AkihabaraTokyo · JapanThe archive
Browse articles from blog.gaijinpot.com in the Akihabara archive.
When Japanese bookshops opened up at midnight on Feb. 24 for his book launch event, Haruki Murakami was back in the news and back on our shelves. Although no publication date has yet been set for the…
Way back in 2008, Japanese people literally went bananas over a new diet centered around the yellow fruit. Dreamed up by a pharmacist in Osaka, within weeks of the Morning Banana Diet’s debut, sales …
For many travelers, getting to live like a local and having the opportunity to connect with new people is a big priority. In Japan, this can be challenging due to the language barrier. Since half of …
When the bell rings after 4th period, it’s time for lunch. I need to bring my brimming tray from the staffroom to the class I’m eating with today. A whirlwind of activity threatens my careful as…
With one of the world’s longest-living populations, it’s not much of a surprise that spending time in Japan can have a positive impact on your health. Although people’s bodies (and minds) do rea…
Back in mid-January, I was somewhat surprised to read that the Japanese Immigration Bureau had announced a relaxation of some of its immigration rules for skilled foreign workers. Until rec…
When I was first in Japan I was texting a female friend who was studying in the same class as me. I told her that I had a Japanese exam coming up. I was expecting a 頑張れ message but instead I got a sm…
Having bad neighbors can be a nightmare. Having bad neighbors in Japan, with its bureaucratic mountain to climb, a language barrier to overcome and not wanting to upset the wa (harmony) between every…
The Snow Festival, which is being held in Sapporo’s Oodori Park through February 12, 2017, features 116 different snow sculptures of all different sizes. One of the highlights is a recreation of Nara…
It may surprise you to know there are close to 100 different gestures regularly used by Japanese people to communicate with friends, colleagues and the general public. While most of those used by Wes…
