From the bustling streets of New York's Little Italy to the vibrant districts of Chinatown in San Francisco and Koreatown in Los Angeles, ethnic enclaves offer glimpses into diverse cultures thriving within foreign countries. As a resident of Japan for the past six years, I have been struck with homesickness more times than I count, often relying on the foreign import store Kaldi or the famous or infamous Don Quijote to get a taste of back home. However, tucked away in Saitama, Japan, lies a hidden gem that may surprise many – Johnson Town. Yes, you read that right, Johnson Town is an Americ ..read more

Your journey to Haneda Airport will now be a breeze with Japan Airlines' (JAL) simple baggage delivery service.  We can now say goodbye to heavy luggage and crowded trains – this guide will show you how to effortlessly send and receive your suitcases from the comfort of your home in the Kanto area! Please note that this service will deliver your bags to Haneda Airport Terminal 3 (International)! Step 1: Since a reservation is required in advance. I recommend making a reservation at least one week before departure but you can make a reservation up to a month in advance! Navigate to the ..read more

I know it seems like all I do is post about traveling recently, but there’s not much else to talk about. My mom arrived safely in Japan for the holidays, so things slowed down quite a bit while trying to ease her into life here. My daughter is in Kindergarten now, and I’ll be teaching her English in earnest from next year. Her language skills are amazing though. I feel like I’m talking to at least a 4-year-old. She’s extremely articulate, probably because of her bookworm parents, so, we will be doing intensive English study, and I guess I can journey that! However, this post is to share an im ..read more

Hello Everyone! I think I am making progress with two blog posts in the same month. I figured I should write one soon because my mom is coming to stay in Japan through the holidays, so I don't think I am going to get much time to sit and write for the next couple of months! Recently, I visited Hakone, Japan for the first time. Living in Kanagawa, Hakone is a popular day trip spot, boasting beautiful nature and clear views of Mt. Fuji. Although less known, compared to other popular tourist destinations, such as Kyoto, Nikko, and Osaka, I find myself wanting to recommend Hakone as a must-see ..read more

It has been such a long time since my last post. However, I have been so busy! There's so much I would like to write about, such as my trip to Sapporo, my daughter turning 3 years old, and more, but today I am going to talk about a short, pleasant surprise that reminded me to slow down and smell the roses. Today, I want to talk about Tama and Sayama Lake! Tama and Sayama Lake are two fresh-water reservoirs located in Northern Tokyo and Saitama. From my location in Yokohama, it took about an hour and a half to travel to Tamako Station. Once arriving at Tamako station, the reservoir was a shor ..read more

Hello Everyone! Has the rainy season got you down? Day after day of rainy, cloudy weather, can definitely put a damper on your mood. In order to fight that, I try to go out as usual but that sometimes means I get caught in the rain, and that's exactly what happened to me last week. My friend and I had made plans to meet up at a café a station over, and although it was raining that morning, it had cleared up around one that afternoon. I decided, against my better judgment, not to take an umbrella. All was well until a few hours later, just as we were walking to the station, big, fat, raindrop ..read more

A few weeks ago a young man stopped by our office and presented us with an envelope full of discount tickets to Konica Minolta Planetaria in Yokohama. I had never been to a planetarium before, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to check it out, as it's only a few minutes walk from my office. So, if you are like me and hadn't a clue what a "planetarium" is, it is like a dome-shaped movie theatre, and the night sky is projected onto it. At the Konica Minolta Planetaria in Yokohama, there are about 4 to 5 different shows that are playing that revolve around stars and the night sk ..read more

Hello Everyone! I came home today to find a huge package in my mailbox. After two months, I’ve finally received my Japanese study materials from Kumon! Although I had been enrolled in a traditional Japanese language school last year, after taking and passing the JLPT N3 after six months, I decided it was time to switch my study plan. WHY? Traditional language school is great if you are aiming to learn Japanese systematically, quickly, and efficiently pass the JLPT. However, it isn’t very practical for people who don’t have the time to dedicate to studying full-time at an institution, don ..read more

Hello Everyone! Its been a while since my last post because I decided to go back in the office and I am also back in Japanese language school. Fortunately, Golden Week, is right around the corner, so I hopefully will have more time to make content when I can catch up on sleep. BACK TO THE OFFICE For the past six months, I was working from home and it was driving me crazy. I worked throughout the night, and while it would seem that I'd have the luxury of having the day to myself, I actually needed to be sleeping, but I never did because...you know...banking hours, ward office tasks, laundry ..read more

The picture above is pretty similar to an average American style lunch box, which includes staples, such as a sandwich with deli meat, and easy to handle fruit. However, you may be surprised to find that Japanese style lunch boxes are much more elaborate, and include food such as fried chicken, snap peas, and baked fish!  Character bentos, or Character lunches, have risen in popularity overseas, and I'm sure you've seen the cute Rilakkuma or Pikachu shaped rice on a bed of lettuce and surrounded by healthy foods. Although I can't say all Japanese parents pack such elaborate lunches for ..read more