Voices | FOREIGN AGENDA Jul 10, 2019
Tokyo is big, Kyoto is polite, but Osaka's for the Scots
by William Lang
Writer William Lang says the frankness and openness of Osakans is a common trait of the people he remembers from growing up in Glasgow.
How-tos | Age Wise Jun 26, 2019
Deal with clutter while the choice to toss is still yours
by Louise George Kittaka
A big part of retirement is spent organizing your home and your affairs, but tidying experts advise decluttering well beforehand.
Our Lives | JAPAN LITE Jun 23, 2019
A Buddhist priest reflects on growing up on Shiraishi Island during a time of war
by Amy Chavez
Living on an island that was too small to receive direct attacks didn't stop the people living there from having to take extreme measures.
Voices | FOREIGN AGENDA Jun 23, 2019
Cleaning toilets with a smile: The lessons you can learn from a convenience store side job
by Megha Wadhwa
Learning Japanese and want a bit of extra cash? Getting a part-time job in the service industry can teach you a lot more than the language.
Voices | FOREIGN AGENDA May 12, 2019
Memoirs from a Japanese internet cafe
by Damian Flanagan
While some people pine for traditions from Japan's ancient past, it might actually be the more modern things that we'll truly miss.
Voices | FOREIGN AGENDA May 12, 2019
The crush is coming: Make peace with the train
by Christopher Kunody
One false move on the Tokyo transit system can lead to a nasty lesson in survival of the slickest.
How-tos | Age Wise May 1, 2019
Stressing over finances? The community at RetireJapan is here to help
by Louise George Kittaka
Ben Tanaka wanted to take more control over his finances and launched RetireJapan.com to share what he has learned.
Language | BILINGUAL Apr 29, 2019
A few parting words in Japanese for when you retire
by Louise George Kittaka
Japan needed to pass a special law before the Emperor was able to "retire," but for the rest of us the process is a bit easier — as long as you know the vocabulary involved.
How-tos | Age Wise Apr 28, 2019
Retirement in Japan doesn't have to be scary
by Louise George Kittaka
Emperor Akihito will be facing a lot of changes to his routine when he retires this week, but presumably the Imperial Household Agency will take care of all the details of his retirement planning. The rest of us, however, are on our own. That means ...
Our Lives | TELLING LIVES Apr 3, 2019
Joy Waller's 'Pause :: Heartbeat' tackles intimacy and solitude in Tokyo
by Rebecca Saunders
The solitude of losing yourself in techno, pink-tiled facades and rooftops as far as the eye can see, nocturnal intimacy and secret pockets of drug use — this is the lonely underbelly of Tokyo that Joy Waller puts into words in "Pause :: Hearbeat." It's ...
How-tos Mar 27, 2019
How to work with a micromanaging Japanese boss
by Rochelle Kopp
Putting together the slide deck for the presentation had become a never-ending ordeal for Dave. Every time he turned a draft in to his Japanese boss, it would come back with yet another set of things to correct. "How many times do I have to ...
How-tos Feb 25, 2019
In the Japanese workplace, take training into your own hands
by Rochelle Kopp
When I graduated from college and went to work for a consulting firm in Chicago, for the first week I was asked to sit next to someone who had worked there for a couple of years in the same role, who methodically took me ...