Sylvia Saracino « GaijinPot In Japan Blogs

Sylvia Saracino's Posts

Obuse, Japan: Hokusai’s home away from hometown: March 12th, 2010By Sylvia Saracino; Obuse is a peaceful town whose quaint country beauty is enhanced by abundant orchards and sweeping views of distant mountaintops. Known for its idyllic setting and artistic sensibility, this tiny geographical gem is only a half hour train ride away from Nagano City. Its folksy appeal is immediately evident on the short walk from the » Continue Reading; CommentsView Comments

Tokyo Street Fashion: March 4th, 2010By Sylvia Saracino; The Statistical Approach While running around Shinjuku one day, a beautiful, stylish girl with thick, black glasses, perfect, short red nails and a killer angled bob stopped me to ask if her photographer could snap some shots of my outfit. Just the look of K convinced me that the whole thing was legit, but during the » Continue Reading; CommentsView Comments

Zaru the Great: February 24th, 2010By Sylvia Saracino; If you find yourself staying in Japan for a prolonged period of time, you will eventually have to create a space somewhere to put your keys. You might also develop a taste for zarusoba. I personally managed to accomplish both of these things within my first month of living in this country, but never imagined » Continue Reading; CommentsView Comments

Free Stuff in Japan!: February 9th, 2010By Sylvia Saracino; Japan may be famous for its superior customer service, but many foreigners are pleasantly surprised when they discover another, equally fascinating aspect of the country’s commercial culture. When it comes to promotional gifts, the Japanese just might be the most generous marketers on the planet. Though I have accumulated more memorable goods than I could » Continue Reading; CommentsView Comments

30 something: Diversity in the Japanese diet: February 4th, 2010By Sylvia Saracino; Are you eating enough? As the vast majority of modern society worries about eating too much, such a question may seem a bit strange. Though quantity is rarely a problem for people in most developed nations, when it comes to quality, some of your favorite meals may be seriously lacking in substance. As far as » Continue Reading; CommentsView Comments

On Your Mark! – The Great Japanese Stamp Rally: January 27th, 2010By Sylvia Saracino; Perhaps you have noticed the abundance of rubber stamps lurking in random places all across Japan. From the shadowy corners of famous train stations to the celebrated entryways of national monuments, there is usually a special, rubberized carving provided for the commemoration of almost every excursion. They tend to appear in the most unexpected places: » Continue Reading; CommentsView Comments

A bagel and a cup of collagen to go, please – Japanese Beauty Trends: January 15th, 2010By Sylvia Saracino; A Japanese beauty trend involving the consumption of copious amounts of collagen laden food has been gaining fame abroad. Both the New York Times and the Daily Telegraph of London ran stories on the concept this month, exploring its merits and citing Japan’s famous propensity for fads as a probable cause. Perfect skin seekers in » Continue Reading; CommentsView Comments

A Very Quirky Christmas: December 24th, 2009By Sylvia Saracino; Foreigners spending their first Christmas in Japan are often at a loss when it comes to celebrating the biggest Christian and commercial holiday on the calendar. Though things may feel a bit strange at times, there are many ways to make the season bright while others carry on with their regularly scheduled routines. Fake it While plastic » Continue Reading; CommentsView Comments

Scents and Sensibility: Perfume in Japan: December 16th, 2009By Sylvia Saracino; The transition from English speaker to pseudo Japanese happens so quickly that newcomers to Japan find themselves woefully unprepared, both personally and professionally. Those hoping to make a positive first impression upon arrival would be well advised to espouse certain unspoken values from day one. What’s the biggest pot hole just waiting to receive a foreigner’s » Continue Reading; CommentsView Comments

Should You Scrunchie?: November 30th, 2009By Sylvia Saracino; If you do not already live in Japan, please imagine yourself residing in a land where women of all ages nonchalantly sport enormous, colorful scrunchies (or shushu in Japanese) everywhere they go. This is not to say that all the ladies here support the pouf, but I would say the vast majority are certainly not opposed. » Continue Reading; CommentsView Comments