Watch Some Sumo Wrestling at the 2019 Grand Tournament in Osaka
Feb 15, 2019 By Justin Hanus
Sumo wrestling is a sport uniquely associated with Japan. Although not all professional sumo wrestlers are Japanese, the sport originated in Japan, and it remains the only country where it is practiced professionally. When people across the world think of sumo, they will undoubtedly conjure up images of two heavyweight...[ Click to read more ]
The Shopping Underground: Depachika in Hiroshima
Jan 28, 2019 By Matt Mangham
One of the best reasons to visit a department store here is to ride the elevator down to the basement, where a food lover’s wonderland lies waiting. ‘Depachika’ combines the first two syllables of "department store" with the Japanese word for "basement." Though they’ve evolved over the decades, depachika have...[ Click to read more ]
Healthy Meals for Dieters in Kansai
Jan 25, 2019 By Justin Hanus
The New Year is traditionally a time when people decide to put their culinary over-indulgences behind them and start a healthy diet. Thankfully for expats living in Japan, the country scores pretty well when it comes to health and nutrition in food and meals so anyone already eating plenty of...[ Click to read more ]
Tokyo’s Romantic Valentine Spots
Jan 20, 2019 By Bert Wishart
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, you may be wanting to find that perfect place to cozy up to your loved one and not sure of quite what to do about it. But fear not, because there are actually quite a few romantic spots in this fair city of...[ Click to read more ]
Cycling in Kobe
Jan 18, 2019 By Justin Hanus
Japan is a bike-friendly country and many of its roads accommodate for cyclists with bike lanes. Cycling is a nice way of getting around, whether that be travelling from A to B or simply seeing the sights. If you want to cycle in Kobe, there are plenty of outlets where...[ Click to read more ]
Books and Coffee in Hiroshima
Dec 28, 2018 By Matt Mangham
We’ve already talked about where to track down Hiroshima’s best hot coffee in the depths of January, but once you’re in the cafe, you’ll need something to read, surely. You can swipe through Instagramm, sure, but for now we’re shooting for urbane sophistication, and that calls for print. Unfortunately, Hiroshima...[ Click to read more ]
Rugby World Cup Japan 2019
Dec 26, 2018 By Jason Gatewood
While most people around the world know the Summer Olympic Games will be here in Tokyo in 2020, we actually have a very large sporting engagement to host a year before that during early autumn 2019, just over eight months from when this will hit the interwebs. The Rugby World...[ Click to read more ]
Let’s Tour – Sendai: What to see & do
Nov 30, 2018 By Jason Gatewood
For a city its size (just over one million people, which is considered small by Japan standards), Sendai has a storied past, steeped in nature, and has a vibrant lifestyle for its citizens. This all adds up to a perfect place to check out if you’re looking for a change...[ Click to read more ]
Do You Know Nags? Nagoya’s Hidden Gems – Part 2
By Bert Wishart
Whether you have been here for a few weeks or know the city like the back of your hand, Nagoya is a city that is full of surprises. New restaurants and bars pop up all the time, and you can be strolling down a familiar street and suddenly notice a...[ Click to read more ]
Enkai Etiquette; Office Party Do’s and Don’ts
Nov 27, 2018 By Bert Wishart
Starting work in a new office can be pretty stressful. Each office can have its own particular rules and culture, and this is particularly true when in a new country. While some things remain the same, there can be vast differences between the way things were back home to how...[ Click to read more ]