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.

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From late May to the end of July, people across Japan are treated to all manner of wet, from occasional sprinkles to intensive downpours. Add in the heat and humidity, and you can imagine how uncomfortable tsuyu can be. Trains become seemingly more packed and people more grumbly, the simply act of walking from point A to point B becomes an exercise in staying cool and dry. That’s probably why most people tend to stay indoors with air conditioners blowing full blast. And then, when tsuyu’s over, the nation sizzles for a few more weeks with the temperatures soaring past 30 degrees, while workers enter “Cool Biz” mode.

It can seem there’s no escape, sometimes. But there are, and here we present links to a few articles that deal with just how you can beat the heat in Japan.

Easy and Affordable Ways to Beat Tsuyu (the Rainy Season)

Another Easy and Affordable Way to Beat Tsuyu (the Rainy Season)

How to Beat Japanese Summer Heat When Traveling in Japan?

Article By *  Lee Reeve , Originally Published On Deep Japan
—– Deep Japan – Experienced Senpai Living In And Enjoying Japan Offer Inside-Knowledge On How To Make Your Trip Real, Interesting And Above All, Unforgettable.

The Deep Japan Join Senpai Team – Anyone Currently Living In Japan For A Year Or More Who Can Write Tips For Visitors In English Is Welcome To Register  On Deep Japan As A Writer.

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Imagine sitting with a paint brush in hand, a palette full of colors in the other, sitting in front of a blank canvass. Sounds a bit intimidating, perhaps? Well, at ArtBar Tokyo, this is exactly what groups of people regularly do and have a blast doing it. I participated in my first ArtBar experience a few nights ago, and can not recommend it enough.

Copy-and-pasted from their website:

“Artbar painting sessions are for the art enthusiast -… From beginner to expert we make it fun for all That being said, no prior art experience is welcomed and encouraged Simply sign up for a painting session based on your preference and schedule We provide all of the supplies!

Our artist instructors will then lead you, step-by-step so you can watch your painting unfold from a blank canvas to your own-personal masterpiece. By the end of the session, you will have your own original artwork and some new creative talents to take home with you!

At Artbar, we believe life is too short to not be inspired! So join us to get creative without inhibitions. ”

When my session first started, you could feel the tension in the air. People kept reminding each other how much of a beginner they were and how they expected their paintings not to be much more than splotches of mess. But after a few glasses of wine (included in the the participation fee), nerves relaxed, and before you know it people were too focused in what they were painting to talk.

During the session, we were assisted and encouraged by our instructor, who not only gave us tips and techniques to use, but also taught us how to make the most of our time and inexperience.

After all was said and done, we held a mini-exhibition and talked about our work. As an artist and art teacher myself, I was extremely impressed by the results of my peers. I found it amazing what we were able to achieve in the limited space and time we had – and all the while imbibing alcohol!

It was an incredibly fun evening, and one I look forward to experiencing it again I highly recommend you give it a go -. Just check their website or Facebook page (see below) for upcoming events!

ACCESS

Daikanyama-Cho 9-7
Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo

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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.

The post Eating Organic in Tokyo appeared first on Jarman International KK.

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H&R’s motto says it all: more than relocation.

This is a company which places lifestyle in the forefront. With properties spanning Japan’s largest and most vibrant cities, H&R helps you fine tune every detail no matter how big or small, in order to minimize the hardships and inconveniences of relocation; a breath of fresh air in a fast-paced and dynamic society.

The level of adjustment and adaptation required of changing environments is truly up to you. Do you simply need new residence, and require little else in terms of assistance? Or does your fine-tuned lifestyle in your home country require serious effort to make a successful transfer? H&R Consultants unite a unique roster of services that allow you to be in complete control of your destiny here in Japan. From residence to shopping to leisure, no matter how concise or how complex your demands may be, you won’t be disappointed here.

Get started right away in Japan with H&R’s apartment search

Relo Japan
-Provides dependable services to connect your individual needs as a parent, businessperson, and anything in-between, to the bountiful facilities and opportunities Japan’s cities have to offer. Schooling, shopping, health care, credit cards, you name it, Relo-Japan together with H&R Consultants will plug you into Japan, and have you up and running at full speed virtually upon arrival.

Follow Relo Japan on Facebook

Lease Japan
-Living in Tokyo, or other metropolitan areas of Japan, is as you may know, very conveniently, quickly, and easily navigated using public transportation. However, your specific situation may require you to have constant access to a car. Not to mention the fact that having the capability to take a day trip to the many fantastic countrysides, hot springs, or beaches nearby is quite appealing. Or you may just be a motor-head and can’t imagine life without a car!

It goes without saying that all the technicalities can be left in the hands of the professionals at Lease Japan; you’ll be insured and behind the wheel without having to step foot into the Japanese DMV.

Japan Info Swap (link)

Jarman International does its best to provide you with all the tools, information, and confidence to do great things here in Japan. But, like reading the news, it’s always good to have multiple sources at hand.

So, we have taken it upon ourselves to always make many sources available to you! H&R consultants have many active resources to physically move you and get you situated in Japan, but they also have a great database and discussion board for quick and easy consultation.

Japan Info Swap

H&R Customer Responses

What are H&R Group’s customers saying about their services? Moving to Japan can be a difficult process in many ways, and it’s moreover a stressful situation that can exacerbate even small mishaps to a serious level of irritation. Despite the potentially touchy process, H&R follows through with diligence, and understanding to make this process easy on you.

“I cannot image what would it be like without your help. You did such a great job that made our challenges seem transparent.”

This last comment sums up the value that a thorough company dedicated to customer service can provide clients. At the end of the day, small details take a far back seat to peace of mind. No amount of money or time is worth being able to take a deep breath and understand that your needs will be taken care of successfully.

Read more customer responses who have used H&R for their Japan relocation here

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This sets an interesting precedent, and I believe there are arguments for either side. One on hand, preparing for your trip by laying out sights and destinations beforehand to maximize your time is a good approach, whereas traveling with little to no plan can provide for some very unexpected and unique experiences you may have missed of you were buried in your guidebook the whole time. At the end of the day however, if it is a short term engagement, you are a tourist, and you have to think about what sort of tourist you will be.

What does it really mean to be a tourist? And what does it mean to go sightseeing? The image surrounding sightseeing in my opinion has always contained a fundamental disconnect with the cultural substance of a destination. Sightseeing in terms of its own definition sums it up very concisely: we are here to see, look, and observe, without getting too uncomfortably close. Of course, sightseeing is just a term that has stuck with the greater overarching concept of tourism, which extends the travel experience past just seeing; to smelling, touching, hearing, and tasting. Tourism campaigns from travel agencies attempt to break down the notions of simple” sightseeing”, and bring us closer to the cultural substance of a country, by facilitating an experience, to allow us to break into a culture and truly get our feet wet.

But there is still a disconnect with the culture of your destination if you are allowing your “experience” to be facilitated on your behalf. Tour companies will not give you the tools to function smoothly on your own, as that would be counterproductive to the tourism industry. Many people thus opt for the unguided, backpacking adventure through a foreign country, which of course is all well and good, especially in terms of cost. This is where the real question I want to ask emerges: how much legwork are you willing to do in terms of actual cultural research before you travel? In other words, what can you do to become a “better” tourist, such that your short time spent abroad can be full of not just sights and smells, but true interactions with the cultural ecosystem?

Many sites and guidebooks give a brief overview on things such as manners and customs, and then bombard you with activities to fill the duration of your trip with. However, the most fulfilling moments of a trip are not necessarily the breathtaking moments when Mt. Fuji opens up to you in the cloudless autumn evening sky, but perhaps the moments when the Japanese people who have randomly joined your outing laugh benevolently when you know to hold your cup low with two hands while they pour you a drink. Or perhaps that moment when you understand what this image means on the train and give your seat to a woman who thanks you with a smile.

That is not to say that your whole visit to Japan should be spent worrying about how to fit in better, or how to adapt to local customs perfectly (because that takes a lifetime plus), but there are certain tidbits of info that will give you an edge in your travel. Not necessarily from an arrogant standpoint, but many of these tips will be taken for granted by Japanese people, as it is common unconscious knowledge, so it is up to those of us living and working in Japan to dig deep, and figure out how to redefine and furthermore enhance the stale definition of “tourist”. Think about what you would have loved to know your first time you stepped off the plane…

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Trash is one of the most uncontrollable elements of our modernized world. Not just trash on the street or in our homes, but trash where we can’t see it, in the ocean, under the ground, incinerated and sent into the atmosphere. “Waste” is inevitable, but we have to do all we can to not let our every day lives become overrun. Everyone has different tolerance levels and definitions for trash, but one thing that all will agree on is that there is a breaking point, and trash is something that can’t go unattended forever.

The issue goes deeper than just physical trash like snack wrappers and tire treads however. As human beings living so close to one another, we are, or ought to be, concerned about the effect our activities and consumption have on the cleanliness and comfort of those around us. Eating sunflower seeds and leaving the shells strewn about, discarding cigarette butts on public walkways, even talking loudly or using make up and hair products in close proximity of others is something to be conscious of.

This is where the notoriously clean image of Japan begins. People are very concerned what effect their actions have on others as well as what others think of them.

Imagine, that all the trash in the world disappeared, and all countries around the world had a clean start. The primary determining factor in just how much trash missed the trashcans and made its way onto the street would be cultural habits. Perhaps Americans or Chinese to some extent wouldn’t mind being seen as ‘that guy’ who littered. Maybe others would litter secretly, so as not to attract attention and shame. Japan however, has a very pronounced cultural mindset of awareness of and sensitivity to one’s surroundings, and moreover respect for the public harmony. In a word, because other people aren’t littering, you won’t litter either. It is a common habit of humans to seek justification in the actions of others for an action they know is inherently wrong: look to see if others are doing it first, then somehow it becomes ‘ok’. It only takes a few to start a trend, and from there it’s a downhill spiral that could take generations to correct, or quite possibly be irreparable altogether. Japan has fortunately managed to not allow the littering trend to begin, and thanks to Japanese peoples’ (at times excessive) concern and awareness for public harmony, even the busy streets of Tokyo are clean.

It’s not as though Japan doesn’t generate any trash. It seems that at times Japanese snacks and products use an excess of plastic. Lunch boxes from convenience stores leave you with a half full stomach and a large empty tray and wooden chopsticks, and a plastic bag of course. On top of this, there are basically little to no public trash cans aside from convenience stores and grocery stores, and sparsely in major train stations.

So what to do with the trash? It may seem troublesome, but you need to figure out a system to manage your trash until you can dispose of it properly. Crush cans, combine bags and trays into one unit, put it all in your backpack, find a convenience store. There are many options, but being in such a clean environment, there is one thing that is absolutely not an option: littering. If you have been to Japan, and even if you yourself are the type to let a bit of litter slide every now and then, you will be compelled to keep Japan clean. And also, sort and recycle. It’s not only common sense, it’s also very easy, and one of the first habits you should have when living in an urban environment.

Glass bottles, Plastic bottles, Cans, Plastics, Newspaper/cardboard, Paper/wood

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After arriving in Japan, many are, more often than not, very surprised and impressed with the efficiency and speed of Japan’s postal and delivery services. In addition to Japan Postal Service, there are multiple independent shipping companies, but the one that literally dominates the market is called “Kuro-neko Yamato”, (Kuro-neko=black cat) or generally just Yamato in English. Personal Shipping in Japan is called “Ta-kyuu-bin” (宅急便　lit. house fast postal).

Yamato has various options for shipping. Shipping can be done from any one of their outpost locations, you can request items be picked up at your own home by phone or internet, or perhaps the thing which makes them the most reliable and widely used is that items can be shipped from convenience stores at your leisure anywhere in the country. They of course offer international options as well, at a much more competitive rate than the national postal service.

It’s difficult to go even a day in an urban area in Japan without seeing the Yamato logo in one way or another making the rounds around town, as they may be delivering anything as simple as a few documents, to a large piece of furniture. Yamato operates in tiers so to speak of shipping methods, so even if you are not on the main roads, it is common to see workers on bikes or motorcycles making local deliveries in neighborhoods.

This has actually been common practice for some time with multiple shipping companies in Japan. Aside from the fact that it saves money, navigating through Japanese neighborhoods is simply infeasible in terms of space and maneuverability. Even on some of the main roads where you may have to turn into a neighborhood, a bicycle is the solution for smooth, and moreover safe navigation of the windy thin roads of Tokyo neighborhoods for example.

This is another common sight in Japanese cities. Used for larger objects, and the unique “Cool-ta-kyuu-bin”, which is very popular for shipping local delicacies to family members far away (this service keeps food frozen or fresh, and delivers it at top speed). Just stay out of their way, because they’re on a mission to have the quickest and most reliable postal service ever.

The post Sending a Parcel Home? To a Friend? appeared first on Jarman International KK.

• No right turns on a red light (left in Japan’s case)
• Cars can cross pedestrian crosswalks while pedestrians are present
• Some neighborhood streets are only one lane wide, but not one-way.

• Pedestrians do not necessarily have the right of way
• Most people will go through a red light after it has changed, but before the signal on the waiting side has changed. Always make sure it is safe before going
• People do not hesitate to go if there is space and time. Do not assume someone will wait or yield for you
  • This also applies when walking through crowded train stations and such

•  Always signal all turns, no exceptions. The streets are narrow and traffic moves quickly. You must do all you can to let people know your intentions.

• Pedestrians and cyclists can be very aggressive and reckless. You must focus on the road at all times and be ready to stop in case of an emergency.
• Hesitation is the most dangerous thing on the road in Japan. Drive with conviction, and you will be on the same thinking plane as other drivers.

Naturally, driving in Tokyo or another big city in Japan can be seemingly hectic. But once you have adapted to the style of driving with precision and conviction, you will find that Japan has significantly less traffic accidents than other heavily industrialized countries.

While it is true that many cars have sensors to indicate if you are going to collide with something, most people who have been driving in Tokyo for some time have parking under any conditions dialed out pretty well. After living here, I really don’t ever want to hear another one of my friends complain about how parallel parking is “too hard”

Plenty of room right? This picture is actually from a car sensor advertisement. I mean, I have seen parking jobs even tougher than this done with older cars, but I suppose you have to be a cut above to be able to feel out something like this. Always fold in your mirrors!

SubmitLinkURL Web Directory Blog Directory

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