A Day of Zen

Travel, culture, and stories from Japan.

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Made In Japan

A collection of the best things inspired by and made in Japan.

skiing from the top of Niseko
Brands/Made In Japan

8 Best Japanese Ski Brands

Having recently got back from a trip to Niseko, which was epic by the way, I realized Japanese snow tends to lend itself a little better to snowboards rather than skis. In any case, there were definitely more snowboards than skiers on

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Japan proxy service alternative
Made In Japan

Is ZenPlus the best Japan Proxy Service Alternative?

Like many of you, while I lived outside of Japan I was constantly searching for ways to immerse myself in its culture. One of the best ways to do that, without booking a flight, was to treat myself, every now and then

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Food & Drink/Made In Japan

7 Japanese Cherry Blossom Snacks to Eat this Spring

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

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Japanese refrigerator brands
Brands/Made In Japan

6 Japanese Refrigerator Brands Your Food Will Love

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

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japanese laptop brands
Made In Japan/Brands

8 Best Japanese Laptop Brands in 2025

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

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sakuraco vs bokksu
Made In Japan/Food & Drink

Battle of the Boxes: Sakuraco vs Bokksu

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.

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japanese air conditioner
Made In Japan/Brands

7 Best Japanese Air Conditioner Brands

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

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Sakuraco box review
Food & Drink/Made In Japan

The Sakuraco Snack Box Experience.

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

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Japanese speaker brands
Made In Japan/Brands

10 Best Japanese Speaker Brands

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

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japanese alphabet learning book
Made In Japan

The Best Way To Learn The Japanese Alphabet

Especially if you don't want to stare at a computer screen all day

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sakuraco box
Food & Drink/Made In Japan

The Best Japanese Subscription Box You Can Buy.

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.

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cute japanese subscription box
Made In Japan

Is This The Cutest Japanese Subscription Box?

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

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best snowboard brands Japan
Made In Japan/Brands

11 Japanese Snowboard Brands You Should Ride

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

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japanese subscription box
Food & Drink/Made In Japan

Is Tokyo Treat Worth It? (Absolutely!)

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.

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japanese audio brands
Made In Japan/Brands

6 Best Japanese Audio Brands to Listen With

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.

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best japanese skincare websites
Made In Japan/Websites

7 Best Online Stores to Buy Japanese Skincare Products

Before I visited Japan, I knew nothing about the famous Japanese skincare products and routines.

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where to buy japanese anime figures online
Made In Japan/Websites

10 Places to Buy Japanese Anime Figures Online

I'm starting to think a highly detailed Cowboy Bebop figurine is everything my desk is missing...

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sports brands Japan
Made In Japan/Brands

6 Japanese Sports Brands You Should Buy From.

I don’t consider myself a sports fanatic. Well, except for skiing anyway… I could happily buy all of these Japanese ski brands and ski daily. Ah, the dream! Anyway, before I wrote this article, I honestly couldn’t name even one Japanese sports

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japanese sweets online
Made In Japan/Food & Drink/Websites

8 Best Websites To Buy Japanese Snacks and Sweets Online

My love for Japanese food knows absolutely no bounds, like many of you, I'm sure!

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Tokyo hands stationery
Made In Japan/Websites

9 Best Japanese Stationery Websites To Buy From

I won't lie, I love Japanese stationery.
Sadly the closest I ever got to it was a few fruit smelling erasers during primary school.

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Made In Japan/Brands

7 Minimal Japanese Clothing Brands.

Japan is well known for it’s …’Overt’ fashion trends. *Cough, Harajuku, Cough* Don’t let your assumptions of Japanese fashion fool you, though. The country is home to far more than you often see on the T.V and in pictures. It’s clear that

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Jinsei Game
Made In Japan

20 Japanese Themed Board Games You Need To Play.

Any time I get to dedicate a large portion of my time to researching Japan themed things and call it work, is a flipping great time.

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Culture/Made In Japan

A Complete Guide To Traditional Japanese Board Games.

This is a list of 8 of the most influential and famous traditional Japanese board games throughout the countries history.

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best online japanese websites
Made In Japan/Websites

The 7 Best Online Japanese Stores

I’m lucky enough to live in Japan which means I only have to take a short walk to pretty much any shop I want. Crazy, cute, minimalist, hyper-technical, it’s all at my disposal! But what if you don’t live in Japan but

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Japan travel camera
Made In Japan

Travel cameras – The best options for Japan.

Have you ever thought 'What camera should I bring to Japan?'. Having graduated with a degree in photography, I know the importance of a good camera for a once in a lifetime trip. And having been to Japan a number of times,

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Made In Japan/Food & Drink

20 of the best Japanese snacks you NEED to try.

From Japanese Junk food to famous Japanese snacks and more, we count down the best Japanese snacks you need to try!

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about a day of zen

About Me (I’m Jonny!)

Full time digital nomad and COMPLETELY obsessed with Japan! Whether you're planning your dream trip, hoping to learn more about the culture, or considering moving out here, I got you!
Read my story...

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japanese laptop brands

8 Best Japanese Laptop Brands in 2025

04
jeju crossings anime town

5 Japanese-inspired Animal Crossing islands. (and 3 bonus ones!)

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