiotherapy & Sports Massage
Club 360 is Tokyo’s premier physiotherapy and multidisciplinary practice. Club 360 seeks to find and correct the root cause of your problem to provide long-term pain relief and a preservation of the lifestyle you enjoy. Their highly qualified therapists liaise with a…
Edo-Tokyo Museum Reopens
What is that looming structure, slightly reminiscent of a walker from the Star Wars saga, poised to beam down the Ryogoku Kokugikan (sumo hall)? Yes, it is the Edo-Tokyo Museum, which reopened to the public on March 28 after renovations.…
Sightseeing References & Tour Agencies
With so many options to choose from, it may be difficult to know where to begin planning your trip to Japan. Here are some sightseeing references and tour agencies that can help arrange the right travel experience for you. Tour Agencies…
Types of Shop
Department Stores Japan’s world class department stores carry a similar range of products to their Western counterparts. The top floors usually have a selection of international restaurants, while bustling food markets in the basement floors are filled with beautiful selections…
Shopping Customs in Japan
Along with hotels and restaurants, shops in Japan pride themselves on their high standard of customer service. The shopping experience is generally a straightforward one, but there are a few customs and peculiarities you should be aware of in advance.…
Shopping Districts
Tokyo and Yokohama have a number of districts where many shops specialise in a particular kind of item. Use this guide to find out where to shop based on what you’re looking for. Fashion and Brand Goods Tokyo is one…
Japanese Food
Here are some common Japanese food descriptions that will help you dine in Japan with more ease. Sushi and Sashimi is raw fish served only with soy sauce and wasabi (Japanese horseradish). is raw fish, vegetables or other items served…
Eating Out
Japan may have a reputation for being an expensive country, but you will find that there is a wide range of options where it comes to restaurants and food stands, and eating well doesn’t have to cost a lot. Below…
Live Music, Films and Karaoke
Karaoke While karaoke in the west is often seen as a chance to show off one’s singing abilities in a public atmosphere, in Japan it’s more about the love of singing. Whether you have a great voice or not, in…
Japanese Theater
Kabuki Kabuki’s origins can be traced back to the Edo period (1603-1868). In contrast to older Japanese art forms such as Noh, the realm of the upper class, Kabuki was popular with the common people, and it is said that…
Spectator Sports
Baseball Baseball fans will want the chance to see their favorite sport in Japan, which is home to Ichiro and other Japanese players who are well-known in the US. The JapanBall.com website sells tickets online and is a good resource…
Amusement Parks
Tokyo and its surroundings are home to more theme and amusement parks than one could ever, as a foreign visitor, imagine. Already the is divided into Tokyo Disney Land and Tokyo Disney Sea, making it a very unique spectacle when…
Zoos & Aquariums
Being an island nation, it can be expected that Japan has its fair share of world class aquariums. Both the Shinagawa Aquarium and the Yokohama Hakkejima Sea Paradise are great examples of just that. If you would rather like to…
Planetariums
Japan has about 300 planetariums across the country, including the world’s largest planetarium dome (35m-diameter) in Nagoya, and a projector that projects the largest number of stars (140 million stars) in Tokyo. Progams are made focusing on various themes, from…
Kids Attractions
The number of special theme parks in Japan aimed solely at kids is rather remarkable, giving you more than enough choices for a day out with your shorter family members. is based on the well-known children’s story of Thomas the…
Parks & Gardens
In spite of what is said about Tokyo being a concrete jungle, there are some centrally located parks and gardens. Ueno Park, Shinjuku-Gyoen and Yoyogi Park are all famous for their cherry blossoms in spring, and they offer an urban…
Registering a Personal Seal
Inkan (personal seal) is a seal stamp of an individual or an organization’s name that is used in place of a signature on documents in Japan. Hanko is the physical object pressed on the paper to create the seal. They are made of hard materials such as plastic, wood, or ivory, not rubber.
Museums & Galleries
Tokyo has a wide selection of museums and galleries. Department stores often host temporary exhibitions, which are convenient and economical. Tickets can be bought on site, but there are often long lines for the more popular exhibits. the .…
Japanese Manners
Japan is well-known for its atmosphere of politeness and respect. Japanese interpersonal manners revolve around elevating the status of others while humbling oneself. There is an entire subsection of the Japanese language, known as keigo (敬語, respectful language) which is…
CHATEAU SCHOOL
Chateau School is a prestigious international preschool founded by Rina Bovrisse. The school is situated in Azabu in Tokyo and welcomes children from 0 to 6 years old. The school is also called “Jewel Box” or “5-Star Preschool” in Tokyo.…
Christian Academy in Japan
Christian Academy in Japan offers a WASC-accredited, college preparatory curriculum that is designed to prepare students, who come from more than 25 countries, for a life in accordance with Christian teachings. Students take core academics, choose electives, explore the richness…
Columbia International School
Columbia International School is an overseas accredited Canadian school. Accreditation from Ontario, Canada, WASC (U.S.) and Japan M of Ed. makes Columbia one of the leading international schools in Japan. Columbia delivers an Ontario curriculum while focusing on English, mathematics…
Global Indian International School, Tokyo
GIIS, Tokyo is an English speaking school from Kindergarten through Grade 10. The school offers an international program based primarily on the curriculum from the CBSE, India. Their Montessori plus Program for the Kindergarten helps children to learn independently and…
Gregg International School
G.I.S. – Where your child comes first! This coed school was established in 1986 and they offer preschool, kindergarten and elementary level classes in English. Gregg International School has spacious and sunny classrooms, which overlook a Japanese garden and a…
India International School in Japan
India International School in Japan is a CBSE affiliated school for students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Teaching Faculty at its Tokyo and Yokohama campus strives to integrate moral values, compassion and co-operation into the daily life of students. Here,…
International School of the Sacred Heart
International School of the Sacred Heart is located in the heart of Tokyo, surrounded by greenery where we enjoy the beautiful changing of the seasons typical of Japan. This Catholic school provides a multicultural education of many faiths. Classes for…
Shinagawa International School
Shinagawa International School is an IB PYP accredited school situated between Shinagawa Seaside and Aomonoyokochou stations (5 min walking distance from each of them). SIS campus has preschool classes (Ages 3 and 4), a kindergarten and a primary School (G1-6).…
K. International School Tokyo
K. International School Tokyo (KIST) is a private, co-educational, secular day school serving the international community of Tokyo from pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. Founded in 1997, authorized as an IB World School by the International Baccalaureate, KIST is one of…
Lycée Français International de Tokyo
Établissement homologué par le ministère français de l’Éducation Nationale Lycée français international de Tokyo The International French School in Tokyo is an establishment of the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) within the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The International…
Nishimachi International School
Nishimachi International School, conveniently located in central Tokyo, offers a unique, rich international curriculum, well-resourced with materials used to educate students whose independent thinking embraces global issues. Except for daily mandatory Japanese language for every student, all subjects are taught…
Seisen International School
Seisen International School is a K-12, Catholic, all-girls school with a coed Montessori Kindergarten and Toddlers Program. Cultural diversity is welcomed and the worth of each person is highly valued. Through the Montessori, PYP, Grade 7-10 and IBDP programs, students…
St. Mary’s International SchoolRecommended
Recommended
St. Mary’s International School is a Catholic all-boys’ school which welcomes students of all faiths and nationalities. The school offers a challenging, college preparatory American/international curriculum which culminates in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Boys are encouraged and supported to…
Tathva International School
Tathva International School is an initiative to nurture academic excellence and to demonstrate leadership in character development. The school is committed to providing a learning environment where each student is empowered for his or her own social, academic and physical…
The American School in Japan
Located outside of Tokyo with ample space for sports, ASIJ is a co-educational school for pre-school through to grade 12 with a curriculum modeled on the American system.…
The British School in Tokyo
The British School in Tokyo is an independent 2 site, co-educational day school offering a top quality British education to international students from 3-18 years old. The school is unique in Japan in providing an education for your child that…
The Montessori School of Tokyo
Confidence, Respect and Compassion. The Montessori School of Tokyo (MST) is proud to provide an internationally recognised and accredited Montessori curriculum for the international student. Currently educating students representing over 30 different nationalities, MST offers a fresh and vibrant vision…
Tokyo International School
Located in the center of Tokyo, and equipped with full facilities that include a climbing wall, small running track, swimming pool and extensive play space. TIS offers the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP). Beyond the…
Daizawa International School
Using The Reggio Emilia Approach, DIS provides children with as many experiences as possible and encourages them to think creatively, solve problems, and be confident in their own abilities.…
EtonHouse International Preschool Tokyo
EtonHouse International Preschool Tokyo follows a child-responsive Inquire-Think-Learn integrated curriculum approach, which is a play-based, inquiry model in which children co-construct their learning in close, respectful collaboration with their teachers and their immediate socio-cultural context. They have also integrated Mandarin…
