Working in Japan can sometimes be stressful especially if the company is mandated by traditional Japanese office rules and hierarchy. However, to help the office workers alleviate the stress from a long day of work, a Nomikai(飲み会) is sometimes held. Nomi(飲み) literally means to drink, and Kai(会) means “gathering”, so Nomikai can be translated into […]
Tea (お茶) was introduced to Japan from China by Zen Buddhists around the 12th century in the Heian Period. They were also the first consumers of tea. The monks would sip it out of a bowl to fight off drowsiness during long hours of meditations. However, tea drinking had only become a common practice among […]
It’s very common for restaurants in Japan to offer both a dine-in and takeout option for their food. What questions should you be on the lookout for, and how should you respond? Dining In The first thing the waiting staff is likely to ask you is “Irasshaimase, ten’nai de o meshi agaridesu ka?” This means “Welcome, […]
Learning Japanese can often be a challenge but moving to Japan is a great way to do it. You can immerse yourself in Japanese culture in a several ways, and volunteering is a fantastic way to give back! Luckily, there are many organizations in Japan where you can help. All while learning the language from […]
Bathing in Japan has become embedded in Japanese culture since the 6th century. The practice has links to both spirituality and Buddhism. Baths started as a practice of spiritual cleansing rather than physical cleaning. This is still reflected today by the practice of cleaning your body before you enter a bath. You will often depictions […]
Many foreigners who come to Japan for the first time know very little about the local dining etiquette. Although most Japanese people will forgive you for making a mistake, it is good to keep a few things in mind beforehand in order to leave an outstanding and lasting first impression. Not sure what to do? […]
Steps to Take to Bring Your Pet to Japan Pets add flavor to our lives. To many people, their pets are as important as a family member. If you wish to be together with your pet when you move to Japan, follow these steps to bring your pet along with you! Step 0: […]
Baseball or “yakyū” (野球), is a cornerstone of the sport culture in Japan. It was adopted from the U.S. in the late 1800’s. Since then, the game has had time to diverge from the American way and develop its own set of rules and traditions. This means that there are plenty of new things to […]