Japan is a country of tradition. While that has led to it preserving its culture for generations, the adherence to tradition has some downsides. One of these downsides is the attitude towards people with tattoos.

During my studies at university I spent a year as an exchange student in Nagoya and would like to share my experience.

If you want to stay in Japan and have a chance for real career growth or maybe just try something different from teaching, then I have some job ideas for you. All the jobs I’m going to talk about are jobs I’ve done firsthand.

In this article, I explore the following five goods and services which could be of interest to newcomers and seasoned veterans: printing documents and photos; quick cash withdrawals; picking up packages; paying a wide variety of bills; and, of course, food and drink.

No matter where I go in Japan, and no matter how much I like, say, the forests in Kobe or the jungles of Naha I always found myself going back to wilds of Akita.

I know that learning kanji can seem daunting at first, but after a few years one can learn the 1600–2000 main kanji needed for fluency. Beyond those kanji though, there are 4000+ more kanji that even the average Japanese native might not either know how to write or even be able to read.

Japanese love giving gifts during many occasions and it is a part of their culture. New Year, birthdays, weddings, graduation, school entry, child birth etc. are some of the most delighted occasions in which monetary gifts are presented.

Plenty has been written of the exceptional customer service in Japan. Truly, Japanese retail workers treat us like royalty! But what about the other side of these interactions? How does it feel to be the one behind the register?

Often you hear that Japan is one of the safest countries in the world. I had an experience right after I moved to Japan that made me wonder whether that is true.

Japan is a country where ceremonies are a traditional and essential part of the life from the moment of their birth until the day of their last breath. Beginning with the pregnancy period and birth, the life of a Japanese citizen becomes a succession of ceremonies, festivals and traditions to follow.

Although the JLPT has an illusory monopoly on all aspects of certification and assessment concerning Japanese language comprehension, there are TONS of other tests that are still recognized by the Japanese government and businesses alike.

Have you ever considered working in Japan, but are not sure whether the Japanese working culture would suit you? Internships are a nice way of trying out working in Japan for a limited time. Some even come with the chance of a job offer after the internship.