LIFE

EATING

EATING

Japanese cuisine has been rapidly gaining popularity around the world over the last several years, particularly since Japan’s traditional cuisine, known as ‘Washoku’, was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. A cultural practice designed to reflect the spirit of nature, Washoku places a large emphasis on seasonal changes and…

SHOPPING

SHOPPING

Convenience stores, supermarkets, department stores, local shops—there are several different types of shops where you can buy your everyday goods in Japan. Here are a few tips about the products and services to expect from each. Note: Japan is a cash-based society and you may not be able to use…

GETTING AROUND

GETTING AROUND

Finding your way around Japan can seem disorienting at first—signs are mostly written in Japanese, there are no street names, and there are too many doors on their buses to know what to do with. However, getting clued up about how things work in Japan can make life much easier…

MONEY & BANKING

MONEY & BANKING

In spite of its reputation as a hi-tech powerhouse, Japan is a country that forgoes emoney in favour of good-old-fashioned cash payments. First-time visitors are often shocked to learn that it’s perfectly normal for Japanese natives to carry around a few ¥10,000 notes in their pockets—a habit that poses very…

LANGUAGE

LANGUAGE

It is possible to get by in Japan without any knowledge of Japanese, as signs, (information) booklets etc. in major cities are usually available in English. However, any situations where you require more information or a consultation might pose a problem, as doctors, bank staff, train conductors, police officers and…

EDUCATION

EDUCATION

Whether you’ll be bringing over your family when you move to Japan or you’re just planning to hire Japanese local staff for your business, it can be beneficial to learn a thing or two about Japan’s education system and the standard of education they receive. The Japanese school year runs…