Contributor

Matthew Coslett

After his 6 month stay got extended to 6 years, Matthew decided just to stay. As well as writing about his beloved Kansai, he spends hours in the middle of nowhere looking for wildlife and searching for the parts of the city most people ignore.

Articles

Culture

Modern Japanese Monsters and Their Folklore Equivalents

As anime writers get more creative, they often depart from the original versions of the traditional creatures and create their own spin.

By 5 min read

Learn

Is a Japanese Language School Better Than Self-Study?

Explore the pros and cons of enrolling in a language school versus self-study methods for mastering Japanese, and discover which approach best suits your learning style.

By 5 min read

Culture

Temples and Shrines Devoted to Mythical Creatures in Japan

Exploring sacred places in Japan for ghost, demons and tricksters.

By 5 min read

Live

More Essential Items for Your New Apartment in Japan

You just moved into you new apartment—do you have everything you need? Here is a list over what you might need, from oven filters to mold killers and more.

By 4 min read

Explore

Visit The Sites of Japan’s Historic Battles

Visit the decisive battles of the Warring States Period at the sites of its major battles.

By 5 min read

Explore

Foraging in Japan: Where to Look and How to Get Started

Foraging can be a new and rewarding way to experience (and taste) Japan’s wilderness. Here are some of the best places to try it. 

By 5 min read

Live

From Lease to Keys: Buying Your Apartment in Japan

It can seem like a dream to move from renting to owning your own property, however, there are a number of pitfalls awaiting the unwary. 

By 5 min read

Explore

Secret Symbols: Exploring Pentagrams at Seimei Shrine

Why is a temple full of pentagrams near the Kyoto Imperial Palace? GaijinPot shares one of Japan’s most secret symbols. 

By 4 min read

Learn

Decoding Japanese Net-Speak: Unveiling Online Abbreviations

Young Japanese people have mastered reducing complicated Japanese phrases to a couple of Roman letters. From KY to DQN, let's look at some of these online code words.

By 4 min read

Learn

The Many Words for Holiday in Japan

The Japanese have a lot of different words for holidays, GaijinPot investigates some of the most common.

By 3 min read

Learn

Kanji Cheat Sheet: Buying Hay Fever Medication in Japan

Achoo! Hay fever season is back with a vengeance. Get rid of your sniffles with this seasonal vocabulary.

By 2 min read

Live

Everything You Need to Know About Being Paid to Leave Tokyo

Families are being paid to leave Tokyo for the Japanese countryside, but there may be several catches.

By 4 min read