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The Expat's Guide to Japan
Everything you need to know about living and working in Tokyo & Yokohama
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Japanese Airlines and Airports
Airlines Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) are the two largest Japanese airlines, operating both domestic and international routes. In recent years, a number of LCCs (low-cost carriers) including Skymark, Peach and Jetstar, have begun operating routes within…
Fujimoto International Dental Clinic
Fujimoto International Dental Clinic has been offering a wide range of world class dental service from consultations & dental emergencies to comprehensive restorative procedures including dental implants in a private & comfortable environment since 1984. Procedures are provided by English…
Garden Clinic Hiroo
Garden Clinic Hiroo is a bilingual dermatologist’s office in Hiroo. Dr. Keong, a board-certified dermatologist, has over 20 years of specialist experience in the field. Allergy testing and childhood vaccinations are available. Lasers, Botox, IPL hair removal, skin rejuvenation treatments…
Poppins Active Learning International School
PALIS provides a vibrant preschool experience rooted in hands-on active learning, inspired by the esteemed British curriculum. The curriculum boasts authentic specialty programs in Ballet, Coding, and Piano, enhancing the overall development of young learners. In collaboration with Harvard University,…
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…
Kameda Kyobashi Clinic
A&C International
(This service is offered by Yoshihide Kurihara, judicial scrivener for A&C International) For many years, A&C has assisted foreign companies expanding into the Japanese market with incorporation registration procedures. A&C has supported enterprises large and small from many different countries…
Tokyo Winter Illuminations 2015-2016
Every year, the city of Tokyo responds to the dark of winter by lighting up brighter than any other time of year. Check out the highlights of the city’s Winter Illuminations below. Baccarat ETERNAL LIGHTS -Yorokobi no Katachi- The centrepiece…
Kusumi Morikage: From Adversity, a Gentle Gaze at Familiar Things
Kusumi Morikage (久隅守景) was a student of Kano Tan’yu, one of the foremost painters of the early Edo period. Much of Morikage’s work focused on the everyday lives of ordinary people, exemplified in his depictions of village life through the…
“My number” – What you need to know
If you are resident in Japan, you may have heard talk about a new social security number system that was introduced in 2015. Nicknamed “my number” in Japanese, this Individual Number system identifies each resident by a single 12-digit number…
Tokyo Citizen’s Day
The 1st of October is Tokyo Citizen’s Day (都民の日, tomin no hi), on which many public parks, museums, galleries and other facilities offer free entry. Though not a public holiday, when it falls on a weekday most public school children…
Machiawase: Tokyo’s Famous Rendezvous Spots
Tokyo is the biggest city in the world, and if you haven’t gotten lost here at least once, you’re not trying hard enough. Even if you manage to keep a track of where you are, arranging to meet someone in…
Asakusa Samba Carnival Parade Contest
This year, Expat’s Guide attended the 34th Annual Asakusa Samba Carnival Parade Contest . There aren’t many things that can make the humid Japanese summer feel even hotter, but if anything can, it’s samba! The Asakusa Samba Carnival has been…
Sumida River Fireworks Festival from Skytree
One of the oldest and largest displays of its kind, the Sumida River Fireworks Festival is attended annually by thousands of people who brave the intense summer humidity and crowd the nearby streets and designated viewing venues to enjoy the…
Retro Japanese Junk Food, DAGASHI
You may know wa-gashi (和菓子, Japanese sweets) but do you know da-gashi (駄菓子)? Though best known for its traditional, refined confectioneries, Japan has its own unique selection of cheap and novelty candy that is as terrible, weird, wonderful, and cavity-inducing…
Wa no Akari x Hyakudan Kaidan
If you’d like a taste of summer culture from across Japan, look no further than the Wa No Akari x Hyakudan Kaidan exhibition at Meguro Gajoen. Running until the 2nd of September, the event showcases paper lanterns and other illuminations…
Eco Edo Art Aquarium 2015
Art and life are intertwined this summer at Eco Edo Nihonbashi Art Aquarium, running at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall in Tokyo. Featuring hundreds of live goldfish in uniquely shaped aquariums, the exhibition is the brainchild of Tokyo-born aquarium designer, Hidetomo Kimura.…
Tanabata Matsuri
Perhaps the most evocative of Japan’s annual matsuri (祭り, festivals) , tanabata (七夕) marks the beginning of the summer festival season. Closely linked with the stars, tanabata is celebrated by the writing of wishes on strips of paper, which are…
Shima Onsen
A four-hour bus ride away from Tokyo, overflows with nostalgic charm as well as healing spring waters. The unique hot spring experience found here continues to draw visitors to this isolated spot, deep in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture. The…
Enjoy a more rewarding miles life
The JAL CARD is a co-branded credit card of Japan Airlines (JAL) which is specifically designed for both Japanese and foreign residents living in Japan. It allows users to earn miles with JAL’s Mileage Bank (JMB) program. By using this card…
Trip – Shimane and Tottori
Off the beaten path and a little exotic, the San-in Coast offers both the Japanese quintessential temple experience and something a little more unique. Located on the lower western coast of Honshu, the Shimane and Tottori prefectures may not have…
“Made in Japan: 400 Years of Nambu Tekki Ironware”
Japanese handmade crafts have always received international acclaim for their fine quality and simple beauty. Japan’s long tradition of crafting everything from swords, cutting knives, and ceramics to fabrics and woodwork has had a tremendous influence on the world in…
Kamakura Koyo Drive
Kamakura (鎌倉) is a coastal town in Kanagawa Prefecture, which used to be the capital in 12th and 13th century Japan. It’s about an hour driving south of Tokyo. It has a whopping 65 temples and 19 shrines, along with…
Edo-Tokyo Museum Reopens
The exterior is pre-renovation. 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…
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…
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…
Jimbocho: Heaven for book lovers
One of the largest secondhand book markets in the world is centered on the intersection of Yasukuni-Dori and Hakusan-Dori in the Kanda district of Tokyo. Known as Tokyo’s book town, Jimbocho (神保町) is home to a concentration of over 170…
Trip to Eastern Akita (3) – Lake Tazawa and Kakunodate
Lake Tazawa (Tazawako) Leaving Tsurunoyu Onsen, we travelled further into the mountains. After about 30 minutes, we suddenly caught sight of the blue of a lake through the spaces in the trees. As the car left the mountain forest, our…
Trip to Eastern Akita (2) – Nyuto Onsen
Following dinner, we set out from Misato-cho for , about an hour and 15 minute drive by car. Our ryokan, a single structure called , maintained a modern appearance amidst the rustic onsen village, situated in a lush forest at…
Michi no Eki: Japan’s Roadside Stations
Japan’s toll-based kōsokudōro (高速道路, expressways) stretch the length and breadth of the country, offering faster and more direct routes between cities than ippandōro (一般道路, regular roads). To make cross-country road journeys more manageable, the expressways have regular service areas with…
Satokagura: Folk Stage Performance Comes Alive at Saitama Kaikan
If represents Buddhism and high art, and the secular theatre, , and specifically , is the theatre of Shinto and of the countryside. Because of this, it seems fitting that tonight’s performance, while although not held at a shrine, is…
Sadogashima (Sado Island)
Sado Island might appear small on the map but its separation from the mainland, as well its diversity of terrain and abundance of nature make it seem much larger than it looks. From the port in Niigata – two hours…
New Entries into the UNESCO World Heritage List
Amidst the seemingly endless string of bad news that has centered around the Tohoku region of Japan, a recent decision by UNESCO manages to bring hope and pride back to the citizens of the disaster stricken area. In June 2011,…
Are there electronics that can be used back home?
Japanese electric/broadcast specifications differ from most other countries, which prevents you from using appliances from your home country. Unfortunately, 99% of the products sold in Japan are designed according to Japanese specifications with instruction manuals in Japanese only. Sony Overseas…
Daikanyama: Shibuya’s Stylish Laid Back Sister
For many first time visitors to Japan, Tokyo is usually defined by the major stations on the Yamanote Line. Shinjuku for department stores and skyscrapers, Harajuku and Shibuya for a glimpse at Japanese youth culture, Akihabara for electronics, games and…
Setsuden – What Can You Do?
With the summer months ahead, the time where being inside with an open window leaves you at just the right temperature will soon be coming to an end. In the past, this meant the beginning of the Cool Biz season,…
Shiretoko
Shiretoko is the southernmost point in the northern hemisphere with seasonal sea ice, which makes it the home for a unique and original natural landscape. It is abundant in marine life represented by salmon, as well as a rich diversity…
Shirakami-Sanchi
Of the 130,000 hectare of mountainous terrain in Akita and Aomori prefecture, more than 17,000 hectare has been designated as a World Heritage Site. This area remains completely untouched by humans and includes the world’s largest beech forest, as well…
