Category Archives: Life in Japan

Some Experiences While Living in Japan

Vivienne Westwood – Big in Japan

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This article about trendy Japan fashion was contributed by my friend John from the UK.

The first time I stumbled across the unusual fashion of Japan I was young, impressionable and in a local Waterstones. From what I can remember I was looking around, for a fantasy novel no doubt, when all of a sudden my attention was grabbed by a multi-coloured book entitled FRUiTs.

Peeking inside I was surprised to find a collection of photographs, seemingly taken on the street, of people dressed in clothes bright enough to make a circus clown seem drab. 10 years later I found this book was a collection of the best photos taken from Japan’s premier fanzine “FRUiTs.”

The idea behind the magazine was to document the growing explosion in street fashion within the Tokyo suburbs and because of my recurring recollections of the event I decided to track down a copy and I ordered it for myself. In doing so I hoped that I might rekindle some of those long lost feelings that kept hampering me and maybe explain part of the reason why I have such a fascination with everything oriental.

Once it arrived the thing that struck me most about the book was just how much of the fashion was inspired by the UK.

Book named FRUITS

You see, many of the clothes were actually created by eccentric British designer Vivienne Westwood –the 70 year old woman with the bright red hair – and she was featured on almost every page.

Then it hit me. That was the reason why I was so entranced by the book. You see the images were both so foreign and familiar to me at the same time. Vivienne Westwood was deeply inspired by the Punk movement of the 60s it seems and you can see it in the edgy nature of her clothes. The FRUiTs on the other hand are also edgy but have swapped the political machinations of the punk movement for bright colours and a cool look. That I realised, was why I found it so unusual.

Vivienne has her own theory on why the Japanese are so fond of her clothes though, she said: “The young Japanese love to wear the latest thing and when they come to London they head for my shops as part of what they want to find in Britain.”

Vivienne Westwood Fashion Models

Two models wearing Westwood’s GOLD collection made exclusively for the Japanese market.

It seems funny, then, that Japanese fashion is inspired by a stereotypical or idealised view of the West – if Vivienne’s statement is anything to go by – but the more and more I look at Japanese fashion the more I see the western influence. Perhaps it has something to do with the American occupation following WWII.

One thing I know for sure though is that my knowledge of Japanese fashion is extremely limited and I want to know more. I want to know if any of you have had experiences with FRUiTs or if you know a modern Japanese brand that isn’t inspired by the west. If so then we’d love to see them below. Sayonara!

Vivienne Westwood Sites:
http://www.vanmildert.com/vivienne-westwood-222.phtml (UK)
http://www.viviennewestwood.co.uk/w/store-directory/japan

Will They Ever Understand an Entrepreneur?

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I’m an entrepreneur, haha that’s not too broad is it? I focus on marketing consulting for established and start up companies. On top of that I’m a media buyer, and an angel investor. My clients used to be exclusively U.S. based but then I branched out into the Asian market and that means learning the basics of new languages, educating myself about new customs, and traveling to awesome places. But will people in Japan ever understand what an entrepreneur is or does or how he or she lives?

When I’m at home I work from my SOHO (very small office home office) but in the last few years problems have come up that can affect relationships because people don’t understand my work schedule and situation. I don’t keep a routine schedule, it’s not the standard Japanese way, and I don’t play by the rules of a normal work environment or a Japanese company (or any other).

Besides the fluctuation in my work hours, I think there are two main factors involved. One is called “Holiday Mode” and the other is called “In The Zone Mode” and it’s hard for people in my life to witness the transition from one to the other. I see a lot of confusion, jealousy for having too much play time, and anger for not having enough time. Here’s a quick breakdown…

Holiday Mode

Welcome to... HOLIDAY MODE!

Holiday Mode: Some days people see that I work only 1-2 hours giving me a lot of free time. My clients are taken care of, I need a break, and it’s the perfect time for me to take advantage of this. I have time to spend with my loved ones, time to explore, time to travel to visit family and friends, time to party, time to spend money and have fun. I go to sleep late, I wake up late. Holiday Mode usually lasts anywhere from 5 days to 2 weeks with an occasional blip (once it lasted more than a month).

Working In The Zone Mode

Welcome to... IN THE ZONE MODE!

In The Zone Mode: When I need to get things done I dedicate everything to my clients and projects. I enjoy what I do and I can easily get “IN THE ZONE!” with a full tank of energy and confidence. I’m no stranger to working 80 hours a week when I need to. My sleep schedule starts to become batches of 2-4 hours so my working hours can conform to other timezones. Some days I’m so busy that I work long stretches without stepping away for a meal or to answer non business related calls to my keitai (cell phone). I’m marketing, networking, researching, ad buying, having conference calls, among other things, and “In The Zone Mode” usually lasts 1-2 weeks at a time.

Regular Mode: This wasn’t mentioned as a problem because it’s not an issue  This mode comes up once in a while and I can keep regular Japan time office hours.

My work structure goes in cycles. From Holiday Mode to In The Zone Mode to Holiday Mode to Regular Mode back to In The Zone and so on with little prediction of when things will change. My work schedule offers me my own time off but that time off usually doesn’t land on many national holidays.

Let’s face the facts… I wasn’t raised in an Asian or Japanese culture and I’m not a “salary man” that slaves away with a set schedule with certain days off. Over 7 years ago I left a six-figure income job to pursue my dream of owning a business that gives me freedom, time, and money. Sure it was a bumpy ride in the beginning but I pushed ahead and smoothed things out. Now I’m living abroad, enjoying what I do, and it feels like I’m making magic happen. I’ll hit the grind stone when I need to because I don’t want to end up being forced to go back to the U.S. or work for an unpleasant employer while possibly earning a lower salary than I’m worth. When I’m in the zone, I have to take full advantage of the situation and mental power because it’s a part of my life.

Increasing Business and Capital

Increasing Business and Capital for Longevity

Here’s more details of the problems with people not understanding what it means to be an entrepreneur.

During Holiday Mode my woman and friends love it! Sure, why not? I’m a younger looking enthusiastic gaijin that seems like he’s on a permanent holiday with time and money to burn. A lot of fun times could be had! On the down side sometimes friends and family get jealous if they are a slave to the office. They go to sleep when I’m still out having fun or they wake up when I’m still sleeping or playing video games.

During In The Zone Mode my woman easily gets upset. She thinks I’m ignoring her, my personal schedule changes and all of a sudden I have no time for fun, and she doesn’t understand why I’m working so much and ignoring friends and family. People go to sleep while I’m still working, and people wake up to go to the office when I’m still working. In the home base I speak firmly, I speak briefly, when I say I’m going to eat out it means I’m leaving in 3 minutes with or without a companion, and this easily causes her to become emotional. (It feels like a woman having her period for a really long time!) Luckily I quickly learned to ignore things that negatively affect my In The Zone Mode and that means Holiday Mode will be more enjoyable because I won’t be carrying around any resentment.

In Japan I feel that people define one another too much based on what job you have, meaning ‘what you do‘ is ‘who you are‘. On the flip side, a lot of Japanese girls (and guys) see a job or work like this… a person works for a boss who tells them what to do, a person talks up or down to coworkers depending on status, a person does his or her task for a set amount of days per week, a person gets paid holidays, a person gets a paycheck and after a person puts in a lifetime of work that person retires with a nice pension, the end. That’s not usually how an entrepreneur works.

I feel that life needs to be prioritized especially when you work for yourself. Money = taking care of family. Do you love your family? Sure! Having a good job can cover that money issue, but if you run a business there’s more at stake The equation should look something like Work = money = family financial security = family understanding. But that understanding part isn’t so easy. Also an entrepreneur that works from home experiences many tough situations because his wife or girlfriend sees him all the time and might associate his work with “playing on the Internet” and start asking for help with household chores or help with something ‘really quick’. This would never happen in an office, and having somebody breaking your train of though to ask you these questions destroys productivity.

Because of the way of life Japan, I think it’s easy to become less manly and have less control of the family and finances. As an entrepreneur you need to really cowboy up and take control of the situation before it gets too deep into the dead zone of unhappiness, but at the same time don’t forget to understand and respect the culture of the country you’re living in.

Owning your own business, even one online with or without employees, you will most likely create a business forecast estimating your profits and losses. See profits? Work hard and make more. See losses? Work harder, and get back into the green zone. But make sure to take some time to enjoy life! Anyway, this is the end of my little rant and I wish all international entrepreneurs and foreigners working abroad the best of luck!

Quick Tips About Japanese Customs

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Adam e-mailed me and wanted to share some quick tips about the customs he encountered while living in Japan.

Japan has an amazing and dynamic culture. It has fascinating buildings and architecture that date back thousands of years that simply ooze Japanese culture. This history sits along the much more modern elements of the shifting fashion trends and technological development that is constantly reinventing itself. This mix of old and new creates a country of stark contradictions which is one of the reasons Japan is a must visit destination. Before you go, here is a quick heads up on Japanese customs and how to get along if this is your first visit.

Table Etiquette
If you are eating out with the locals and you’re presented with a traditional Japanese dish, you may find it hard not to be a noisy eater and to slurp on the food you’re not so used to eating. Its commonplace in Japan and for everyone to do so and it’s seen a sign that you are enjoying your meal! If you find it hard to eat noodles or rice with chopsticks, it’s more than welcome that you are allowed to raise the bowl you’re eating from to chin level. This will reduce any chance of an accidental spillage. Before you even start to eat anything that has been offered to you, it’s polite to say “itadakimasu” which means I will receive. This is expected whether you are in the best five star restaurants or sampling a taste of food at the local market.

Tipping
In countries such as the US, Tipping is expected and is often automatically added on to your bill. The very opposite is true in Japan. In restaurants for example, they believe that the price they set for a meal is the price they believe it to be worth. Any more is seen as offensive and frowned upon. You will find that some waitresses will begrudgingly accept a tip just to avoid the confrontation but in general, it’s seen as an insult. So remember the price you see is the price you pay.

Visiting someone else’s home.
It’s custom in Japan for you to remove your shoes as soon as you step into someone else’s home and in most cases, if you enter a hotel or business too. There are a few westernised businesses based in Japan that don’t require you to remove your shoes so it’s not always necessary. As soon as you pass through the door, you will probably notice other people’s shoes lined up and a pair of complimentary guest slippers will be sitting nearby; many Japanese bring a pair of indoor slippers just in case. And be careful to remove the toilet slippers waiting for you in the bathroom once you leave the bathroom. If in doubt, take your shoes off! If the host doesn’t expect it, they will let you know.

Bathing
During your trip you will notice public bathhouses (Sento) dotted all around Japan whether you are in a major city or a small village. You might also notice the hot springs (Onsen) too. Unlike their use in the western culture, a Japanese bath is a place for you to relax after you have washed. It’s not a place for actual scrubbing! If you are in the home of a local, you may be offered the choice of using their bath. This is seen as an honour and you should be careful not to dirty the water you bathe in. The sanctity of the Japanese bath (Ofuro) is incredibly important.

This guest post was provided by Adam, cheap car hire provider, Carrentals.co.uk. If you are travelling anywhere round the world and want the ease that a car brings, take a look at the site for the best deals around.

Finding an Apartment in Japan as a Student

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It can be a cumbersome task for foreign students to find apartments in Japan, because of some major differences in the language limitation and renting systems. Also there is a factor as to how the Japanese view a foreigner, because they usually base their relationships upon trust.

If you are coming to study at a university, then you may ask the university officials to arrange a living space for you in the student dormitory. The rent is comparatively cheaper and you have the ease to get along with other students from various nationalities.

It also gives you an easy way to interact among the Japanese students and communities. However, an early enrollment into the student dormitory can be convenient.

There are many housing companies that offer furnished apartments based on rental system to foreign students. However, as a matter of fact, these apartments are highly expensive and will cost you too much if you plan to stay for long. Contrarily, the apartments from the residential housing schemes are also far too expensive to live for a longer period. There is a lot of cash-in-front required to arrange a private housing in Japan.

While you are looking into getting an inexpensive place to live, do not go for cheap places either. These will save you money, but will bring in many other issues that might be costly to you. For example, you will have to spend extra money to get warm water during the winters. You might also have to share toilet and kitchen with other tenants as there are only one each located outside the building.

In addition to monthly rent, you should also expect to pay off monthly maintenance charges, environment cleaning fee, utility fee etc. These costs are clearly mentioned on the fliers so you should look into then with detail before deciding.

There are several things you should take notice of; some of these are described below.

  • Key Money: Reikin is an amount of money which is usually given to the landlord (ooyasan) as a gift. The amount may vary but usually it is equal to a month’s rent. Shikikin is another amount which prevents you from disappearing from the house without prior notice, whereas Tesuuryou is an amount payable to the housing agent, if you hire any.
  • Maximum Length of Stay: Usually, all rental housing schemes ask you to mention a minimum period of your stay. If you breach the contract afterwards, it might result in a penalty. If you plan to reside for less than a year, then inform the ooyasan early.
  • Room furniture: Generally, apartments do not contain any furniture, but you will be given some equipment, such as gas stove, common washing machine, an air conditioner and maybe an internet connection.
  • Miscellaneous items: There are several other matters, such as fire insurance, gas usage, neighbors, room size and type. These directly link to the housing agent and the homeowner.

The last thing to keep in mind as a foreigner is that people mostly do not prefer to rent out to foreign students. You might come across some fliers that clear mention their reservations about foreign students. Just hire a housing agent and ask for moderately priced rental location with basic utilities.

About the author of this contributed article:
Andrew has been travelling to Japan as a student a few years ago. Andrew is now distributing sushi conveyor belt and sushi maker

Benefits of the Japanese Ofuro (Soaking Tub)

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Aren`t we all like Tom Cruise in the “last Samurai” who fell in love with the beauty and purity of Japanese traditions?

And above all what is more lyrical than the Japanese ritual of bathing, cleaning the body from impurities, soaking and soothing in hot water? Actually I hear this story all the time, of westerners who visit japan for leisure or business entering reluctantly in an onsen (hot spa) and returning home with an addiction for hot tubs. Soaking is actually so obvious, so natural, it fills up the gap that modern life creates in our lives. Like the “tea ceremony” or the “ikebana” (flower arrangement) or the sushi, what strikes us westerners is the poetic simplicity and pure beauty of this ritual. Entering in a Japanese ofuro (wooden hot tub) is a regenerating experience for both the body and mind and I bet you are never going to forget your first time.

Japanese ofuro
You can find more about Japanese ofuro bathtubs from this homepage: www.bartokdesign.com/japan

First of all, soaking in 42-43 C (107-109 F) hot water improves blood circulation, skin irritation, and eases the expulsion of toxins from the body. The steam and flowing water originate minus-ions which have direct anti-aging effect and are beneficial for relaxing the mind.

There are different types of Japanese baths: from the hot springs where you bathe in natural ponds, to modern ceramic or acrylic tubs equipped with recirculating systems. A tub relatively unknown in the west is the wooden tub, which combines the advantages of being compact and built with natural material. A wooden bathtub has high thermal insulation and soft touch, moreover it generates a soothing cedar aroma when filled with hot water.

wooden hot tub

I read often of so called “Japanese Tubs” built with inappropriate woods, using mitered joints or other phony details which will cause poor performance and leaks. I think that there are many types of deep soaking tubs, many types of ofuro-style tubs etc. Anyway we should be more precise when we talk about Japanese Tubs. First of all, “Japanese Tubs” are made in Japan. (aka: Chinese tubs are made in China or American tubs are made in the US). If they are made in wood, they should use only coniferous wood (not teak, mahogany etc.). Then these tubs should be handmade, using techniques of wood joinery derived from traditional ship building. Only these details developed during the centuries guarantee performance, durability and genuinity.

I recommend to consult the Bartok design Japan Co. homepage for hundreds of examples and FAQs answered. If you are looking for natural bath accessories visit their hinoki bath accessories page. (direct purchase with PayPal is available).

Travel Volunteer Project – A meaningful contest to promote Tourism in Japan

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This post is a contribution made by Eric, a Travel Volunteer Team Member.

In an effort to show the world that Japan remains a safe destination and promote international tourism back to Japan, we are sponsoring two “Travel Volunteers” to visit Japan’s 47 prefectures during a 100+1 journey.

The idea for this project came from one of our employees at The Real Japan: three months after the events, we were brainstorming on ways to restore confidence and bring back tourism to Japan. We had all seen the coverage about Japan from international media and felt an important part of information was missing… Although the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear issue are terrible disasters which claimed many lives, Japan as a country was NOT entirely destroyed or irradiated. All other places outside the evacuation zone remained totally safe. But the media never mentioned it.

An idea arose and immediately caught everyone’s enthusiasm: ”How about creating a contest to win a journey through all 47 prefectures of Japan in 100+1 days and report on a Blog and social media? All travel and accommodation expenses, including international airfares would be covered by the project. Impossible? Crazy? The seed for the “Travel Volunteer” project was planted…

Japan Travel Volunteer Project

www.travelvolunteer.net

We also involved Japanese tourism businesses from all over the country to sponsor a part of the journey and many contributed in the form of complimentary room-nights at hotels and Ryokans, with local guides offering their services to escort the Travel Volunteer for free in their city. We would like to thank them for their support.

On July 6th , after one month of excitement and intense work, the Travel Volunteer website was launched. It took off immediately, with over 200 applications in less than two days. Two weeks later, the Facebook page of our project was shared more than 10,000 times!

On July 31st, the application closing date, we had received 1897 applications from 85 different countries in the world… Every applicant was requested to pay a USD 5.00 fee to enter the contest, thus ensuring they were serious and committed. The funds were raised to support “On The Road”, a grass-root NPO, actively involved in the reconstruction efforts in the devastated Tohoku region.

Message Board of Support and Hope in Japan

Board of Messages full of Support and Hope

On August 15th, we had read all 1897 applications and pre-selected 5 candidates based on their answers to three simple questions:

  • What is your personal reason to apply for Travel Volunteer?
  • If you are selected, what would be your dream while in Japan?
  • Why should we choose you?

The “lucky five” were 3 single applicants – 2 female & 1 male) from Canada, Malaysia & Ukraine, plus two couples from the UK and the USA.

On September 13th, they were invited to join the final selection process (return flight paid) at Kaikaro, a prestigious Geisha Tea House in Kanazawa, in presence local personalities and Japanese TV’s covering the event. The selection process was broadcast live on U-Stream (watch it here) and on local & regional TV’s.

Foreigners getting into Japanese culture

Foreigners (Gaijin) wearing traditional Japanese kimono with Geisha girls and learning more about Japanes tradition as well as culture.

This non-profit project also aimed at raising funds for a grass-root NPO called “On The Road”, actively involved in the reconstruction efforts in Tohoku region, through a USD 5.00 application fee. As a result, USD 10,000 have been raised and symbolically handed over to the President of “On The Road” by the 5 pre-selected candidates, at the end of the ceremony.

Akita City Food and Beverage Association Annual meeting

Contestant winners Katie & Jamie from the UK who will be visiting 47 47 prefectures of Japan while they blog about their experiences!

On September 15th, our finally selected Travel Volunteers – Katie & Jamie from the UK – departed Kanazawa at 08.50 am to their first destination, Toyama. They are now on their way through Japan and will keep blogging everyday about their journey in Japan, until Christmas Eve on December 24th, when they will be in Tohoku, distributing gifts to children displaced by the tsunami.

For more information, please visit:
The Website: Travel Volunteer｜トラベルボランティア
The Blog: (Japan) Travel Volunteer Blog
The Facebook Page
The Twitter Page

Top 5 Universities in Japan

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Here is a current list of the top 5 universities in Japan.

  1. The University of Tokyo – (Tokyo Daigaku) a major research university. Fifteen prime ministers in Japan have studied at University of Tokyo. During the Summer Olympics in 1964, the university hosted the running portion of the pentathlon event. The University’s School of Science and the Earthquake Research Institute are both represented on the national Coordinating Committee for Earthquake Prediction.
    University of Tokyo
  2. Kyoto University – (Kyoto Daigaku) It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan’s Imperial Universities. The university claims six Nobel Laureates and two Fields Medalists among its faculty and alumni.
  3. Osaka University – (Osaka Daigaku) It is the sixth oldest university in Japan, and formerly one of Japan’s Imperial Universities. Not only is it one of the top research institutions in Japan, it’s very difficult to get into.
  4. Nagoya University – (Nagoya Daigaku) It is one of the most prestigious universities and it’s one of the top research institutions in Japan, and Nagoya Law School is considered as one of top Law schools in the country. It’s very selective with the students they select.
    Nagoya University
  5. Tohoku University – (Tohoku Daigaku) It is the third oldest Imperial University in Japan and one of the 13 universities selected by the government to lead the internationalisation of higher education in Japan. They offer international degree courses taught completely in English, at both undergraduate and graduate level. The radiology department has been actively measuring radiation levels throughout the city of Sendai since the Fukushima Nuclear Power plant meltdown, which is about 100 kilometers south. One of the interesting research centers they have is the Research Center for Prediction of Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions.
    Tohoku UniversityYou can view the top Japanese Universities and see where they stand in the country of Japan as well as where they are listed in top 500 worldwide rankings right here.

American Express Launches Global Friends of Japan Facebook Program

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Alicia for American Express sent me an email to inform me that in August, American Express launched ‘Friends of Japan,’ a global program on Facebook designed to revive global attention on relief efforts since the East Japan Great Earthquake struck the region five months ago. People from around the world are encouraged to share ‘Messages of Hope’ through the ’Friends of Japan’ section of American Express Japan’s Facebook page (facebook.com/americanexpressjapan). The ‘Friends of Japan’ Facebook experience will be translated into eight languages for the international audience and American Express, which has more than 1,100 employees in Japan, will donate $1 towards the relief efforts for every message of hope posted from anywhere in the world.

American Express Friends of Japan Continue reading →

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