August 11th, 2016 marked Japan’s first even “Mountain Day”. As it is a national holiday, I ventured out by myself to the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Garden in search for Sunflowers! Sunflowers have always been a favorite flower of mine since … Continue reading Trip to Kobe Nunobiki Herb Garden on Japan’s First ever Mountain Day
Within the 3 years that I have lived in Japan, I have moved within Japan 2 times. Once from Kyoto City to Osaka Prefecture, and once to from Osaka Prefecture to Osaka City. When you move within Japan, there are a few things that you need to be aware of. I will be pointing out 5 of these things that will be helpful for people moving within Japan. Tip #1: Calculate how much money it will take to move ahead of time Moving within Japan can be expensive; having to deal with many different expenses that we are not used … Continue reading 5 Tips For Moving Within Japan
Over the past few months, I’ve noticed a recurring theme in my company: attention to detail, and I’ll be honest… it’s not exactly my strong suit. Coming from a Western background, some of the things I see here feel overly … Continue reading Working in a Japanese Company: Part 5 – Attention to Detail
March was the first full month where I was basically handling my job on my own. There were still plenty of things I didn’t fully understand, but each time I repeated my monthly tasks, they made a little more sense. … Continue reading Working in a Japanese Company: Part 4 – Basic Japanese Business Vocabulary You Need to Know
My third month at work was my first time handling everything on my own, and while it was challenging, it was also really rewarding. I’ve realized that I feel the most accomplished when I’m given the independence to do my … Continue reading Working in a Japanese Company – Part 3
After completing my second month at my job in Osaka, Japan, I’m back with more thoughts and observations about working in a Japanese company. I have to admit, I’m going through a bit of a “culture shock” phase right now, … Continue reading Working in a Japanese Company – Part 2
I started working at a Japanese company on December 1st, 2014, and I’ve just wrapped up my first month. During my MBA in Kyoto and in university, I learned a lot about Japanese work culture, but nothing really prepared me … Continue reading Working in a Japanese Company – The Beginnings
On October 26th, I went to the grand opening of EATME, a brand by the famous Model Tsubasa Masuwaka. Tsubasa is best known for being a “Gyaru” model in POPTEEN and POPSISTER Magazines (although has graduated from both) and also has two cosmetic lines, Dolly Wink and Candy Doll. She is also a singer under the persona “Milky Bunny”. EATME is Tsubasa’s first clothing line and has been around since this past summer online at Runway Channel, but the first shop opened in Harajuku just last week. EATME comes from Alice in Wonderland, which my friend Rosie tells me she is a … Continue reading Japanese Fashion: EATME Harajuku Store Grand Opening – October 26th, 2014
Normally I don’t like Japanese police dramas from past experiences of getting bored with them, unless they are a comedy (like Deka Wanko). They just didn’t have as good of a story line or a way to keep me engaged like American ones do. Despite this, I decided to give this one a try because Maruyama Ryuhei from Kanjani8 was in it and I like him as an actor. I dragged my feet for a few weeks before I was able to sit down and try to watch it. I fully intended to just skip to all the parts with Maruyama … Continue reading “Strawberry Night” J-Drama
After I have posted this entry I will have been all packed and ready to leave Japan or have gone home. The last thing I am doing is going to see Wild 7 with two really goods friends on the 21st. What can I say? I hate goodbyes. Everyone does. I really don’t want to say goodbye to this country that has given me some of the best memories of my life and saw me grow as a person. As I am writing this, I am on the Shinkansen going back to Kyoto after being in Tokyo for the Kanjani8 … Continue reading Diary Post: Goodbyes are Bittersweet – Reflections of the Past 4 Months in Japan
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