Japan Info Swap Blog

Nagoya Music Day 12 - Sakae Minami Music Festival

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Thu, 10 May 2012 08:11:00 +0000

Once again, the Sakae Minami Music Festival is back! Performances will kick off from 12:00 noon on Saturday May 12 and Sunday May 13th at over 40 venues throughout Nagoya; including: Yaba Koen, Nadya Park Atrium, and many others in the Osu and Sakae areas.

If you are a fan of Japanese music, or looking to experience some live, this is going to be a great event for you! Over 240 artists will perform; including: Masaki Ueda, Kyomi Suzuki, Tatsuo Kamon, Yukio Miyachi, Yuki Koyanagi, Depapepe, and many more!
There will be music and food to spare, and if you get bored at one place you can simply walk to another!

Free admission!

For more information please see the website, Japanese only, or the attached image files. A bit hard to see it all, but it IS in English!

A New Way to View the Game!

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Tue, 08 May 2012 08:07:13 +0000

I had the good luck of getting invited to a Yomiuri Giants v Chunichi Dragons game a couple of weeks ago at the Tokyo Dome. As an Australian my understanding of baseball is limited to say the least, other than yelling “swing batter batter” I wasn’t too sure what I was expected to do.

Australia has fairly strict controls on the service and consumption of alcohol at sporting events, and it should be noted that these controls are well deserved; with pitch invasions (or “rushing the field” as it is called in the US) by well lubricated and over-zealous fans becoming a national sport during the 90’s.

Japan on the other hand has no such restriction, and I soon figured out I was expected to drink a fair quantity of alcohol and for the most part ignore the play on the field; chatting with my companions was the order of the day. This pretty much describes a day at a cricket game in Australia, with the attention of the patrons being focused more on themselves than the game (who’s got the beach balls?).

My attention quickly went to the service attendants walking around with kegs on their backs. Could this be what heaven looks like?! I beckoned the nearest one over, but after the first sip I realized to my dismay that it was Suntory Premium (not one of my favorites).

After seeing my reaction one of my companions laughed and pointed out you could get any beer you wanted as each attendant carried a different brew. I found the Asahi Dry girl and became fast friends until the bottom of the seventh, when alcohol service stops at games in Japan.

Japanese fans play a game called “Seat Chess,” where they move around the arena trying to improve their position. Three different groups of people occupied the chairs in front of us throughout the game, and they were very nonchalant about moving when the patrons with their official tickets showed back up.

I thought my colleagues were baseball aficionados, but this image was quickly shattered as my questions about the rules of the game were met with blank stares and a shuffling of play guides. It should be pointed out that what Australians lack in knowledge is more than made up for in both lung capacity and good cheer. I surprised my Japanese hosts by loudly supporting both teams over the ebb and flow of the game. I consider myself more “A Fan of Good Play,” rather than a fan of any one team.

Overall I had a blast and barring ostracism stemming from any social faux pas that I may have unknowingly committed this time I am ready and eager to experience the next event; Sumo anyone??

What is The Best Part About Living in Japan? Survey Results

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:25:02 +0000

Thank you to everyone who participated in our survey! The results are in, and Japanese Food is the winner! How did your choice fare? Mine did poorly, apparently only I think Karaoke is the best part about Japan!

What is the Best Part About living in Japan?

Japanese Cuisine 35.7%
Safety 32.1%
Convenient Public Transport 26.8%
Japanese Culture 19.6%
Healthy Lifestyle 12.5%
Japanese Historical Sites 8.9%
High-Tech Gadgets 7.1%
The Nightlife 5.4%
Karaoke 1.8%

Other 23.2% (individual responses below)
-I'm so tall I can look over everybody's head!
-Maid　cafes
-Career opportunities in Japanese companies wanting to go global
-Most efficient manufacturing processes - life can be work
-Other expats you meet and share great experiences with.
-Meeting so many people and making new friends from around the globe.
-The health care system
-100 yen shops!
-The fantastic people and beautiful country.
-The People
-Vending machines!
-I enjoy my work very much, and I get paid more and taxed less than I would in the UK.
-As an American, it is definitely the health care. You'll go broke in the US.

Spring Vegetables in Japan - Japanese Style Cabbage Salad

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Tue, 01 May 2012 08:21:42 +0000

Japanese Style Cabbage Salad

Cabbage, while not particularly sexy has a lot of great points that go under noticed. While they have similar, at least by volume, levels of vitamins and minerals, cabbage will last a lot longer in the fridge. Lettuce tends to go bad in a couple of days, but cabbage can be kept for a week or more. For a guy like me who cooks somewhat sporadically, longevity in the fridge is very important!

As you might have guess from the title, cabbage is "in season" in Japan in Spring. With the weather turning towards warm, on its way to miserably hot, we thought you might appreciate a cold recipe; a salad! Salads are excellent choices in summer in Nagoya. The heat and humidity are hard to get away from, and many people find themselves with a reduced appetite. Why not try it when the cabbage is at its best?

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root (optional)
1 tablespoon white sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 large head cabbage, cored and shredded
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup almond slivers
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

Directions

Whisk together sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Toss the cabbage, green onions, almonds, and sesame seeds in a large bowl with the dressing until well coated.

See the original recipe here.

Nagoya International Computer Club (NIPCC)

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:21:34 +0000

An invitation from the Nagoya International Computer Club to join their next meeting!

For speakers of English who are interested in computers, there is a source of information for computer users of all levels, from the novice to the serious programmers. That source is the Nagoya International Personal Computer Club that meets at Shooters Bar (in Fushimi) at noon on the third Saturday of the month. The topics range from programming in Perl to simple computer tricks . Our members include both PC and Mac users of all nationalities. The May meeting will be about the upcoming New gTLDs (newgtlds.icann.org) and their impact on the domain name industry and the Internet in general. We will review domain names, their administration and see what is about to change. We will talk about which New gTLDs are under evaluation and how they may be used.

That is on Saturday, May 19th, at 12:00 noon. For further information check our website at www.nipcc.org or follow us on Facebook (look for NIPCC).

Shooters Bar and Grill Fushimi, May 19th at 12. Free event.

Golden Week in Japan

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:00:09 +0000

Golden Week is upon us once again Folks! Golden week is comprised of four separate holidays that fall within about a week of each other, giving lucky people who get all days off, plus a bonus day in the middle, ten days off. This is the longest holiday of the Japanese working year, and is very popular as a result of it! Golden Week consists of Shōwa Day on April 29, Constitution Memorial Day on May 3, Greenery Day on May 4, and Children’s Day on May 5.

Showa Day is an annual holiday to honor the birthday of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, who reigned from 1926 to 1989.

Constitution Day is an annual holiday celebrating the promulgation of the 1947 Constitution of Japan.

Greenery Day is an annual holiday that officially celebrates nature and reflection on blessings, but its roots also lie with the Shōwa Emperor. In modern times, it is a great day to think green!

Children’s Day is an annual holiday that celebrates children. This holiday was originally reserved for boys, but now includes girls as well. This holiday is the easiest to spot around town, as colorful carp shaped kites or windsocks are flown all over Japan.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Learn to Make Makizushi in Toyota City

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 03:02:59 +0000

Making makizushi (rolled sushi ) is fun and easy once you get the hang of it!
Mrs. Kuniko Kuwana, an experienced cook and homemaker will give you some tips for successful results.
In this cooking class, everyone can try making his/her own makizushi. Please come and have fun cooking, tasting and take home a recipe and an experience that you can share with your family and friends.

When: Saturday, May 26 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Where: Cooking room, 2F Toyota Sangyo Bunka Center (5 minutes walk from Meitetsu Toyota-shi Station)

Participants: Foreign residents and their Japanese friends who live in and around Toyota City; maximum number of participants accepted: 20 adults

Content: Cooking and tasting of Makizushi (Rolled sushi)

Recipes and explanation are available in English and Japanese.
Bring your own apron and dishcloth
Instructor: Mrs. Kuniko Kuwana
Fee: 800 yen (includes ingredients)

Application: Toyota International Association, Tel: 37-0400 (TIA)
or contact TIA Volunteer group E-IFF e-mail: enjoytoyota05@yahoo.co.jp
or sign up on our Facebook page.

NIS PTA Garage Sale and International Food Fair

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 02:26:51 +0000

Nagoya International School PTA presents the 2012 Garage Sale and International Food Fair!

Bag yourself a Bargain! Enjoy foods of the world!

The festival takes place Saturday, May 12th, from 10 am-2 pm at Nagoya International School in Moriyama-ku.

For more information, contact NIS PTA at: pta@nis.ac.jp

The address and phone number for NIS is:

Nagoya International School
2686 Minamihara, Nakashidami, Moriyama-ku,
Nagoya 463-0002
phone: 052-736-2025

A link for directions to NIS is:
http://www.nagoyais.jp/nis/information/maps/directions

10 things that you shouldn’t do with chopsticks in Japan

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:44:58 +0000

No idea where I learned how to use them, but somehow I have become quite adept at manipulating them little sticks. A "certified chopstick operator," as Nagmag has branded it. I was once asked to eat in front of an entire kindergarten classroom filled with children so they could watch how I did it. "See, if he can do it this well what is wrong with you kids?" was essentially how the lesson went. Mortifying really, but at least it was in the service of children? Well anyway, on your journey to dining excellence there are a few rules to keep in mind when eating in Japan.

10 things that you shouldn’t do with chopsticks

Rub them together

Stab them into food, or stick them into a bowl of rice

Split the disposable chopsticks horizontally

Play drums with them

Point to people or objects

Drag bowls or plates with them

Pass food to another person’s chopsticks directly

Wave them around while talking

Dig around in food with them

Stir your “chuhai” with them

Light Sabre Chopsticks! Man, Japan has EVERYTHING!

If you do not know how to use chopsticks and want a quick lesson I recommend you visit this site; which has a very easy to understand guide.

Have any chopstick stories to share? Let us know by commenting here, or on our FB page!

15 iPhone Apps for Living in Japan

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 07:23:00 +0000

Update: This article is no longer limited to 15. The name remains the same, but I will post up anything I find from now on. If you know of any other programs please leave me a comment!

Living in Japan can be difficult, but the internet has many resources to make things a bit easier. An iPhone or other smart phone can put those resources at your fingertips wherever you find yourself in Japan through a wide variety of standard or easily downloadable applications.

Google maps, for example, can find and give you directions to everything from castles and temples to a coffee shop near your station. Once you have arrived, you can take pictures or video and upload them on the spot for your adoring fans back home to enjoy using Facebook or Twitter. I don’t carry a full electric dictionary anymore; the one I bought for my iPhone works almost as well as my full size Casio, but weighs much less!

If you already have an iPhone or are thinking about one, I collected a list of the most useful programs for people living in Japan. Free apps are labeled, but please follow the links the provided links to check the current prices of the rest. If you

Here are 15 of the most useful apps I have found. Enjoy, and feel free to offer your thoughts and suggestions below. I am always looking for more!

Transportation
Tokyo Metro is a complete interactive iPhone map for the Tokyo Subway system in English. This is a very popular app in Tokyo.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tokyo-metro/id305633751?mt=8

Japan Subway Map is a complete guide to subway systems in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. The Tokyo map also comes complete with exit information on each station!
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/japan-subway-route-map-tokyo/id317722577?mt=8

Norikae Annai is a very handy train finder. Everyone is probably familiar with the Jourdan Route Finder website. It is a great place to get great information on how to get anywhere in japan on the train, and this is the app version of that service. Unfortunately, the app is only in Japanese, but if you can make it work, this app will make your life easier! (Free)
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id299490481?mt=8

AroundMe uses your location to find information about your surroundings. It can be used to find coffee shops, gas stations, and other locations around you. Very convenient! (Free)
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/aroundme/id290051590?mt=8

Glympse is a free location-based service application allowing you to share your real-time location safely. Keep track of your friends and family easily and simply by GPS anywhere. Could be used to send a link to a friend if you are lost! (Free)
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/glympse-free-location-share/id330316698?mt=8

Useful
TeePee Japan is touted as the “ultimate foodie and traveler's friend in Japan.” The Japanese version of this app is gangbuster popular, and this translated version is gaining quickly as THE place to look for the best restaurants, onsen hot spring resorts, great ski resorts, and even clothing stores in Japan.
http://itunes.apple.com/my/app/teepee-guide-japan-dining/id388633503?mt=8#

myStarbucks is a handy app for finding the closest Starbucks location to you. If you must have a cup, right now, this is your best bet at finding a decent one! (Free)
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mystarbucks/id331177714?mt=8

Gengou Free converts western style dates into Japanese style dates (Showa, Heisei, etc.) (Free)
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gengou-free/id284830543?mt=8

MeasuresLite is a neat little app that can convert measurements to and from various systems. Great tool for, oh let’s just say someone from a country that does not use the metric system. (Free)
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/measures-lite-unit-converter/id315142801?mt=8

Sushipedia is an app dedicated to sushi! You can search by name, ingredient, and attributes among other things. This is great fun at the conveyor belt sushi, and will teach you a lot about what you are eating. (Free)
http://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/id326316017?mt=8

Web MD is a free app that can help you check your symptoms, and access drug & treatment information. This might get you out of a doctors visit, or you could show it to the doctor instead of trying to explain them. Most doctors in Japan can read English, they just can’t speak it!
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/webmd-mobile/id295076329?mt=8

Pocketbook Appendix is English version of Techo-no-furoku(手帳の付録). This application has a lot of information on Japan. Prefecture names and zip codes, measurement and date conversions, etc...
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pocketbook-appendix/id416971158?mt=8

Language
Japanese Flip and Kanji Flip are digital flashcards with an intelligent progress tracking system that helps you learn faster.
http://japaneseflip.com/
http://kanjiflip.com/

Japanese is a full-fledged Japanese-English dictionary that fits in your pocket! I have been using this personally for about a year, and I love it. You can also add any word you look up to a flashcard set and study it later.
http://itunes.apple.com/app/japanese/id290664053?mt=8

Japan Goggles can translate Japanese words to English from the camera, or images on your iPhone.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/japan-goggles/id397724055?mt=8

Kotoba! is a FREE Japanese dictionary! It is not the best, but if you just need to look up simple words this should be great for you. I also used this for a long time, and it worked pretty well! (Free)
http://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/kotoba-japanese-dictionary/id288499125?mt=8

Lingolook Japan is a handy Japanese phrase book. If you don’t need a full on dictionary, this will get you around town and keep you fed.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lingolook-japan/id285210866?mt=8

Lease Japan Introduces the Toyota Blade

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 06:28:32 +0000

Performance:
The Toyota Blade packs a 2.4L four cylinder inline engine with Variable Valve Timing-intelligent (VVT-i), allowing for smoother acceleration. The car is fairly fuel efficient running at 13.4 km/L with a rating of 4 stars for its low emissions.

The Blade features a 6 speed automatic sequential gearbox (the master G includes paddle shifters) for drivers who want to get the most out of the vehicles performance. The blade also incorporates the double wishbone rear suspension system which helps increase car stability and handling.

Intelligence:
The new smart entry and start system takes the hassle out of looking for the key’s when you are in a rush. The systems works within a 1m range of your vehicle.
HDD Navi. and Back guide monitor (offered as maker options) make driving on the busy streets of Tokyo a truly enjoyable experience.
The Master G series offers a Pre-Crash Safety system (PCS) and Radar Cruise Control (RCC) as options. The PCS system detects both moving and stationary objects in front of the vehicle and initiates braking and pre-tensioning of the seatbelts as a precaution. The RCC system calculates the speed of the car in front and adjusts the speed of your own car to allow a safe braking distance.

Safety:
The Blade incorporates not only driver and passenger side airbags, but also the new curtain shield airbags on all ranges in the Blade series.
The Blade incorporates the WIL Concept seat which has been designed to support the driver’s neck and back in the case of an accident, lowering the possibility of whiplash. The body of the vehicle has been designed to withstand impact coming from all directions.

Ecology:
Toyota aimed at creating a “Total Clean” car utilizing as many recycling methods as possible to reduce the impact in the environment. The body of the vehicle has been constructed using Toyota Super Olefin Polymer (TSOP) and Thermo Plastic Olefin (TPO) around a metal frame.

The Blade has been designed to protect the environment with lower emissions decreasing the effect of the car with regards to global warming. The air-conditioning system uses Fluron HFC 134-a as a cooling agent, which is an O-zone Friendly compound.

If you are interested in leasing a Toyota Noah for yourself why not contact Lease Japan? Lease Japan puts you in the driver’s seat with comprehensive leasing, purchasing, and after care services…

A Basic Guide to Japanese Apartments

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 05:43:00 +0000

As you might have heard, Japanese apartments are notoriously small; especially in Tokyo, where apartments you would not consider cheap are significantly smaller than bathrooms in great hotels. Living in Nagoya is a bit better, and my 18m/60ft “one room mansion,” or studio apartment, would be considered a palace and a bargain in Tokyo. Hooray for Nagoya!

To start with, apartments in Japan are measured in “Jo,” Jo uses the size of one tatami mat, the traditional looking bamboo flooring in Japanese homes, to express the size of rooms. The measurement is used whether tatami is present or not. 1 tatami, or Jyo, is equal to 1.53 meters square, or 5 square feet. My apartment, mentioned above, is 12 jyo.

Here is a conversion table:

See an interactive version of this conversion table here.

In addition to being small, generally, they are also poorly insulated, and double glazed windows are rare. Generally, there will not be central heating. Each room will have a separate device that will heat, cool, and dehumidify that room. Because of this, you will find the room you are using is cozy, but other rooms are too cold. This is especially unpleasant when it’s the bathroom, and that is the primary reason for the popularity of toilets with warming seats.
Apartments come in many sizes of course, and they are usually expressed like this; 1LDK. A 1 LDK apartment includes 1 bedroom, Living room, Dining room, and a Kitchen.

1LDK; as you can see; the LD portions occupy the same space. This is common.
1LDK

2LDK

3LDK rooms will often have at one or more rooms with tatami flooring.
3LDK

My apartment is a "1 Room Mansion," or a studio apartment.

In general, pets are not permitted. When exceptions to this rule exist, you must get permission from the landlord, and then pay additional deposits or monthly fees. Fees could run from 3-10,000 yen per month. It is not cheap! In addition to pets, BBQs are not allowed on apartment balconies or in housing complexes. You must take it to the park!

You should also be aware that in addition to cleaning fees you will be expected to pay when vacating the property, if you damage the wallpaper, for example by hanging a painting, you will be expected to pay for the wallpaper to be replaced after you move out.
Rent and key money has been dealt with in a different article, so I will not detail it here. Please follow this link to see more on that topic.

Renting an Apartment in Japan

A few words on Japanese appliances; the first thing you need to know is, there will be nothing in the apartment when you move in; not even light fixtures. You will be buying a great deal of stuff when you first move in. When you do start buying things, you should be aware that Japanese washing machines usually wash only with cold water. Japanese clothes dryers are often combination machines and take hours to dry clothes fully, but in general clothes are usually dried outside on a line.

In the kitchen, you will find things are a bit different. Ovens are usually a microwave and standard oven combination, and are too small to roast a turkey. A lot of people use only a toaster oven in their apartments, as even a smaller “full size” oven will simply not fit. One item you may find I have never seen outside of Japan is a fish grill. Many gas ranges come with a small drawer below the burners for broiling fish. They work great! A really nice, modern apartment will have an IH, or Induction Heating cooking stove which will require special pans, but they are really nice! What is an IH Stove?

See Induction Heating Stoves

In the bathroom you will find the abovementioned heated toilet seats, if you are lucky! These modern toilets will often have a wash-let/ bidet function, and not only the toilet seat, but the bidet water as well can be heated. It might sound odd to you to use one of these, but I promise you, you will never go back!

Showers and baths can be very different depending on the size of the apartment. Some, like mine, are small combined toilet shower rooms, bigger apartments will have separate bath and toilets facilities, and the biggest will have a shower area beside the tub, so the whole room can become wet. Great baths can be filled automatically, re-heated, and used again by other family members. You should shower before using a bath shared by others, which is why the shower will share space with the tub. Most shower heads in Japan are of the type you can pull off the wall, rather than permanently attached. My understanding is that Japanese people use the shower sitting down as a matter of habit, and this is why.

If you have any questions about Japanese Apartments feel free to ask them in the comments section below, or better yet you can join the conversation on the JIS page in Facebook, where the conversation is already in progress!

There are a million other things that could be covered by this article, but this will get you started on the road to a new place. If you are interested in seeing available, foreign friendly properties, please take a look at www.japanhomesearch.com. They have thousands of available properties, and the best service in Japan. Good luck!

The Toyota Noah is the Perfect People Mover

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:59:18 +0000

The Toyota Noah is the perfect people mover, with 7 and 8 seaters available, the Noah offers an affordable yet stylish way to ferry the troops around. Dual sliding rear doors allow instant access to a roomy cabin, the rear seats recline to a level where one could be forgiven for believing themselves on a flight in first class.

With an average of 14 Km/L the Noah boasts extremely good mileage for a car with so much storage capacity. The straight inline 4 cylinder engine takes regular gasoline, which means it’s a bit easier on the back pocket. The Noah’s engine outputs 154 hp, allowing it to zip from a standstill to 100km/h in a nifty 9.8 seconds.

The Toyota Noah incorporates many small features in the cabin to help the family enjoy their outing that much more, including:

1. Driver Assist Grip
2. Tilt/Telescopic steering
3. Adjustable arm rest
4. Center room lamp
5. Center Pillar child grip
6. Hook for shopping
7. Seat back pocket
8. Slide door pocket and drink holder
9. Driver/Passengers seat heating
10. Rear air conditioning (Some models)
11. Rear Room Lamp
12. Deck Trim pocket and drink holder
13. Storage compartment
14. More hooks for shopping
15. Deck Hooks

With all these features and more the Noah is worth a test drive at your local Toyota dealer.

If you are interested in leasing a Toyota Noah for yourself why not contact Lease Japan? Lease Japan puts you in the driver’s seat with comprehensive leasing, purchasing, and after care services…

Why Lease Furniture in Japan?

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 02:51:06 +0000

Leasing furniture is easy and attractive alternative for people looking to furnish their homes in Japan. Whether for a relatively short time or the duration of your stay in Japan, we can arrange to have your home fully furnished even before you arrive, without heavy up-front costs. This is assuming you have not yet arrived, of course. As great as Lease Japan is, they are unable to retroactively "pimp your pad" for you. Lease Japan does the work for you so that you can concentrate on what is really important.

If you are looking to outfit your apartment on the cheap for a year or so before going back this is probably not the service for you. Most of our clients are people who want a fully furnished abode similar to what they left behind without stressing themselves out; full families, for example. If you are looking for something "on the cheap," and are willing to deal with buying and arranging your own delivery (or truck it home on the subway?), and eventually with getting rid of it all before you go (sayonara sale!), you might be happier with some of the local shops than a service like this.

Nittori
Ikea
Fujikagu

However, if you are interested in making your home-away-from-home feel like your own with minimal effort on your part and cost defrayed throughout the length of your contract, leased furniture may be the answer. Pick the look and feel you like from the catalog, and we will arrange for delivery for you. Simply arrange it to your taste, and you can settle back and enjoy your home.

Lease Japan offers high quality, stylish furnishings and appliances with the comfort of home, and far fewer headaches than do-it-yourself. From move-in to move-out leasing makes your life easier! Purchased furniture needs to be shipped home or disposed of when moving out. Leased furniture will be picked up, at your convenience, making your move out as simple and stress free as possible, and best of all you can use your furniture until the last possible moment.

Lease Japan provides their clients with:

Tasteful furniture and appliances selected by you from our catalog. Order piece by piece, or one of our convenient packages, specially selected to provide you with all the essentials.

Delivery and installation of the items in your home.*

Continued support for maintenance and repair issues.*

Collection of furniture and appliances from your home at lease end.

Service in English; including contracts and service documentation.

English appliance manuals, when possible.

Lease Japan is the easy and stress free way to furnish your home tastefully and quickly without investing a lot of cash up-front.

Browse our Catalog!

Open publication - Free publishing

Shopping Online in Japan - Internet Shopping!

ContactUs@JapanInfoSwap.com — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:57:00 +0000

You are not going to get many complaints from me about living in Japan. I am generally pretty happy here. But I still prefer to use products and eat foods I am familiar with from my own country; decent peanut butter, for one thing. There are lots of products from back home that I could do without, but prefer not to. My brand of bathroom soap, deodorant, toothpaste, and vitamins are hard to give up. As is the afore mentioned peanut butter, real pancake mix and syrup, granola bars, refried beans, salsa, and really big jars of mixed nuts… ok, now I am making myself hungry.

It makes it living in Japan a bit easier if you can get things you are familiar with is my point; makes sense, right? At least once a year I used to make a trip to Osaka to visit Costco to stock up and drag a suitcase full of peanut butter, refried beans, and other assorted products that may or may not survive the trip home intact. Recently, I started to ship it back home straight from Costco instead. I know I can buy it all online, and it is cheaper when you consider train fare or express way fees, but Costco reminds me of home so it is like a cheap trip back to Seattle. Being in Osaka though, it is impossible to drop in and pick up a few odds and ends without scheduling a whole day and going through a lot of hassle, so sometimes I will order things online to tide me over until my next “vacation” to Costco.

If you are looking for western products in Japan, there are a few places online where you can find them. Several sites simply stock the exact same things you find in Costco, but sell the products separately, rather than in bulk. You can also get items shipped from Ikea, and at least one site imports products themselves direct from the United States. Some of it is expensive, some of it is cheap, and you may or may not be able to get the brand you are looking for, but you can usually find what you need online if you go to the right place!

I have gathered a list of places online you can find western products. This is of course a partial list, and I am very interested to hear your feedback on other sites to get what you need to survive in Japan without going a bit crazy. (I am still looking for a place where I can get 100 proof Southern Comfort; any ideas?) If you do not have a credit card, like me, you can usually pay at the convenience store, or cash on delivery is available from Amazon. Being horribly lazy, I find COD is the best option for me and try to buy from Amazon whenever possible because of it.

So, here are a few sites I was able to come up with; like I said, if you can think of anymore please let me know! The first list is of sites with an English page, the second are fantastic sites that are only available in Japanese.

SITES AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH

Radish Lawson Supermarket Radish sells basic necessity items and groceries. Brand new, and the English is bad, but the shop looks really useful; especially if you live in the sticks!

Rakuten – Japan’s most popular shopping site; you can pretty much get anything here.

Amazon – Amazon is also very popular, but offers less of a selection than Rakuten in general.

Alishan Organic Center – Previously Tengu – This site imports organic and vegetarian foods from different parts of the world.

Village wine cellars – Village Cellars sells wines with a wide variety of styles, price points, and from different regions. They have over 200 current vintages in stock.

BeerFly – Great selection of beers from around the world; delivered! No US beer though…grrr. It is not all Budweiser! Try a Mac & Jacks beer and tell me again the US has terrible beer! Stock it guys! Please?

Expat Express – Based in the US, they sell and ship common, everyday U.S. grocery items. They may be able to special order for you pretty easily.

Next – Sells Women’s clothing in reasonable sizes; “exciting, beautifully designed, excellent quality clothing, accessories and shoes.”

The Foreign Buyers Club – sells common, everyday U.S. grocery items. Some are from Costco, some are imported directly.

The Flying Pig – sells items available at Costco in Japan. They keep it simple!

The Meat Guy – sells the best meat in Japan, as well as other specialty food items. I kid you not he has full turkeys for Thanksgiving, turducken for Christmas, and even odd bits like croc tail. Well worth a look if you are a fan of meat.

Yoyo Market – Resells Ikea, Costco, and other company’s goods: common foreign grocery and furniture items.

Fit Life Japan – Health, fitness, and lifestyle items from Japan. Not imported items, but probably easier than trying to find healthy products and figure out what they are in a Japanese store.

Japan Zone – Interesting items from Japan; they sell those cool ninja socks, among other things.

Ikea – Western style furniture in Japan! Do I need to mention how cheap it is? This is a great spot for anyone who wants to live nice on a budget. I wish they had one closer to Nagoya!

SITES AVAILABLE IN JAPANESE ONLY

Nissen - Lots of items available, very good for bedding and furniture.

GMarket – Lots of items available.

Kakau – My friend said it all “you can get anything for the cheapest price.” This is a great place to shop or check prices on electronics.

Aeon Shop – You can buy your groceries online, among other things. Spend over 5000 yen and get free shipping.

Why live without it? Go online and BUY it!