Finding the right place to live can be key to enjoying Tokyo The foreigner that manages to arrive in Tokyo and find themselves in the perfect district straight away is a rare breed. Many have horror stories of ending up on the wrong side of the tracks, finding themselves in cramped housing that becomes too…

Gift giving in Japan is a part of the culture that is much fretted over and largely misunderstood. For westerners, the fear of getting it wrong is a very real and pressing concern, but are we reading too much into it, asks Roddy Charles? Cubic Water Melons Walking into someone’s house with your great, big,…

Warm up your festive season with our guide to preparing mulled wine ‘Tis the season to be jolly, and there is no better way to celebrate than enjoying a glass of mulled wine (excluding the obvious and more traditional methods of spending time with family, giving/receiving presents and convincing your daughter that Santa /does/ exist)….

Budget airlines may be heading for Japan – meaning cheaper trips abroad We have all been there – it’s November and you are thinking of booking a flight for a Christmas holiday, but the prices are ridiculously expensive. For many in Japan, this leads to a difficult choice between struggling for money in the New…

The former Miss Universe Japan talks to J Select about fashion, modeling, and the difference between men and women Many, given the opportunity to meet a famous model, might wonder what to talk about, how to break the ice, and what nuggets of information they could potentially glean from such an experience. Most would, of…

Cruising Around for Ecologically-Friendly Cars Everyone is told that Tokyo’s public transportation network is so efficient that people don’t need cars. But that’s what people who don’t drive say. The benefits of having a car in the city are myriad. When a destination requires train transfers, it can be much quicker to drive. When carrying…

Dante Carver discusses acting, growing up and that SoftBank role ”I always refuse the silly foreigner job. Like I said, I don’t want to get typecast. I try and stick to that rule. Those are the jobs I won’t do.” Those living in Japan and owning a television have no doubt seen the SoftBank commercials…

Writing an article about Craig Mod is quite a challenge, considering how deliberate and careful he is with the content he produces. His homepage stands out from other blogs with beautiful typography, pro-quality photos, and elegant prose composed during retreats into the mountains. Currently a self-employed designer, developer, and publisher, his latest project saw him…

The Wonderful Season of Christmas Cakes in Japan To many Japanese, the image of Christmas is a winter wonderland cloaked in a blanket of white whipped cream, accented by shrubs of succulent strawberries. Indeed, without religious connotations, Christmas in Japan is a holiday that centers on serving a special cake for dessert. In 1910, confectionery…

The exact location of Tamagasuku is difficult to pin down, at least at first glance. A generic name for the original core village, a number of geographical features, historical ruins and a couple of decent beaches have been added to the mix. A good place to start might be the modest town hall, as this…