Play Mini Golf at Tsurumai Park
Jul 14, 2013 By First Admin
You can play mini golf, "putt putt" or "baby golf," in Japanese, at Tsurumai Park Baby Golf at Tsuruma Park near Tsurumai Station! This is a great way to kill a couple of hours with the family within the city, and it costs less than any drinks and snacks you...[ Click to read more ]
Hiking and Hot Springs: Highlights of a Weekend in Nagano
Apr 16, 2013 By Ray Proper
Guest post from Peter Ninnes, author of Nagano Onsen Guide: The Top 100 Day-Use Hot Springs Hiking, Walking and Biking Nagano: 16 Tours in Ueda City and Environs Hiking, Walking and Biking Nagano: 20 Nature, History and Culture Tours in Chikuma City Many expatriates and visitors from overseas visit Nagano...[ Click to read more ]
Finding Western Medicines in Japan
Apr 02, 2013 By Ray Proper
Visitors and residents of Japan from overseas often comment that Japanese drugs are ineffective. Whether because the dosage is wrong, or they have not been prescribed what they were hoping for; the common refrain is a plea for medicines from home. Many people will import over the counter medicines in...[ Click to read more ]
Let’s Tour the Metropolis: Shimo-Kitazawa
Mar 14, 2013 By Jason Gatewood
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="210"] Shutter artists in Shimokitazawa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption] This is the first in a series of articles that will introduce some of the neighborhoods that make up the Tokyo Metropolis Area. It's my goal to try to cover areas that don't get as much limelight in the...[ Click to read more ]
10 Things to Know about Using Japanese Toilets
Dec 20, 2012 By Ray Proper
[spacer height="20px"] Some toilets have heated seats, which make winter usage much more pleasant. Don’t mess with the buttons unless you are sitting and know what they are for! "Otohime" or sound princess can be used to cover the sound of bodily functions by broadcasting the sound of a toilet...[ Click to read more ]
The Tokoname Pottery Path
Nov 12, 2012 By Ray Proper
[caption id="attachment_3598" align="aligncenter" width="150"] Tokoname Pottery[/caption] The Tokoname Pottery Path, or "Yakimono Sanpomichi" offers views of old traditional houses, workshops, buildings, implements of production, and pottery that typify the character of Tokoname's unique atmosphere. This atmosphere stems from Tokoname's storied history. It was already well-known as a pottery town...[ Click to read more ]
Picking Mikan Oranges in Nagoya
Oct 24, 2012 By Ray Proper
Late autumn and winter in Japan is orange season, and people go nuts for them. When I first came to Japan they had this amazing orange chu-hai available that has basically ruined orange chu-hai for me forever. It was like an orange crush that made you more handsome and charming! ...[ Click to read more ]
100 Yen Stores in Nagoya – Not “cheap,” CHEAP!
Sep 29, 2012 By Ray Proper
Back home you might not shop at what we in the US refer to as “dollar stores,” or stores where everything is priced at 1 US dollar, because they are generally associated with poor quality goods, but this is not the case in Japan. 100 yen stores offer a wide...[ Click to read more ]
Utsumi Beach on the Chita Peninsula Near Nagoya
Aug 29, 2011 By Ray Proper
They say Utsumi Beach has the finest sand in the world, but probably only the Japanese say that. It is a great beach though, is well known throughout the Tokai region for its beauty. Its 1.6km length is a nice bow shape, and you can rent parasols and buy beer,...[ Click to read more ]
Volunteering in Tohoku During the Disaster
Apr 01, 2011 By Ray Proper
This article was written only a brief period of time after the Great Tohoku, Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, 11 March 2011. As of this writing, December of 2017, the earthquake's toll stands at: 15,894 deaths, 6,156 injured, and 2,546 people missing across twenty prefectures. I never expected to be in that disaster area, but it was an...[ Click to read more ]
