Living Guide « GaijinPot Blog Network: Japan’s best blogs

Living Guide

The Big Move: November 16th, 2009By Bren Inou; So you have decided to make the journey to the land of the rising sun, the far east or the not so far west depending on your global position. What if you decide to move to another country like Poland or England? Maybe even China or the Phillippines? Well, since I made the move to » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

Do It at Home: Train Manners in Japan: November 11th, 2009By Japheth Worthy; I must say that I really enjoy the rail system in Japan. Coming from Motor City (Detroit, MI) that statement can be seen as a form of heresy. When I first came to Japan though, I would use trains to venture out into the city almost every weekend, but ever since I moved an hour » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

Is Chivalry Dead in Tokyo?: November 9th, 2009By Jessica Korteman; Often people comment on the civility of Japanese train stations: people queuing on the platform in two lines before splitting down the middle into single file when the train arrives to allow room for those disembarking. The platform is marked to indicate precisely where the doors will open on a three or four door train » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

No Insurance does NOT mean No Visa: November 4th, 2009By freechoice; Free Choice has obtained a copy of an ‘internal’ Immigration Bureau document that seems to clarify the issue of foreigners’ enrollment in Japan’s social health care system as a prerequisite for visa renewal. A DPJ Lower House lawmaker, after questioning Justice Minister Chiba about Guideline Number 8, was sent the document via fax from Immigration » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

Houses and Apartments: November 4th, 2009By Japheth Worthy; Houses and apartments resemble each other to an extent in industrialized nations. With that said, houses and apartments vary from country to country and even from city to city in some places. When I first came to Japan I didn’t really know what to expect. Obviously, I knew the houses and apartments would be different; » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

New rules for getting a visa in Japan: October 30th, 2009By Robert Crane; Next year the rules for renewing a visa in Japan change, requiring every foreign resident to undergo a new process in order to extend their stay. Listed below are the key things to keep in mind. » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

When disaster strikes: October 26th, 2009By Sylvia Saracino; Japan has a long history of dealing with Mother Nature’s mood swings. From typhoons to earthquakes to tsunamis, its people have learned the importance of preparing for the worst. Foreigners who move here and wish to develop a similar sense of environmental awareness might want to dedicate an afternoon of their lives to roaming the » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

Budget Shopping in Japan: October 22nd, 2009By Charlene Dy; Shopping in Japan can be expensive especially when you don’t know where to go. But fret not! I’m going to share with you my little hidden spots of outlet shops, vintage boutiques and low-cost shopping – places you can go without you having to give up your sense of style. » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

Kobe City gets involved in immigration/insurance issue – takes national government to task over new guideline: October 22nd, 2009By freechoice; The port city of Kobe, which has a long history of openness and acceptance toward non-Japanese, has sent a letter to Japan’s national government about the new Immigration guidelines. The Kobe City Assembly, chaired by Mr. Kenji Yoshida, has drafted a consensus demanding clarification of the proposed guidelines and the criteria that Immigration will use » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

Book Review: The Year of No Money in Tokyo: October 14th, 2009By Chuck Johnson; Any foreigner who’s been in Japan for a while can tell you that there’s a lot of ups and downs to living life out here. As a country, Japan seems to prize itself on it’s homogeny, and as such, one sees everything from the Japanese government’s 1986 proud announcement of it’s ‘mono-ethnicity’ (despite having a » Continue Reading; CommentsComments