Travelling

November must-buy in Japan

by Anna
To have a merry little Christmas Once upon a time I came to Japan. Having a 100% foreigner mindset I waited for December to discover that the essential Christmas must-haves have long been sold. If you are a foreigner living in Japan and plan to spend Christmas as you always did, here are some tips ... Read More

Deposit-free IC card: tourist in Japan

by Anna
On February 15th JR announced a release of an IC card that targets foreigners in Japan. This commuter card is dedicated to those who use public transport for a short time period. It’s called “Welcome Suica”, and, apart from its designs that features Japanese sakura, it benefits its users by providing prepaid public transportation services ... Read More

My rent contracts in Japan

by Anna
One of my colleagues moved into the new apartment the other day. She said that she had to read the contract together with the owner for an hour. That’s what Japanese apartment contracts are! I should probably mention this more often, but Japan is an incredibly bureaucratic country. Their mind set on putting everything on ... Read More

What Japanese do you like?

by Anna
When you speak Japanese with your Japanese friends you can’t avoid this question: “What Japanese do you like most?” or as they say it 好きな日本語はなんですか？ (Suki na nihongo wa nan desu ka?) I am always at a loss. What do they want me to say? There are different dialects in the Japanese language, there are ... Read More