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Lifestyle
Domestic strawberry producers of 'Warring States' eye new breeds
Strawberries make for a colorful display at supermarkets and produce shops during the season in Japan, enticing customers with their multiple fragrant varieties. It is no wonder as, according to the agriculture ministry, the country has some 300 varieties of strawberries, with some experts claiming that more than half of… Read
Is the new shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
If you’re travelling in Japan by bullet train for business purposes and want to get some work done along the way, many people opt for the Green Car option, a premium carriage with reserved seating that offers more leg room and fewer passengers for a quieter journey more suited to business travel.… Read
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases
A lot of people who move to Japan to teach English also end up becoming students of the Japanese language as part of the process. That’s because while it’s possible to teach at Japan’s English conversation schools without high-level Japanese language skills (due to foreigner-taught classes, by design, generally being… Read
Bethany 'Bitsii' Nakamura on breathing new life into abandoned homes in Japan
Taking the plunge to leave a job that doesn’t align with your values is a difficult choice. Yet, Bethany Nakamura’s choice to leave her corporate day job to move to Japan is a testament to the courage it takes to pursue one’s true calling. After relocating to teach English in… Read
More scary Japanese urban legends
Some of the scariest Japanese urban legends, like those in this bone-chilling list, are intertwined with reality. Whether from cautionary tales, mysterious occurrences or eerie happenings, these legends possess a disturbing semblance of truth. More than just Japanese ghosts and monsters, urban legends’ creepiness, strangeness and unnerving plausibility leave an indelible mark… Read
100 yen shop must haves for home decor
Japan’s 100 yen shops are loved nationwide for offering an amazing range of affordable products, such as household goods, stationery, electrics and more, all for a very affordable price. Here’s our recommendation for the best 100 yen shop must-haves for home decor. You can buy the following goods at Japan’s… Read
89-year-old Japanese man rides bike 600 kilometers to visit his 61-year-old son
A couple of weeks ago, Mitsuo Tanigami, a resident of Kobe, decided he wanted to see his kids. However, both his son, Naoya, and his daughter, Sayuri, are grown up and moved out of the house, so it wasn’t as simple as sauntering into the living room and giving them a fatherly pat on… Read
A new version of Scrabble aims to make the word-building game more accessible
Scrabble is getting a bit of a makeover, at least in Europe. Mattel has unveiled a double-sided board that features both the classic word-building game and Scrabble Together, a new rendition designed to be accessible “for anyone who finds word games intimidating." This new version, which is now available across… Read
Even in the age of Google Earth, people still buy globes. Here's why they remain so alluring
Find a globe in your local library or classroom and try this: Close the eyes, spin it and drop a finger randomly on its curved, glossy surface. You’re likely to pinpoint a spot in the water, which covers 71% of the planet. Maybe you’ll alight on a place you’ve never… Read
Cashiers given chairs as Japanese companies reconsider if it’s OK for workers to sit during their shifts
Literature’s Don Quixote, through his commitment to the code of chivalry, is a character who’s more concerned with helping people than conforming to appearances. There’s a similar sentiment behind something that’s happening at Japan’s identically pronounced but differently spelled Don Quijote discount store chain. Currently, Don Quijote’s company policy, as is the… Read
