Q&A
Questions about life in Japan answered by those who live it
Hot Topic
7 Answers
Not to be missed culinary experiences
I'm thinking about my next travel destination in Japan and culinary or local produce that I ought to try to savor authentic flavors and preparations. What foods or cuisines do you recommend where you live?
on Feb 10
On Going
19 Answers
What are some good Japanese Dramas for Studying Nihongo?
One of my goals this year to focus on improving my Japanese Language Skill. So I'm looking for good Japanese drama to binge watch at the same time to study. Any recommendations?
on Jan 10
All Questions
3 Answers
Do you have a My Number card?
I never got one - long story, possibly for a blog post! But I am just curious did you get one? From March you can use a My Number card as a driver's license. This interests me so I am now considering getting one. Pros / cons?
on Nov 10
14 Answers
How long does it take to get your PR status?
I am waiting to get permanent status. The official website says it should take about 4 months, but when I called Tokyo Immigration, they said it would take 1 year. What is your experience? :)
on Oct 31
4 Answers
Organizing point cards in an App?
Is there an App where I can save all my point cards (T point, Ponta, GU, D point, Ks Denki etc etc etc)? I like that I can use my smart phone instead of physical cards for cumulating points on point cards, but I don't like the idea of downloading the App for each and every point card I have. Is there an App where I can download / access all my point cards in one place without having to download the App for each and every service / store / company?
on Oct 29
4 Answers
Contributing to your community?
An idea for a grassroots theme: What do you do that contributes to your community, whether it's a tight-knit family endeavor, something you do with a community group, a chamber of commerce, a city project, or a solo initiative? For inspiration and ideas, see my blog - https://www.city-cost.com/blogs/TonetoEdo/GloLq-living_chiba_noda_shi_chiba
on Oct 24
4 Answers
Best App for Autumn leaves live updates in 2024
What's your go-to for live updates of Autumn leaves? The ones I used don't really have live updates for Saitama!
on Oct 15
6 Answers
Which season is your favorite for its food?
One thing I love about autumn is the abundance of tasty treats -- it's probably my favorite time of year for seasonal eating because I love sweet potato, chestnut, and kabocha flavored goodies, and there are so many out there to enjoy. Do you have a favorite time of year for seasonal snacks? Maybe you love the freshness of choc-minty things in summer, the vitamin C packed citruses of winter, or all things sakura in spring. Would love to hear your favorite time of year for eating and why you picked that timeframe!
on Oct 5
3 Answers
What makes your neighborhood great?
I saw recently that Gakugeidaigaku in Tokyo was named one of the world's coolest neighborhoods by TimeOut. It got me thinking though -- what makes your neighborhood in Japan great? Part of why I love my area of rural Niigata is that it really feels like there is community spirit that a lot of places in my home country seem to lack these days. We have neighbors that are like grandparents to our kids, and several neighbors bring us the surplus of their fresh produce that they grow. I also appreciate that even though we're a very small town, we're within walking distance of a shinkansen stop that gets us to Tokyo in 90 minutes. Would love to hear from you as to what makes your neighborhood an enjoyable place to live!
on Sep 29
9 Answers
Adept at chopsticks? Tell us how you learned
A vivid memory from my childhood was my NOT Asian parents pushing me to use chopsticks at the dinner table while eating Chinese and Japanese food. They wanted to prep us for restaurant dining and enjoying meals at the homes of Asian-Canadian coworkers and friends who served food with chopsticks. How did you learn? When?
on Sep 26
6 Answers
Skincare for tweens?
I'm a big fan of Japanese skincare for myself, but my daughter is getting to the age where she will need skincare for herself -- and that's an area of expertise that I haven't yet delved into. I can do some independent research, of course, but if anyone has tween-aged kids and has any good skincare recommendations for that age I'd be very grateful to hear them!
on Sep 23
10 Answers
Fridge recommendations
City Cost thrifty veterans, give me your recommendations! If you read my blogs, you know I cook three meals almost every day. My current fridge, a Daewoo 120 liter model, is starting to give out after 10 years of use. What size would you recommend for a single person who cooks daily? What brands do you swear by? What features are must-haves for home cooks?
on Sep 22
7 Answers
"Pocket money" sites?
With Christmas under 100 days away, it's a time of year where I really try to increase any extra earnings I can make for my household -- obviously there's a lot more outgoing expenses for those of us that celebrate at the tail end of the year. Back when I was a university student in my home country, there were lots of different market research survey sites where you could earn a bit of extra cash and be paid either via direct deposit to your bank account or with gift cards for supermarkets and the like. Does anyone know of any similar sites like that here? Obviously I'm not expecting tons of cash from any of them, but hey -- anything extra helps!
on Sep 19
7 Answers
Christmas/New Year travel spots?
I wrote a blog yesterday on how Tokyo was named the top-searched travel destination for Christmas and New Year's travel by Google for this year. I love Tokyo, of course, and it was my home for several years before moving to Niigata – but I wanted to ask the rest of you about your favorite domestic spots for the festive season. Any places that give you the warm and fuzzy Christmas feelings? Perhaps places with great Christmas markets, illuminations, or anything of that nature would be good suggestions. With so much focus on the big three (Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto) it would be great to get some recommendations outside those places if you have any!
on Sep 19