List/Grid Everyday life Subscribe RSS feed of category Everyday life
Recycling in Japan
Recycling in Japan can be really complicated because the system is different from one country to another! Here, there is a quick summary of the most important things to know: Types What to do ? Where to put them ? Collection day Recyclable Ressources PET Plastic bottles Rince them Put them in a plastic bag until you can sort them on the collection day Colored boxes are available near the blue nets or in your home for sorting: – Yellow: glass – Blue: cans – Green: plastic bottles Wednesday Cans Glass bottles Plastic containers (shampoo, conditioner etc.) Newspapers not wrinkled / not ripped Stacked by type of product and tie with…
The combini !
All those who have been to Japan know what a combini is and have experienced it at least once. The word “combini” is actually short for convenience store. You can find these shops at every street corner and they are open 24/7, all year round (even on holidays). First you can find anything to eat on the go: bento (the famous Japanese lunch boxes), cup ramen (instant noodles), onigiri (Japanese rice balls), hot and cold drinks, ice cream, sweets, candies, desserts, etc. But there are also magazines (and manga!) and many stuff like toilet paper, shampoo, tissues, cigarettes, batteries, umbrellas, etc. It is clear that there is everything a basic…
Tokyo City View ～miku café～
4/26（FRI） – 6/16（SUN） Experience the world of Hatsune Miku – a phenomenon created through the interaction of diverse creators and users. “Hatsune Miku” (music software that enables its users to create vocals by just typing in lyrics and melody) is one of the featured contributors in the 10th anniversary “LOVE” exhibition at Mori Art Museum, and the inspiration of “miku café”, a special event held at Tokyo City View from 4/26 (FRI). Place： Tokyo City View MADO LOUNGE SPICE（Mori Tower 52F） Time： 11:00～23:00（［last order］food 22:00/drink 22:30） Cooperation： Crypton Future Media, INC. http://www.roppongihills.com/en/events/2013_04.html
Japanese people wearing masks
It is a well-known fact in Japan, wearing surgical masks is quite common. We may have just discovered masks in Western countries because of swine flu, but it is not new in Japan. There are actually many reasons. Lots of us think that Japanese people wear masks to protect themselves from high pollution or contamination because of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. But this is not true. Japanese people actually wear masks to avoid spreading bacteria and viruses, whether they are sick or not. The possibility of contamination is actually high in Japan, because of the population density, especially in big cities like Tokyo and on public transports. Thus in Japan…
Pay by cash in Japan
It can be very surprising to pay by cash all the time in a country at the cutting edge of technology. Hopefully, Japan is one of the safest country in the world, so don’t worry to carry a large amount of cash! Before arriving in Japan, don’t forget to check your withdrawal limit per day or per week because all is paid by cash, even your rent, so you can reach your withdrawal limit very quickly! There is no need to buy Japanese yens before arriving in Japan because the commission (about 3%) is higher than in the airports and ATMs. In Japan, there are few ATMs that accept international…
Please take off your shoes!
Many of us have probably heard of this Japanese custom: to take off your shoes at home. All Japanese homes, as well as Buddhist temples and other buildings where you are to remove your shoes have a space provided for this: it is a sort of vestibule at the entrance called the “genkan”. It might sound strange to Westerners, but this small space designed for shoes is an integral part of Japanese architecture. This custom goes back to the Heian period. At the time, there were genkan in all Zen temples: by taking off our shoes, we agreed to obey the Buddhist precepts. Then over the years there were genkan…
A well hidden little attraction that is not to be missed if in Tokyo, The Golden Gai.
Golden Gai, Shinjuku, Tokyo Golden Gai located just a few minutes’ walk from the East Exit of Shinjuku Station, it is located between Shinjuku City Office and the Hanazono Shrine. Golden Gai known for its architectural attraction and its nightlife, this is one those experiences in Japan that is a must-see, if it is not on your to do list, make sure it is added! Golden Gai was known for prostitution before 1958, when prostitution became illegal. Since then it has been developed as a drinking area, and some of the bars can trace their origins back to the 1960’s to the 1980’s, many buildings in Tokyo were set on…
French literature in Tokyo? …It’s possible!
Sometimes you may want to read a small book on the train or in our house. Depending on the distance wherever in Japan it is not easy to gain access of a French literature book. You can always order on the Internet but it is relatively expensive or another option is to go to the Japanese library, however the selection is very few. If you are searching for books for yourself or for your children, you will have to make a small tour to Omeisha or the French-Japanese bookshop center in Itabashi. Omeisha is a small French bookshop situated in Iidabashi. In the store, there numerous bookeshelves and they are…
How to find a way in Tokyo?
I need help! I don’t speak Japanese! How to find a way in Tokyo? Being arrived in Tokyo unable to read or write, I felt lost and alone more than once! You may have heard rumors about Japan where nobody can speak English … Put things in their context! Japanese people are sometimes perfectionists in the tasks they undertake. Therefore, many of them refuse to speak English because it would be a shame. But I realized something: The question is not “Excuse me, do you speak English?” but rather “Excuse me, do you understand English?”. This sentence saved me numerous times! If it is hard for them to talk, why… [...] »