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Emobile and Tomomi Itano from AKB48 TV commercial:

Emobile and Tomomi Itano from AKB48

AKB48 singer Tomomi Itano, wearing a sexy animal print costume, walks with a lion in a commercial for Emobile’s Pocket Wi-Fi device that connects to the 3G network automatically and works as a Wi-Fi access point... » 続き
‘Gurokawa’ (grotesquely cute) fashion styles

‘Gurokawa’ (grotesquely cute)

Have you ever heard of the Japanese slang expression “gurokawa?” It’s a combination of the katakana words for grotesque and cute and is used to describe a distinct fashion style or character. Here are a few... » 続き
More answers for how foreigners’ daily lives change when they live in Japan

More answers for how foreigners’ daily lives change

Last week, GaijinPot had a story on “How foreigners’ daily lives change when they live in Japan.” It got a big response from readers on GaijinPot and the Japan Today website. We did a short survey on the topic on... » 続き
Where to buy the best chocolate for Valentine’s Day in Tokyo

Where to buy the best chocolate

We mentioned how Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Japan in the article “Lots of chocolate, but little love on Valentine’s Day in Japan“. Between now and Feb 22, Japanese retailers turn into a paradise for chocolate... » 続き
Lots of chocolate, but little love on Valentine’s Day in Japan

Lots of chocolate, but little love

Ah, Valentine’s Day. That most romantic of times is just around the corner. That means roses and chocolates, right? Wrong. Guys, take note. If you get a whole lot of chocolates from women in your office on... » 続き
Check out the GaijinPot video section on YouTube

Check out the GaijinPot video section

Many people know GaijinPot as a premier site for jobs, apartments and various information about life for the foreign community. But did you know that GaijinPot also distributes videos about Japan on YouTube? ... » 続き
Honor and loyalty

Honor

From a scene in the movie, "Gladiator" In a prison cell: Gracchus: And after your glorious coup, what then? You take your five thousand and… leave? Maximus: Yes, I will leave. The soldiers will stay here for... » 続き
Exhibition of family photos retrieved from tsunami debris in Miyagi

Exhibition of family photos

An exhibition of photos recovered from tsunami debris in Miyagi Prefecture is being held at the Akaaka Gallery in Tokyo’s Nishi-Azabu area until Feb 11. The Lost & Found Project shows more than 1,500 photos of... » 続き
What do you like most about living in Japan?

What do you like most

– My top 3: 1. The transportation system-You can get practically anywhere without having to rely on an automobile. 2. The food-generally is very good. And in the larger cities you can get good variety of... » 続き
Staff Service with Cyborg TV commercial of the week:

Staff Service with Cyborg

This commercial is for Staff Service which is a big recruiting company. Staff Service currently shows two kinds of Cyborg commercial series. One features the Cyborg temp worker 022 (the number “022″ refers ... » 続き
Rapping with Samurai Boy

Rapping

The iPhone app “Samurai Boy” lets you compose your own music by mixing various music, English words, and Japanese words such as “I am Samurai Yeah!” and “You are Michael, I am Ninja,” and so on. You can choose... » 続き
Mushroom detective’s assistant Funghi spreads the word

Mushroom detective’s assistant Funghi

Do you know that there is cute detective’s assistant named Funghi? Funghi is the character from the game for Nintendo DS and iPhone App “Touch Detective” where you solve difficult problems by touching ... » 続き
New IT Master Program in English

New IT Master Program

If you wish to become a competitive, highly skilled IT person, have you ever considered getting a Professional IT Master Degree? Here is the ideal program for you. This English-based Global ICT Course.... » 続き
Tokyo’s flying girl – Part 2

Tokyo’s flying girl

Last year, we introduced some of Natsumi Hayashi’s photography collections in the article “Tokyo’s flying girl” from her own blog “yowayowa camera woman diary” and the article was one of GaijinPot’s... » 続き
strange vending machines Some more

strange vending machines

We introduced unique vending machines in Japan such as “Banana vending machine in Tokyo Station“, “Unique vending machines in Japan“, “A vending machine that’s difficult to reach“, and “Vending machine 2.0... » 続き
Try cooking a Big Mac in rice cooker

Try cooking a Big Mac

ROCKET NEWS 24 introduces some interesting recipes for cooking Big Macs, french fries and chicken McNuggets in a rice cooker. According to ROCKET NEWS 24, the results are delicious. Here is how to make ”McDonald’s... » 続き
Buns are fried chicken?! Check out KFC’s Chicken Filet Double

Buns are fried chicken?!

KFC’s new sandwich, the Chicken Filet Double, goes on sale Feb 2. It is something different which may surprise regular diners at KFC. It uses chicken “buns” instead of bread. The Chicken Filet Double contains two thick... » 続き
How foreigners’ daily lives change when they live in Japan

How foreigners’ daily lives change

Your daily life changes when the environment around you changes. Many people who go abroad find their daily routine changing to adapt to the environment, sometimes without being aware of the change. The website MADAME RiRi... » 続き
Selling a school or eikaiwa business

Selling a school

One of the biggest difficulties for people looking to sell their small business is defining “What is it worth” and where do I market it? The art of valuing a small business is exactly that — it is a bit of art.... » 続き
Chinese New Year celebrations Yokohama gets festive for

Chinese New Year celebrations

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, which began on Monday, is one of the most important holidays for China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam and Mongolia. People celebrate the Chinese New Year in a much more lively manner... » 続き
Interesting activities from FindJPN

Interesting activities

“Gal’ is the Japanese word used to describe the look of young girls in Shibuya and Harajuku. Emphasizing the eyes is a characteristic of gal make-up. For example, curling eyelashes make the eyes look much bigger... » 続き
Entitlements are not rights

Entitlements

“Entitlements are not rights.” That’s what Ron Paul said at the GOP debate in New Hampshire a few weeks ago. I was cleaning up the table after brunch and only half paying attention to the debate. When he said it... » 続き
Ippon Manzoku Bar and Tsuyoshi Kusanagi from SMAP

Ippon Manzoku Bar

SMAP singer Tsuyoshi Kusanagi appears in a TV commercial for Ippon Manzoku Bar, which is a chocolate-flavored bar from Asahi Foods. In the commercial, Kusanagi plays a teacher whose students are going to take university... » 続き
Learning the lessons of catastrophe The Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institute

Learning the lessons of catastrophe

Undoubtedly, one of the abiding memories of the March 11 disaster, both in the mainstream press and among Japan’s foreign community, was the measured reaction of people here in the face of... » 続き
Japan to change foreigner registration visa system

Japan to change foreigner registration

On July 9, a new system of residence management will be implemented that combines the information collected via the Immigration Control Act and the Alien Registration Law respectively. Foreign... » 続き
Captain Jack Sparrow welcomes you to Tokyo cake shop

Captain Jack Sparrow welcomes you

There is a cake shop in Tokyo’s Nakano district with a unique welcoming reception. Captain Jack Sparrow, the character made famous by Johnny Depp in the “Pirates of Caribbean” films, is there... » 続き
Child abduction issue should be key concern in Japan-U.S. relations

Child abduction issue should be key concern

The issue of international child abductions in Japan should be a key concern in bilateral relations between Japan and the United States. For years, the international community has been pressuring... » 続き
Tower of Terror at Tokyo DisneySea gets even scarier

Tower of Terror at Tokyo DisneySea

If you’ve been to Tokyo DisneySea, you will be familiar with the scary (or exciting) Tower of Terror attraction, especially its freefall part. Tower of Terror, located in American Waterfront,... » 続き
Completely Creative House in Tama-Plaza

Completely Creative House

Continuing with their revolutionary alterations on shared living, Social Design announces the call for applications for their newest location in Tama Plaza, Kanagawa prefecture. This is shared... » 続き
Sukiya with TOKIO TV commercial of the week

Sukiya with TOKIO

The video below is the commercial for “gyudon” beef-bowl restaurant chain Sukiya. Sukiya is popular with salary men and students because of its cheap prices. A regular bowl costs only 280 yen. Popular idol... » 続き
Do you want to connect with AKB48 on Google+?

Do you want to connect with AKB48

There is a special Google+ website for AKB48 called “AKB48 Now on Google+“. You can join your favorite member’s circle and get information about her. Besides AKB48, members of AKB48′s sister groups... » 続き
Old codger finds new life as robot in ‘ROBO-G’

Old codger finds new life

How would you like to spend your time inside a robot suit entertaining people who thought you were a real robot? What would you do if someone fell in love with you, not suspecting a human is inside? ... » 続き
Making it Easy

Making it

For frequent doses of inspiration I often visit Arons blog ‘You Can Make it Easy’. Based in Hawaii, Aron has a love for Japanese culture and his site reflects this. It’s a veritable treasure trove... » 続き
Hello Kitty Manju at Circle K SunKus

Hello Kitty Manju

Convenience store Circle K SunKus has started selling Hello Kitty Manju, a dumpling filled with apple-flavored custard cream. The paper it is wrapped in tells your fortune. The price is 150 yen... » 続き
Dancing mayor does his AKB48 act at Coming-of-Age Day ceremony

Dancing mayor does his AKB48 act

We wrote about Monday’s Coming-of-Age Day ceremonies in a previous article Coming-of-Age Day ceremony held across Japan. One of the more unusual ceremonies, which has found its way onto YouTube... » 続き
The importance of blood type in Japanese culture

The importance of blood type

In previous article, Donating Blood in Japan, we looked at the importance of donating blood in Japan and where you can do it. It is a good idea to know your blood type. While most Japanese... » 続き
Seven Bank Japan money transfer service The complete overview

Seven Bank Japan money transfer service

The fastest and most convenient way to send money out of Japan to your own country is by using Seven Bank’s overseas money transfer service.By using the Internet/mobile banking network... » 続き
What foreigners feel are overpriced in Japan Food, Education and...

What foreigners feel are overpriced in Japan

Japan is perceived as being an expensive country by many foreigners. Some things are expensive, while others are cheaper (depending on which country you are comparing prices to, obviously)... » 続き
Coming-of-Age Day ceremonies held across Japan

Coming-of-Age Day ceremonies

If you were out and about on Monday, you might have noticed lots of young women in gorgeous kimonos. They are new adults — having turned 20 in the past year, and they were celebrating Coming-of-Age Day... » 続き
Pizza-La TV commercial of the week

Pizza-La

Here’s the ad for Pizza-La’s new “Cream gratin pizza with crab and shrimp.”Talent” Mari Sekine (center in picture above) is the main character of the commercial. Sekine is a daughter of the famous.... ” » 続き
Donating blood in Japan – Part One

Donating blood

The Japanese Red Cross is holding a two-month campaign until the end of February to raise awareness about the importance of donating blood. The campaign is particularly targeting donors in their 20s... » 続き
Book smart or street smart

Book smart

When parents were asked in a poll last week which they would their children rather be: book smart or street smart, 55% answered book smart and 45% street smart (Parent.Com poll, January 2012)... » 続き
Firefighters show their skills

Firefighters

The annual New Year’s Fire Review, called “Dezomeshiki,” is a spectacular demonstration of fire and disaster prevention performed by the Metropolitan Fire Department. It features firefighting drills... » 続き
How to teach English with an iPad

How to teach English

While more and more applications and uses for the iPad popping up all time, one great way to use it that I haven’t seen mentioned is as an English teaching tool. The fact of the matter is, with all... » 続き
Fan+ (Pet Dog) EX TV commercial of the week

Fan+ (Pet Dog) EX

This is the commercial for fan+ (fan plus) which distributes various movie content such as sports, history, science fiction, and so on.The commercial introduces “Aiken (Pet Dog) EX” which shows extreme... » 続き
Outdoor ice skating rink opens at Tokyo Midtown

Outdoor ice skating rink

If you’re looking for somewhere to go ice skating this winter, try the newly opened outdoor ice skating rink at Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi. Each January and February, the rink draws... » 続き
Vending machine 2.0 with HD display

Vending machine 2.0

Japan is famous for its quirky vending machines, some of which we introduced before at “Unique vending machines in Japan” and “Banana vending machine in Tokyo Station“... » 続き
Retweeted collections of funny images in 2011

Retweeted collections

Togetter is a popular Japanese web service that allows users to bundle specific tweets on certain topics and then add a Permalink to them. Although it is difficult to get certain information from filters such as hashtag... » 続き
What impresses foreign visitors about Japan

What impresses foreign visitors

Foreign people who have been Japan have various impressions — both positive and negative. An article in Madame Riri lists some of the positive things that visitors had to say about Japan.... » 続き
Have a New Year in traditional Japanese way

Have a New Year

The New Year period is an important time in Japan, rich in tradition. So whether you are experiencing your first New Year in Japan or have been here for years... » 続き
Modern samurai cutting BB gun pellet

Modern samurai

The photo above shows Isao Machii, who is sort of a modern-day samurai and famous for his amazing swordsmanship.The video below shows Machii cutting a BB gun pellet in half.... » 続き
New Year shopping lucky bags here, there and everywhere

New Year shopping

Many department stores and shopping malls have New Year bargain sales starting Jan 2. This is when shops everywhere sell “fukubukuro” (lucky bags).... » 続き
marunouchi cafe SEEK JNTO Tourist Information Center

marunouchi cafe SEEK

Mitsubishi Estate Co has been commissioned by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) to operate a new Tourist Information Center... » 続き
Google Chrome and Hatsune Miku Commercial of the week

Google Chrome and Hatsune Miku

The popular and famous Vocaloid, Hatsune Miku, appears in this commercial (promotion video) for Google’s web browser Google Chrome. » 続き
Countdown to 2012 at Zojo Temple

Countdown to 2012

Zojoji is a famous temple near Tokyo Tower. Each year on Dec 31, it holds a countdown event that draws tens of thousands of people. » 続き
Bargain sale information Venus Fort

Bargain sale information

During the New Year season, many shopping malls carry out bargain sales. » 続き
Japan’s technology personifications Siri, Cloud girl, Opera-tan etc...

Japan’s technology personifications

One of the big draws of working in Japan is of course its active and challenging technology sector. One of the more interesting side-products of that are the various subcultures that it engenders... » 続き
English banking service in Japan Seven Bank

English banking service in Japan

GaijinPot has previously covered how sending money out of Japan to foreign countries has become very convenient thanks to Seven Bank, which started an overseas money transfer service with Western Union... » 続き
What I wish for my children Makoto

What I wish for my children

The first thing my youngest child says when she wakes up in the morning is “mama.” My children want to sleep with me whenever my husband is gone. My son gives me sweet words and he wants to take care of me and the family. Yes, they fight and they yell at each other, too. But... » 続き
Strange Japanese snack Gumibyun

Strange Japanese snack

Previously, we introduced Japanese craft snacks that you can make, such as sushi, at “Make your own sushi with Poppin’ Cookin’“. » 続き
Popular Christmas presents for that special someone

Popular Christmas presents

Have you done finished your Christmas shopping? If not and you can’t decide what to get, here are some suggestions from a list of what’s popular this year from goo ranking... » 続き
Top 10 most popular articles GaijinPot in 2011

Top 10 most popular articles

This year has been a tough one for Japan. But apart from all the serious news, there were some offbeat stories, too. Here we bring you the 10 most popular articles from the In Japan section this year... » 続き
Social Apartment Open at Hanakoganei (花小金井)

Social Apartment Open

Located only 25 minutes from Shinjuku and 20 minutes to Takadanobaba on the Seibu Shinjuku line, Social Apartment Hanakoganei is perfect for access to the metropolitan area... » 続き
Boat racing and Akina Minami TV commercial of the week

Boat racing and Akina Minami

“Talent” Akina Minami appears in this commercial for one of Japan’s most popular gambling past-times — boat racing.... » 続き
Most popular karaoke songs in Japan for the year 2011 – Part 2

Most popular karaoke songs

How was “Most popular karaoke songs in Japan for the year 2011 – Part 1″? Hope you enjoy Part 2 too and find songs that you want to sing at karaoke.... » 続き
Kyary pamyu pamyu one of Japan’s pop culture symbols

Kyary pamyu pamyu

Kyary pamyu pamyu attended the “RUNE BOUTIQUE WORLD DEBUT PARTY” for her first live show in Los Angeles on Dec 9. About 6,000 people attended the event.... » 続き
Popular items on Amazon.co.jp in 2011

Popular items

“Amazon.co.jp” shows the ranking of its most popular items in 2011, divided into various genres such as Japanese books, Western books, music, and so on... » 続き
Most popular karaoke songs in Japan Part 1 2011

Most popular karaoke songs

This is the party season and there are many opportunities to try karaoke, so we’ll introduce this year’s most popular karaoke songs in two parts. 1. “Heavy Rotation”/AKB48... » 続き
Blue Forest at Caretta Shiodome

Blue Forest

Caretta Shiodome is holding its annual winter illumination event “Caretta illumination 2011 Blue Forest” until Jan 9. About 250,000 LEDs light up 3D trees in a blaze of blue.... » 続き
Google Street View explores Japan disaster area

Google Street View explores

Google has stored interactive images of the Tohoku area devastated by the March 11 tsunami, allowing viewers to take a virtual walk through the zone before and after the disasters. Mostly shot in July, the 360-degree images linked to a map of the area provide a portrait of devastation... » 続き
Christmas songs that originated in Japan – Part 1

Christmas songs

Christmas is around the corner. Shops and restaurants are playing familiar Christmas songs such as “Jingle Bell Rock”, “Last Christmas,” Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” duet with Justin Bieber which was released this year, and other old favorites. » 続き
A vending machine that’s difficult to reach

A vending machine

Previously, we introduced various vending machines in Japan such as the banana vending machine in Tokyo Station and unique vending machines in Japan. » 続き
Join the fun activities at FindJPN

Join the fun activities

You can learn how to make a box, animal or flower from one piece of origami in this class. These ladies in the photo below made dogs. » 続き
Blue Forest at Caretta Shiodome

Blue Forest

Caretta Shiodome is holding its annual winter illumination event “Caretta illumination 2011 Blue Forest” until Jan 9. About 250,000 LEDs light up 3D trees in a blaze of blue. » 続き
Always Learning and Teaching Borderlink ALTs

Always Learning and Teaching

It had only been a few months since I had arrived in Japan to work as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT). I was living my dream. However, there had already been some challenges, like not speaking Japanese. ... » 続き
For Fukui’s Sake Two years in rural Japan

For Fukui’s Sake

A Japan where snakes slither down school corridors, where bears prowl dark forests and where Westerners are still regarded as curious creatures. Welcome to the world of the “inaka”... » 続き
Hyperdia helps you To get to your destination

Hyperdia helps you

There are so many ways to go to your destination by train, especially in Tokyo. One handy website to help you get to your destination is... » 続き
Snickers and Erika Sawajiri TV commercial of the week

Snickers and Erika Sawajiri

his commercial for Snickers takes advantage of Erica Sawajiri’s reputation for “being difficult.” A guy becomes Sawajiri when he is hungry and unhappy, but.... » 続き
Chocolate Karnival Krispy Kreme

Chocolate Karnival

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts will launch a new campaign, Chocolate KARNIVAL, to release various new chocolate doughnuts in three phases from Jan 11 to March 14.... » 続き
Mr. Brainwash Life is Beautiful Exhibition in Odaiba

Mr. Brainwash Life is Beautiful

“Mr. Brainwash Life is Beautiful Exhibition” is being held at the Contemporary Japan Gallery at Hotel Grand Pacific Le Daiba 2F Verre et Cour through Jan 31, except on Mondays.... » 続き
Tokyo Motor Show at Tokyo Big Sight

Tokyo Motor Show

The Tokyo Motor Show is on at Tokyo Big Sight until Dec 11. The theme of this year’s show is “Mobility can change the world.” Emphasis is put on how technology developed in cars can provide solutions... » 続き
61% of single men, 49% of women interesting survey

61% of single men, 49% of women

A survey conducted by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research revealed that 61.4% of single men aged 18-34 do not have a girlfriend and that 49% of single women... » 続き
Domino Pizza offering unique discounts

Domino Pizza offering

Pizza delivery company Domino Pizza is offering some unique discounts. The Amazing Coupon Festival includes “Glasses discount,” “Maeda discount,” “Alone discount,” and so on until Dec 18... » 続き
Incorporating in Japan – KK or GK

Incorporating in Japan – KK or GK

If you are thinking about incorporating a company in Japan, you will quickly find that the standard choices for incorporation are either a kabushiki kaisha (hereafter “KK”) or a godo kaisha (hereafter “GK”)... » 続き
Fashion snap shots in Harajuku

Fashion snap shots

GaijinPot goes to Harajuku to see the latest trends. Our 1st fashionable girl is Yuko-san. Her fashion point is “Blue” and her recommended spot for foreigners is the popular fashion mall Laforet Harajuku, where she works.... » 続き
Nissin Cup Noodle and Yoda TV commercial of the week

Nissin Cup Noodle and Yoda

The Nissin Cup Noodle force is strong with Yoda of “Star Wars” fame. “Believe in your power, you must,” he says as a cup of noodles floats toward him. Some of the responses ... » 続き
The KFC-Christmas connection in Japan "so good"

The KFC-Christmas connection in Japan

It’s a question that many Westerners have asked for decades: How did Christmas in Japan become synonymous with a fast food joint? Foreigners may laugh at the queues... » 続き
Ginza sparkles for Christmas

Ginza sparkles

Christmas lights and illumination displays are all over Japan in places such as Tokyo Dome City and Decks Tokyo Beach in Odaiba in Tokyo, Kobe Illuminage in Hyogo Prefecture... » 続き