Ah, humidity. Japan is a big place, but a large part of Japan sits with the “humid subtropical climate” zone, characterized by hot, humid summers and mild winters. These long hot and humid summers can be difficult to get used to for someone from a more temperate climate, and create concerns that some people may be unaware of; for example, mold.

H&R Group’s Japan Info Swap, a site containing the best information about living in Tokyo, Nagoya, and throughout Japan, shares with you a variety of ways to rid your home of mold.
Check out their very informative post:

Dealing with Humidity and Mold in Japan

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Japan Info Swap has been set up by the H&R Group as part of its relocation service, to assist expats in Japan by providing useful and easily accessible information to enhance daily living.
Visit their blog, sign up for their newsletter, or download their free e-book about living in Japan.

The post Beat the Heat: Dealing with Humidity and Mold in Japan appeared first on Jarman International KK.

You Are Probably And Sharing Your Japanese Evenings With Large, Striped Tiger Mosquitoes . The Insects Hatch And Begin Hunting For Mammalian Blood In April And Continue Until The First Cold Weather In Fall.

Most of the time the bites cause nothing more than a short-term itch but these bloodsuckers can spread a disease known as Japanese encephalitis that can cause fever, headaches and vomiting for up to two weeks and in rare cases is fatal.

. There are as many approaches to dealing with mosquitoes as there are sufferers Some prefer repellents;. Others are not satisfied until the mosquitoes are eradicated Some restrict their solutions to natural weapons and others will turn to anything that works.

The Japanese Have Actively Battled Their Tormenters For Decades. In 1895 An Exporter Of Mandarin Oranges Named Ueyama Eiichiro Was Introduced To A Crushed Powder From Chrysanthemum Flower Pedals That Acted Like Kryptonite To Biting Insects. Ueyama Blended The Powder, Whose Active Ingredient Was Called Pyrethrin, with a starch base that burned as an incense stick and repelled insects. To prolong the effects of the incense he developed mosquito coils that took the name katori senkō. The green mosquito-slaying coils were a Japanese summer staple for decades.

Ando R Group H’S Japan Info Swap ., Which Has The Best Information About Living In Tokyo, Nagoya, And Throughout Japan, Shares With Us A Variety Of Ways To Combat The Mosquito Scourge Check Out Their Very Informative Post:

Dealing with Mosquitoes at Home in Japan

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Japan Info Swap Has Been Set Up By The H Ando R Group As Part Of Its Relocation Service, To Assist Expats In Japan By Providing Useful And Easily Accessible Information To Enhance Daily Living.
Visit Their Blog , Sign Up For Their Newsletter , Or Download Their Free E -Book About Living In Japan.

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Ignoring Traffic Signals 1.
2. Ignoring Traffic Signs
3. Riding In Pedestrian Only Areas
4. Riding In The Incorrect Traffic Lane
5. Interfering With Pedestrians On Side Of Road / Pavements
6. Entry Into The Railroad Crossing When The Barrier Is Down
7. With The Flow Interference Of Priority (Right-Of-Way) Vehicles At Intersections
8. Interference At Intersections With Right Turning Traffic
9. Interference At Large Artery Intersections That Causes A Breach Of Safety
10. Ignoring Stop Signs
11. Blocking Or Interfering With Pedestrians Sidewalks On
12. Operating A Bicycle Operation Without Brakes
13. Riding A Bicycle After Having Consumed Alcohol
14. Reckless Bicycling

If you have spent much time here already, that last sentence may have come as a surprise, as it looks for all the world like cycling in Japan is a lawless endeavor, with riders beholden to no law but their own. However, there are many rules and regulations pertaining to cyclists, and while many of these laws are frequently ignored and rarely enforced, at this time of year traffic police will be out in numbers, looking to clamp down on infractions.

Before we begin, you can find more information provided by the Japan Traffic Safety Organization in English here, it is a PDF file. This pamphlet goes into more depth than this article.

traffic_safety_english

Ando R Group H’S Japan Info Swap  . Shares With Us More Details About The Bicycle Laws In Japan Check Out Their Very Informative Post:  Bicycling In Japan – Know The Laws .

Japan Info Swap Has Been Set Up By The H Ando R Group As Part Of Its Relocation Service, To Assist Expats In Japan By Providing Useful And Easily Accessible Information To Enhance Daily Living. Visit Their Blog , Sign Up For Their Newsletter , Or Download Their Free E -Book About Living In Japan.

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The Tokyo Thai Festival is one of the largest ethnic festivals held in Japan. One of the most anticipated, too, it’s held in Yoyogi Park each spring. It’s a great place to find excellent Thai food, as well as enjoy a diverse stage schedule including martial arts demonstrations, musicians, dancers, and artists. The festival’s main selling point is Thai food and drink, in copious quantities, prepared by virtually every Thai food restaurant in Tokyo, but you can find a great deal more than that!

Whether you are after pad-thai, green papaya salad, or just a few Singha beers, you will find them all here, as well as a diverse array of entertainment and cultural opportunities.

Ando R Group H’S Japan Info Swap  Shares Full Event Details In Their Post: Thai Festival In Tokyo .

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Japan Info Swap Is Operated By The H Ando R Group As Part Of Its Relocation Service, To Assist Expats In Japan By Providing Useful And Easily Accessible Information To Enhance Daily Living. Visit Their Blog , Sign Up For Their Newsletter , Or Download Their FREE E-Book about living in Japan.

The post Enjoy the Tokyo Thai Festival May 14 and 15 appeared first on Jarman International KK.

Golden Week is the longest public holiday in Japan, and many residents take trips abroad, or go to tourist areas like Kyoto over the break. Trains and airports are usually extremely crowded, and the traffic into any area worth a visit is going to be heavy at best, standstill at worst. Need a hotel? If you haven’t booked one well in advance, you are probably not going to get one during Golden Week.

To sum up, it seems like everyone goes somewhere during this holiday, but if you are not interested or able to leave Tokyo, there are still a wide variety of activities to keep yourself entertained during the Golden Week holiday period.

H&R Group’s Japan Info Swap shares with us some of the more interesting things you can do during the first week in May. Check out their very informative post: Things to do in Tokyo for Golden Week 2016.

Japan Info Swap has been set up by the H&R Group as part of its relocation service, to assist expats in Japan by providing useful and easily accessible information to enhance daily living. Visit their blog, sign up for their newsletter, or download their free e-book about living in Japan.

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However, one place where it can be argued that the Japanese are letting themselves down is in the organic and natural foods department. Most of us have come from countries where the majority of supermarkets have a large organic selection, and the only reason it may not is if said supermarket only sells organic goods. The same can not be said of Japan, unfortunately, and organic pickings are thin on the ground.

Albeit slowly, things are, thankfully changing and there are a few places that stock either organic or pesticide-free goods. The trick is in finding where you can get them.

H&R Group’s Japan Info Swap shares with us a few of the more popular organic supermarkets as well as farmer’s markets in the Tokyo area. Check out their informative post: Eating Organic in Tokyo.

Japan Info Swap has been set up by the H&R Group as part of its relocation service, to assist expats in Japan by providing useful and easily accessible information to enhance daily living. Visit their blog, sign up for their newsletter, or download their free e-book about living in Japan.

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Wherever your tastebuds lie on the shellfish enthusiasm, scale, Hiroshima’s diverse methods of preparation, the season’s swell of availability, and related drop in prices, are sure to keep your mind and mouth open to the possibilities.

If you’re most familiar with your oysters served on the half-shell, you may be surprised to discover some of the popular Japanese options. Although you can find some delicious ‘nama-gaki’, raw oysters, around Hiroshima, the Japanese specialties usually involve some heat. Most common is the ‘kaki fry’ or fried oysters, which are served mostly in set meals with Worcestershire or tartar sauce on the side.

The fried oysters are widely available at many restaurants and even supermarkets during the winter months in Hiroshima. A set meal featuring kaki-fry will usually set you back between 1000-1500 yen, and you can typically buy a package of them at the grocery store for around 500 yen.

Hiroshima Oyster Road 
This is the name given to a few restaurants that open both seasonally and year-around for oyster-lovers in Hiroshima. Here are two of its popular restaurants to try:

Oyster Hut Ujina
Open: (seasonally from October 24, 2015) 10:30am-9:00pm
Location: in Hiroshima Minato Park, Ujinakaigan 1-chome, Minami-ku, Hiroshima City
Official Website (Japanese): http://www.hiroshima-oyster.com/area/

Oyster Hut Fukuromachi
Open: (all year) 5:00pm-12:00am
Location: 8-11 Fukuromachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City
Closed: Sundays
Official Website (Japanese): http://umihei.com/

If you make your way to Miyajima island, there are many stalls that sell another version of the oysters, grilled. It’s a great way to test out the idea of cooking the shellfish that won’t break the bank. At most stalls you can buy 3 shells for 500 yen, and during this season the streets are even more crowded with vendors selling the juicy dish.

The most popular area to get your oyster fill is anywhere along Omotesando, the shopping street.

Omotesando
Reference website (English)

To continue reading a full story and learn about Oyster Season in Hiroshima, please click Getting Into the Spirit of  the Hiroshima Oyster Season

*Original article published on Japan Info Swap, which is full of timely and useful information in English about Japan for expats by the H&R Group.
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As well as religious activities, there are many other non-secular events in Tokyo at the turn of the year, and below are Japan Info Swap’s pick of the bunch.

Meiji Jingu Hatsumode

As one of the top three shrines in Japan Meiji is the most popular shrine to visit for Hatsumode, and will attract over 3.1 million people over the first three days of the year. In recent times it has been considered a power spot, from where pilgrims can draw power for the coming year.

As can be expected, with so many visitors, people queue for hours to for their first prayer, though many do not wait to get to the front of the queue, instead tossing their coins far over people’s heads in order to make their ritual donation.

Meiji Jingu Shrine
1-1, Kamizono-cho, Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
03-3379-5511
www.meijijingu.or.jp/english
Map

Asakusa Kannon Hatsumode

Asakusa shrine is one of the 840 important shrines in Japan and is another popular hatsumode spot. In previous times the Sensoji temple closed its doors on New Year’s Eve, only opening them at midnight, however as the temple has grown in popularity this practice has been discontinued to protect the thronging crowds. At midnight parishioners ring the joya-no-kane (New Year bells) 108 times and amulets go on sale to promote good luck for the coming year.

From January 1 to 6, a Buddhist ceremony called Shushou-e is held to pray for good luck and happiness in the coming year and to drive out evil spirits.

Asakusa kannon Shrine
2-3-1, Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
03-3844-1575
www.asakusajinja.jp/english
Map

To continue reading a full story and learn about Hatsumode in Tokyo, please click Hatsumode in Tokyo -Shrines to Visit for New Years

*This article is brought to you by Mark Guthrie from Japan Info Swap, which is full of timely and useful information in English about Japan for expats by the H&R Group.
Who is the H&R Group?

Image: flicker.com “People making their prayers” by Edmund Yeo (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Image: By Rs1421 (Own Work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Image: By Aimaimyi (Own Work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The post Shrines in Tokyo – Hatsumode to Visit for New Years appeared first on Jarman International KK.

Japanese Martial Arts

Martial arts in Japan have their ancient origins in the times when the caste based society meant that only the samurai class were permitted to carry weapons, thus making knowledge of hand-to-hand combat imperative for all aspects of society. Japanese martial arts can be separated into two classes: Koryu, the traditional school referring to codes such sumo, jujutsu and the various forms of swordsmanship that were used pre-Meiji Restoration on the battlefield; and gendai budo, modern, post-Meiji sports such as karate, kengo and judo that have more emphasis on self-improvement than warrior combat.

Martial Arts Lessons in Tokyo

If you are interested in taking part in a martial art during your stay in Japan, there are plenty of classes you can join. The dojos (training schools) listed below offer at least some instruction in English.

Japan Karate Association – ISKC Karate
Classes taught in English by Richard sensei, a certified JKA instructor.

Address: Meguro Honshou 5-22-8, Meguro-ku
Website: www.jka.or.jp (Japanese)
Telephone: 03-5800-3091
Email: iskctaishijuku@yahoo.co.uk (Richard sensei)

Japan Karate Association – Shimokitazawa
Current karate practitioners who cannot speak Japanese are welcome, though for beginners, some basic level Japanese is required.

Address: Shimokita 3-30-13, Setagaya-ku
Website: http://jka-shimokita.jp/ (Japanese)
Telephone: 03-3469-5295
Email: miwako-abe@athena.ocn.ne.jp

To continue reading a full story and learn about 9 more training classes, please click Martial Arts Lesson in English: Tokyo.

*Original article published on Japan Info Swap, which is full of timely and useful informaiton in English about Japan for expats by the H&R Group.
Who is the H&R Group?

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While the city has well organized public transport systems including low cost day trip bus passes that are perfect for visitors wanting to get around, at this time of year busses are trains can be extremely busy as every man and his dog flocks them to one time capital. If you want to avoid the crush but see everything this beautiful city has to offer, a great idea is to join one of the many bicycle tours of Kyoto Japan .

Cycle Kyoto

On the back of their success with Cycle Osaka, Cycle Kyoto have branched out to bring their experience of running small group cycle tours to Kyoto. Whilst understanding that hitting the big name sites is important, they also believe that it is the city – the narrow streets, the food vendors, the riverside paths – that take a great day trip and turn it into something fantastic. And when you are finished you can refresh with a shower and a cold beer at their beautiful old house just one minute from the station.

Cost: 6,000 -10,000 JPY for four and seven hour tours, respectively
Website: www. cyclekyoto.net

Kyoto Cycling Tour Project

Kyoto Cycling Tour Project have various tours when take in different parts of the city. If there is a particular site you want to hit, they can take you there, or if you just want to meander the back streets, that is available too. There are five courses to choose from, or they can make a custom tour to match your requirements. Apart from the full Kyoto package, tours tend to be on the short side – up to 3.5 hours – meaning that tourists of all fitness levels can take part.

Cost: Costs range from 5,500 – 13,200 JPY per person based on a 4 person tour.
Website: www.kctp.net

Urban Adventures

With operation in 124 cities across 84 countries Urban Adventures claim to offer an experience for those who want to get off the beaten path and really connect with a destination, taking travelers to interesting places to meet locals, and to really see what makes a place tick. Their three hour Kyoto tour takes in shrines, canals, the Path of Philosophy and educates on the history of the city.

Cost: 6,666 – 7,407 JPY
Website: www.urbanadventurs.com

To continue reading a full story and learn more, please click Bicycle tours of Kyoto.

*Original article published on Japan Info Swap, which is full of timely and useful informaiton in English about Japan for expats by the H&R Group.
Who is the H&R Group?

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