If it sells any form of retro, vintage, or modern geekery, I’m all about it. I’ve visited Akihabara extensively as that is usually my go-to location for things like that, and it’s a great excuse to browse more Japanese pokemon cards and…
Ahh, Spring. It’s the most popular time of year for visitors flying over to Japan, and certainly one of the most beautiful seasons. Hanami or ‘flower viewing’ is the activity of enjoying the sakura in full bloom while having a picnic underneath…
Maybe I’ve just been living in small fridge land, but until I moved to Japan I honestly had no idea fridges could be this crazy. Naturally, I decided to write an article on the best Japanese refrigerator brands, because who doesn’t love…
A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to go skiing in Niseko. It’s been a bucket list item of mine for many years now and it felt absolutely awesome to finally be able to tick it off! To get to Niseko,…
I write all of these articles on a MacBook because it’s quick, looks nice, and is insanely powerful. The other day when I was coming back from Tokyo after researching another article idea, I realized how few people I’d seen using apple…
Aside from The Simpsons: Cartoon Studio (don’t you judge me!) I was never that fond of PC gaming when I was younger. But, after delving a little deeper into the video games Japan has to offer, specifically the most expensive ones in…
We all know that getting to Japan, to live or just for a holiday, isn’t always the easiest thing to do. So, anything that lets me explore some area of Japan in a video game is a fun relief until those tickets…
Japan is famed for it’s gaming culture, and love of retro tech. As such, Tokyo is packed full of rare and expensive video games, and I thought it was about time we took a look! These may not be the most expensive…
If there’s a box that comes filled with Japanese snacks, I want to get my hands on it. I’ve already spoken about my love for Sakuraco, and now we’re pitting them against another big hitter in the Japanese subscription box world, Bokksu.…
I have extremely fond memories of growing up swapping trading cards with people in the playground, collecting stickers for my sticker book, and trying to hunt for those elusive cards to complete my collection. While my love for trading cards spread to…
The PS1 was my first console, and the PS2 was my second. The latter had most of my favorite childhood games on it, and I'll continue to hold a huge amount of love for it. While that probably means I'll be spending…
Anywhere you go in Japan, you’ll be greeted by an air conditioner of some sort or other. Whether it’s in someone’s house, a giant electronics store in Tokyo, or that tiny ramen shop you think is too small to be a ramen…
We’ve all heard that you need to learn around 2,000 kanji to be considered ‘fluent’, but how close is that number to reality for people who actually live in Japan? After trying and failing to learn just 10 kanji a day, I…
A few days ago we took a trip to Tokyo DisneySea which saw us spending a little time near Funabori train station in Edogawa. Because of the proximity on the map to Tokyo DisneySea, we thought this would be an ideal place…
Before I came to Japan, I was completely on the side of people who took a shower in the morning rather than in the evening. After a few months of living here, I’m not so sure. Japanese people have baths at night…
Perhaps the most synonymous feature of Japanese architectural design is the curved roof. Whenever I used to think about Japan before I moved here, I envisioned large towns with roofs that curved up at the edges, which seemed to make practically any…
I must admit, I’ve never tried to speedrun a game. Maybe that’s because I prefer to take my time and explore a game as much as possible (hence my love of Animal Crossing) …or maybe it’s because I’m just not good enough.…
I’ve already talked about how Sakuraco was my favorite Japanese snack box on the surface, but today I wanted to take the time to understand the experience they’ve created. Plus, now that I’m living in Japan, I think my opinion is slightly…
Skiing is one of my top 3 favorite things to do in the world. Skiing in Japan is on another level entirely, and something I’m convinced the majority of my future ski seasons are going to consist of. However, while I pride…
The other day I decided to spend some time in BIC Camera and delve a little deeper than the ordinary surface-level window shopping I'm normally used to. On this occasion, I found myself in a shop that had an entire floor full…
The more time I live in Japan, the more it becomes clear that so many people around the world romanticize it as a destination. While I’ve created this website which is dedicated to my love of the country, it’s important to realise…
Just under a month ago, I took the night bus from Tokyo Station all the way to Osaka. Did it get me there in one piece? Yes. Was it an enjoyable experience? Hardly. …
From raw horse and whale to fermented soybeans and the infamous Fugu fish, Japan certainly has its fair share of interesting foods. So, what do the people of Japan traditionally eat on Christmas Day? Well, having lived in Japan for a few…
If you’re coming to Japan for the first time, I can almost guarantee you’ve put Kyoto somewhere on your itinerary. First off, great idea! Japan’s ancient capital is full of interesting things to do and beautiful places to see, so you certainly…
Japan is a flipping cool country. Whether you’re here for the food, the scenery, the pop culture, or any number of other things, we all share a love of this place together. You’ll probably agree with me then when I say it’s…
Osaka is an incredible city and one that should be on any first-time visitors’ itinerary. The atmosphere is laid back, the small backstreets are heaven for the intrepid explorer, and the whole place (especially Dontonbori) is a visual feast for the eyes!…
There are a few things you should absolutely plan to do on your first trip to Japan: Cross Shibuya Scramble, Visit the country’s ancient capital of Kyoto, and bathe in an onsen, just to name a few. However, there’s one activity many…
Especially if you don't want to stare at a computer screen all day…
Sakuraco subscription box does a pretty good job of making you feel as though you've been immersed in Japanese culture while you're sitting in your living room.…
Every place has a standard address format, right?…
I’ve talked many times on this blog about the need people have to experience Japan without being in the country. In fact, I’ve even written an entire post dedicated to the subject. My findings from all the research I’ve done since I…
Before I started this article, I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was that made Japan so unique and special. I seemed to me like while most other countries blended into one, Japan stuck out like a sore thumb, but…
I've spoken many times about how fantastic Japan is for skiers and snowboarders. They get around 30ft of the white stuff per year and are home to some of the world's best ski resorts. As such, they've learned a thing or two…
With so many places to visit, many people wonder whether it's worth taking a trip outside the capital to visit. Let me tell you what I think!…
For a lot of people, traveling around Japan without a care in the world is a lifelong dream. However, many people often wonder whether you need to know Japanese before you go, to make the most of your trip.…
If you’ve ever been to Japan, you may have noticed the distinct lack of facial hair pretty much anywhere you look. At first, I thought it was purely genetics, but maybe there’s some sort of cultural reason that explains why you never…
Here in the UK, shaking someone’s hand is the most common way to greet them. It’s polite, formal, and a sign of respect to the other person. But if you’ve ever been to Japan or seen it on TV, you’ll notice they…
I'm pretty sure I can count on one hand the number of times I've fallen asleep on public transport.…
As someone who loves to travel and loves the outdoors, it's no surprise that I've chosen to write about one of Japan's most beautiful parks.…
Now, I'm not a "food person" but there's a strange pull towards Japanese snacks that I just can't seem to get away from.…
Going through far too many pairs of earphones every year, I've learned a fair amount about what I do and don't like when it comes to audio equipment.…
I've always dreamed about being able to learn Japanese whilst exerting the least amount of effort possible. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy an intense study session, but Japanese is an incredibly heavy language sometimes.…
If you're someone who's been to Japan more than once, or someone who loves an adventure, you're probably looking for something a little different from what the tourist books have to offer.…
One of my favourite things to do in Japan is walk around the beautiful gardens the country has to offer. But what if you live in America?…
Before I visited Japan, I knew nothing about the famous Japanese skincare products and routines.…
If you had to name five things that were quintessentially Japanese, I would hazard a guess that your list would include a Kimono. I’ve worn one quite a few times, and other than looking absolutely fabulous, it’s a great way to centre…
I'm starting to think a highly detailed Cowboy Bebop figurine is everything my desk is missing...…
I don't cook big meals, but even I would probably miss the oven!…
Motivation is a fickle mistress, especially as far as learning Japanese is concerned.…
Most people know one thing about Japan. That they don’t use an English alphabet at all.…
