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 ]
How to Clean a Japanese Central Air Conditioniner
Feb 02, 2011 By Ray Proper
The H&R Group produced this simple video tutorial as a part of their “Relo Explains” series to help some of their clients who are lucky enough to have central air conditioning in Japan. While this is not very common in Japan, we thought there might be other people out there...[ Click to read more ]
The Luckiest Man is at Tōka-Ebisu Festival in Hyogo Prefecture
Jan 11, 2011 By Ray Proper
Nishinomiya Jinja is a Shinto shrine in Nishinomiya, in Hyogo Prefecture near Kobe, Japan. Nishinomiya Jinja is the main shrine representing the Ebisu sect of the Shinto religion and its 3,500 shrines. It is known locally as "Ebessan," and more broadly as "Ebisu Jingu." Two parts of the shrine itself are of note historically: the front gate (omote-daimon),...[ Click to read more ]
The Nagoya Barbarians Rugby Club
Jun 04, 2010 By Ray Proper
Established in 2003, the Nagoya Barbarians are the only international team of it’s kind in the central Japan area, and have been climbing the Aichi rugby from it's inception as an idea penciled on a pub napkin. Team members come from all parts of the globe, and all share a...[ Click to read more ]
Household and Oversized Garbage Collection in Nagoya
Mar 05, 2010 By First Admin
Sorting trash in Japan can be a real pain in the neck, especially in Nagoya. Paper, plastic, burnable, non-burnable, spray cans, etc. all need to be separated in the right colored bag, thrown out on the right day and in the right area or the Gomi Police will come looking...[ Click to read more ]
