Hello! from Japan

About Japan and my life

hidanotaka.com

How’s your life in Japan? (Online interview with Sean)

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How are you doing?
We had another online interview with a foreign resident in Japan.
It was really fun talking with him and we got some interesting opinions about life in Japan.

He came to Takayama city about 3 year ago!

0:13 日本に来たきっかけは？
What brought you to Japan?

1:29 日本に馴染むのは大変だった？
Was it hard to fit in the different culture?

2:08 日本が外国人にとっても住みやすい場所になるには？
What should Japan work more on for foreign citizens?

3:35 どうやって日本語を習得した？
How did you learn Japanese?

5:11 日本の幼児教育について
About early child education in Japan.

7:23  先輩移住者としてアドバイス
Tips for new-comers

9:06  今回インタビューをしてみて
After the interview

I hope this will be helpful for someone thinking about coming to Japan in the future!

See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.
Multicolors
Free Somebody
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If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: [email protected]

How to be nice and polite using Japanese honorifics

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Hi, How’s it going?
We Japanese use many honorifics in conversation.
It is said that the idea of using honorifics came from the Japanese culture of honoring/showing respect to superior ones.

If you are planning to visit or stay in Japan, knowing how to use basic honorifics will help you make good relationships with locals. Here are some of the commonly used honorifics that you should know!

4 most commonly used honorifics (suffixes)

These 4 major honorific suffixes are attached to the end of names. They can be added either the first or last name, and are used to refer to the person one is talking to or a third person in speech.

They are hardly ever used to refer to oneself (except when trying to be arrogant or cute using -Sama or -Chan).

Calling someone without the honorific suffix is called Yobisute. 
People usually use Yobisute if they are talking about someone who is close like a friend, one’s spouse, younger family, and younger person/social inferior (such as new co-workers, younger students, etc).

As a sign of the close relationship, some people prefer to be called without honorifics. However, dropping them is a sign of informalities and not preferred at workplaces.  Below are the 4 major honorific suffixes.

-San （さん）

It is the most common of the 4 as it is a gender neutral (and often used for adults). If you are not sure what to call someone politely, you can simply add this at the end of the person’s name. It can be used to talk about a business/workplace/animal/ politely (such as Sushiya-san/Sushi restaurant) as well.

japanese lady
I would use -San for her as she looks mature.

-Sama （さま/様）

It is used to talk about someone who is respectful or of a higher rank, and is a very polite word.  Also, it is used toward one’s guests or customers (they are called お客様/Okyaku-sama. It is the most commonly used -sama in regular conversation). Christian God and Shinto “Kami” are referred to as Kami-sama. 

King
A king can be called – Sama.

-Chan （ちゃん）

It is used to express that the speaker finds a person/animal charming or cute. It is commonly used for babies, young children (especially for girls), friends, lovers, and adorable female. It is not usually used for adults so it can be seen as offensive if you use. 

A little cat
A cat(Neko) can be call Neco-chan.

-Kun （くん/君）

It is generally used for males, often to refer to younger ones like male children or teenagers (or among them when they call each other).If it is used for an adult male, it can mean that the speaker finds the male charming/cute.
Although it is not common, it can be used for females. Calling a female with Kun is not insulting, and it is often more respectful than -Chan. 

A little asian boy
A little boy is -Kun.

Other honorifics 

Common honorifics used in a company are 係長/Kakari chou :Subsection Chief, 課長/Ka chou :Section Chief, 部長/Bu chou :General manager, 社長/Sha chou :President, 会長/Kai chou :Chairman. As you can see, they are used to refer to a specifically ranked person.

A business man
It is always good to be polite at a workplace in Japan.

先輩(Senpai), 後輩(Kouhai), 先生(Sensei) are used in school (Senpai and Kouhai can also be used in a workplace as well).
Senpai is used to refer to one’s senior in a social circle, and Kouhai is for younger(when calling a senior, people use -Senpai at the end of the person’s name, but don’t use -Kouhai when calling someone younger. Instead, -Kun/Chan or Yobisute are normally used). Sensei means teacher or one with a lot of knowledge. More about Senpai, Kouhai, please refer to https://hidanotaka.com/japanes-student/

A school girl
A school girl.

お/O- and ご/Go- prefixes are used for nouns/verbs to call them politely or make the sentence polite. (お茶/O-cha : Tea, お水/O-mizu : Water, ご家族/Go-kazoku : Family, ご覧になる/Go-ranninaru : (He/She) takes a look at something, etc). 

Business men
A Kouhai of a company is asking something to a Senpai.

You may find it a little confusing at first, but just knowing them will help you understand how people are treating each other.

Even for a foreigner, -San can be normally used to make it polite so don’t be surprised to be called with -San. 

Peple are very friendly here, so you don’t have to be too scared about making mistakes. Just have fun learning Japanese and enjoy communicating with locals!

See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my album below.
Free Somebody
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Visit Mt.Norikura, an excellent hiking place in Japan!

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Hi, how’s eveything?
We just had a terrible typhoon a few days ago. 

It didn’t hit Takayama, the area where I live now, but a lot of places in Nagano have damaged seriously. 
I hope nothing bad will happen this year any more… 

Beautiful view at Mt. Norikura

Last month I climbed Mt. Norikura, which is 3,026m meters above sea level and is one of Japan’s 100 famous mountains. 
It was my first time to get there and I really enjoyed my trip so I would like to share about it here. 

To get there, it is the best to take a bus.
Private cars are not allowed in the area.
Bus goes to a station at 2,702 meters above sea level (which is the highest bus stop in Japan).
You can use Nohi bus from Takayama, Hirayu, or Honoki-daira(takes about 90min, 60min, 45min respectively).

From the bus station, you can choose to climb different areas as shown on the map below. 

Map is provided by Norikura Natural Environment Guide Center,
Hida Norikura Tourism Association

To its highest peak, Mt.Kegamine, it takes about 90 min on foot. 
Although you could wear casual clothes and shoes, you are strongly advised to wear climbing shoes as the way to get there is really steep and can be slippery if it rains. 

This is the way to the highest peak of Mt. Norikura

You can enjoy watching beautiful ponds, flowers, and wild life such as Ptarmigans in Mt.Norikura.

A pond in Norikura

From mid-July to mid-September, you can take early morning bus to see the sunrise, and Norikura is particularly popular during September to October when visitors can enjoy beautiful Autumn leaves. 

Norikura in Autumn

If you are planning to visit Mt. Norikura this year, you need to be hurry because it will be closed at the end of Oct. The opening day is on May 15th every year.

Mt. Norikura is a perfect place to hike in Japan! 
Enjoy visiting there and taking pictures of beautiful nature. 

See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my album below.
Free Somebody
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Visit the majestic Gifu castle on 300m high Mountain

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Hi, How are you doing?
I went to Gifu Castle a few weeks ago and I really enjoyed visiting the place so here’s some info to share. You can not only enjoy the view of the city from the top, but also learn the history (especially about the Warring/Samurai period in Japan).
If you have a chance, be sure to check this majestic castle!

view from gifu castle
View of Gifu city from the top of Gifu Castle.
It was a little cloudy when I was there but was really worth seeing!

About Gifu Castle

Gifu castle was originally named Inabayama Castle. 
It is believed that Nikaido Yukimasa(a butler to the Kamakura Shogunate) was the first one to build fortress on the top of the Mt. Kinka in 1201.

Saito Dosan was the castle lord during the Warring period, and later on in 1567, Oda Nobunaga became the lord and subjugated the area.

He also renamed the area from Inokuchi to Gifu ,and the name of the castle became Gifu castle. With this castle as his base, Nobunaga fought to unify Japan for over 10 years. The castle fell just before the war of Sekigahara, when Nobunaga’s grandson, Nobuhide became a member of the West Squad, and the East Squad invaded the castle.
The castle was destroyed in 1601 ,and some of the structures (castle towers and turrets) were moved to Kano Castle. 

The present castle we can visit is the one that was reconstructed in 1956.
You can enjoy the sight as Nobunaga had once viewed the world from the top of the castle(at 329m above sea level). 
You can take a view of Nagara River(famous for cormorant fishing), city of Gifu, and tall mountains including the Japan Alps. 
The observation area is open at night time occasionally from Spring until December. 

gifu castle on mt.kinka
Gifu castle on top of Mt.Kinka

About Oda Nobunaga

He was one of the most powerful feudal lords in the late 16th century. 
He tried to unify Japan and gained control over most Honshu(main island). 
Nobunaga was born on June 23, 1534, as the 2nd son of Oda Nobuhide, a daimyo in Owari (now part of Aichi prefecture).
Through his childhood, he was known for his strange behavior and people called him Outsuke (meaning, the Great Fool). 

In 1551 Nobuhide died unexpectedly. It is said that Nobunaga threw ceremonial incense at Nobuhide’s funeral, acting outrageously.
To take responsibility for his misbehaviors and to teach Nobunaga the right way of serving as a samurai, his menter Hirate Masahide committed Harakiri (suicide to show obligation). 

Some of the Oda clan were against him for his misbehaviors but Nobunaga destroyed those who came against him including his younger brother, Oda Nobuyuki (He had eliminated all opposition groups within the clan and Owari area by 1559). 

Among a lot of legendary battles he had during the Warring period, one of the most famous is the Battle of Okehazama.
In 1560, he fought against Imagawa Yoshimoto (he was a powerful lord based in Suruga, present-day Shizuoka prefecture). 
Yoshimoto had over 25,000 men, and they were marching toward Kyoto to expand his territories. One day at the narrow gorge of Dengaku-hazama, they were celebrating their victories.
Nobunaga, with only about 2,500 warriors, set some flags and dummy troops some distance away to get attention ,and at the same time, carried out a surprise attack from behind.
This led him to the victory and he became known by many warriors throughout Japan.

Later on, he changed the way people fight from using horses and swords to firearms and that brought him great success in conquering many areas in Japan. 

At Gifu, he instituted Rakuichi Rakuza (Free market, free guild).
With this, he eliminated barriers such as taxes, unions, and trade guilds.
This stimulated the economy and the castle town flourished.

On June 23rd when he was 47, his retainer Akechi Mitsuhide rebelled against him at Honoji temple in Kyoto and Nobunaga killed himself in the burning temple. 
He is still remembered as one of the most powerful, innovative historical figures.

nobunaga
You can see this golden statue of Oda Nobunaga at JR Gifu station.
Notice that he has a rifle instead of a sword!

Access to Gifu castle

To visit the castle, it is the best to use a bus from the train stations.
You can take a but at JR Gifu station or Meitetsu Gifu station and get off at Gifu Koen Mae(is is about 15 min travel) ,and walk to Mt. Kinka ropeway. 
From there, you can get to the station near the top of the mountain.
You can then take a walk to Gifu castle. 

Ropeway fare are 620yen for one way and 1,080yen for both ways.
To enter Gifu castle and Gifu castle museum located nearby, you need to pay the admission fee of 200yen.
Opening hours are 8:30am to 5:30pm during May 12 to Oct 16th, 9:30am to 4:30pm during Oct 17th to Mar 15th, 9:30am to 5:30pm during Mar 16th to May 11th. 

There’s Gifu City Museum of History located near the Ropeway station, in Gifu park. You can learn about the culture and history of Gifu city there. 
It has the permanent exhibition focused on Oda Nobunaga.
It hosts special exhibitions throughout the year displaying some historical art works. It is a good place to stop by before/after visiting Gifu castle.

・Hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm (closed on Mondays, the day after national holidays, and during end of the year and new year holidays)
・Price: 300yen to enter 

Historical places around

Shobo-ji Temple 

Just below the Mt.Kinka, there’s a temple called Shobo-ji, where a big Buddha is enshrined. 
It is 13.63m in height and is the largest dry lacquer Buddha statue and also one of Japan’s Three Great Buddhas (others are Nara and Kamakura’s Buddhas. Some people claim that Takaoka’s Buddha to be one of the greatest). 

Shobo-ji's Budhha

Inaba Shrine

It is a shrine beloved as the tutelary shrine of Gifu.
It is over 1,900 years old and it is believed that it was moved to its current location from Mt. Kinka by Saito Dosan.

Inaba Shrine

By visiting Gifu castle, you can learn what the life during Samurai era was like. 

Many festivals are held throughout the year in the area as well.
Among them, the most famous is Ngara river fireworks festival in the summer(on the last Saturday of July and 1st Saturday of August). 
Over 30,000 fireworks are set of at the event and it is breathtaking.
Have fun visiting Gifu!

See you next time,
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my album below.
Free Somebody
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3 easy steps to use chopsticks (and 9 don’ts)

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Chopsticks were originally from China, and they became popular in Japan and Korea by 500 A.D. Back then, people used chopsticks made from trees and bamboos but nowadays we see many different kinds of them.
Japanese chopsticks are generally shorter than Chinese or Korean chopsticks and we use them when we eat Asian cuisines (and sometimes even when we have food from western countries).
They are hard to use at first but once you get used to them, you will be amazed to know how useful they are.
Here is the easy, 3 steps guide on how to use chopsticks.

3 easy steps to use chopsticks

1.Hold the lower chopstick

Put the lower chopstick under your thumb, resting it on palm.
The end of your lower chopstick should be sticking out about 1 inch.

2.Hold the upper chopstick

Lightly grip the upper chopstick with your thumb, index, and middle fingers just like holding a pencil.
The tips of chopsticks need to be lined up.

lower chopstick

3.Move the upper chopstick to pick up food

Lower chopstick remains stationary, and only upper one is moved to pinch and control the food. Be careful not to cross them or force too much.

chopsticks

Etiquette while using chopsticks

Not everyone follow these rules strictly these days, but it is always good to know manners to show your politeness.
Here are 9 things you should avoid doing while using chopsticks in Japan.

1.刺し箸/Sashi Bashi

Do not stub food with chopsticks.
There is another Sashi Bashi with different writing, “差し箸” ,which is to point someone with your chopsticks. This is also considered rude.

2.握り箸/Nigiri Bashi

Do not use chopsticks grabbing.

3.くわえ箸/Kuwae Bashi

Do not hold your chopsticks in your mouth.

4.立て箸/Tate Bashi

Do not leave chopsticks vertically in the bowl of rice as this is only done at the funeral as an offering to the deceased.

5.箸渡し/Hashi watashi

Passing food from one pair of chopsticks to another is rude as this is related to a funeral.
This is done when placing the bone of the deceased in a cinerary urn.

6.舐り箸/Neburi Bashi

Do not lick or suck on your chopsticks.

7.探り箸/Saguri Bashi

Do not use chopsticks to sift through the contents of a dish (or dishes) in search of something. This is considered greedy and rude.

8.寄せ箸/Yose Bashi

Do not pull a dish using chopsticks.

9.叩き箸/Tataki Bashi

Do not play with chopsticks like drumming.

It is also important to place chopsticks across your plate or dish after eating. This is the sign to tell that you are done eating and show appreciation to the one(s) who prepared your meal.

Many restaurants and markets in Japan provide you with a pair of wooden chopsticks that need to be broken apart.
They are called waribashi (割り箸). These are disposable ones.
If they are in a plastic bag, be careful when opening it.
There is usually a tiny toothpick with them and you may hurt yourself if you don’t know it!

Enjoy your Asian food with chopsticks!
See you next time,
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my album below.
Free Somebody
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23 important events/holidays in Japan

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How’s it going? It is the rainy season in Japan now, but it’s already getting hot! It feels like summer already.
Any plans for the summer this year?
I’m thinking about traveling a lot!

This time I wrote about some of the most important annual events and national holidays in Japan.
Hope this article will help you understand more about my country and culture!

In Japan, when a national holiday is on Sunday, the following Monday will be a holiday and a day between holidays will also be a holiday.

Some events below are from western countries and you can see how much we are influenced by different cultures (but at the same time we do keep some traditional events, which is very cool I think!).

January 1st  
正月/Shogatsu
New year Day

Jan 1st is the first day of the new year in Japan and many businesses are closed until Jan 3rd. Most people go back to their parents’ place and celebrate eating Osechi (An assortment of small dishes. Each dish has meaning, and people traditionally eat it to wish for good health and prosperity for the family for the year) ,and Mochi (rice cake).

Second Monday of January
成人の日/Seijin nohi
Coming of Age Day

Young men and women who are turning 20 are celebrated on this day.
They wear traditional Japanese clothes and celebrate together (legal drinking age is 20 in Japan, so many of them enjoy drinking).

kimono girls

February 11th
建国記念日/Kenkoku kinenbi
National Foundation Day

It is the day to celebrate the mythological foundation of Japan.
According to the earliest Japanese history record, the first Japanese emperor was crowned on this day in the year 660 BC.

February 14th
バレンタインデー/Valentine’s Day

It was brought from western countries and it became a tradition in the late 1970s (Chocolate companies ran advertisement and it became popular. Most Japanese chocolate companies make half their annual sales during Valentine season).
In Japan, women give chocolate to men (Chocolate that is given to a loved one is called “Honmei-Choko”, to co-workers/bosses is called “Giri(obligation)-Choko, and to friends is called “Tomo(Friend)-Choko”). March 14th is called “White Day”, when men are expected to return the favor to the ones who gave them chocolates on Feb 14th.

chocolate

February 23rd
天皇誕生日/Nennou Tanjoubi
Emperor’s birthday

It is the birthday of the current emperor, Emperor Naruhito.

March 3rd
ひな祭り/Hina Matsuri
Doll’s Day (Also called Girl’s Day)

It is the day to pray for good health and happiness of young girls in Japan. It is a tradition to display Japanese dolls dressed in decorative robes of the ancient imperial court at home.
Traditional food like Hishi-mochi (diamond shaped rice cakes) ,Chirashi sushi (many ingredients and raw fish are mixed and they are put on top of sweet vinegared rice) are displayed and served on the day.

hinamatsuri

Around March 20th
春分の日/Shunbun nohi
Vernal Equinox Day

It is the day around Mar 20th, when the March equinox occurs.
It is less popular now but people traditionally ate Botamochi on this day (rice cake covered with pasted red beans).

April 29th
昭和の日/Showa nohi
Showa Day

It is the birthday of the former Emperor Showa.

sakura and a bird

May 3rd
憲法記念日/Kenpo kinenbi
Constitution Day

It is the day to celebrate the promulgation of the 1947 Constitution of Japan.

May 4th
みどりの日/Midori nohi
Greenery Day

It is the day to be thankful for nature’s blessings (it was on April 29th until 2006 as Showa Day. It was moved to this date and celebrated as a day of Golden week now).

May 5th
こどもの日/Kodomo nohi
Children’s Day (Also called Boy’s Day)

It is a day to celebrate children’s happiness.
As the counterpart to Hinamatsuri, this day is also known as Boy’s Day.
On this day, Koinobori (carp-shaped windsock) is displayed (there’s a Chinese legend that a carp that swims upstream becomes a dragon).
Traditionally, the big black carp represents father, red one represents mother, and small ones are children.
As it was originally the day for boys, some people display Samurai dolls at home on this day.
Kashiwa Mochi (Rice cake wrapped in Oak leaves), and Chimaki (Sweet rice wrapped in a bamboo leaf) are served on the day (although this tradition is less popular now).

koinobori

July 7th
七夕/Tanabata
Star Festival

It is a Japanese festival originating from Chinese Qixi festival.
It is believed that the Milky Way separates Orihime and Hikoboshi (Vega and Altair stars), and they are allowed to meet once a year on this day.
People write wishes on colored paper and hang them on bamboo trees.

tanabata

July 20th
海の日/Umi nohi
Marine Day

This is the day to give thanks to the ocean.
It was designated in 1995 as the first holiday in the summer months.
Many schools start Summer vacation around this time.

August 11th
山の日/Yama nohi
Mountain Day

This is another relatively new holiday set in 2016 to appreciate blessings from mountains.

August 13th to 16th
お盆/Obon

It is a Buddhist event for commemorating ancestors.
It is said that the spirits of ancestors return to visit relatives during this time of the year.
People visit graves and Obon dance is performed at many temples and shrines.
Some people hang lanterns in front of houses to welcome those spirits.
At the end of Obon season, people float lanterns down the rivers for ancestors’ spirits to go back to their world safely.

obon lanterns

Third Monday of September
敬老の日/Keirou nohi
Respect for the aged day

This is the day to honor and respect the elder people.
Events to assist the elders are held on this day.

Around September 23rd
秋分の日/Shubun nohi
Autumnal equinox Day

People reconnect with their families by visiting temples, shrines, and graves on this day. It is also the day to celebrate autumn harvest.

Second Monday of October
体育の日/Taiiku nohi
Health and sports Day

In 1964, Tokyo Olympics was held on this day.  
Most schools have an annual sports festival around this time of the year.
In 2020, it will be on July 24th when the opening ceremony of 2020 Tokyo Olympics is held.
After 2020 on, the name of this holiday will be changed to Sports Day.

November 3rd　
文化の日/Bunka nohi
Culture Day

It was originally Emperor Meiji’s birthday.
It is a day to promote culture, art, and academic endeavor now.
Festivals are held in schools and at many places in Japan, and selected artists receive awards. In 1946, post-war constitution was announced on this day.

November 15th  
七五三/Shichi go san

It is a traditional rite of passage and a festival day to celebrate girls of 3 and 7 years old and boys of 5 years old.
Children wear traditional Japanese style clothes and people celebrate the growth and well-being of them.
Chitose ame (kind of a red and white, long candy) is served to hope for their long, healthy life (a crane and a turtle ,which represent long life in Japan, are drawn on the bag of it).

Shihigosan

November 23rd　
勤労感謝の日/Kinrou Kansha nohi
Labor Thanksgiving Day

This is the day to commemorate labor and production.
Labor festival is held in Nagano each year to think about the environment, peace, and human rights.

December 24th and 25th
クリスマス/Christmas

It is not a national holiday, but Japanese people celebrate Christmas just like in many western countries (these days in city areas, people even enjoy Halloween wearing costumes on Oct 31st).
Christmas trees are displayed and decorated at stores and stations ,and people get busy buying presents (and cakes!).

December 31st 　
大晦日/Oomisoka
New Year’s Eve

Families get together and most people clean the house to welcome the coming year. Watching some special TV programs while eating Soba noodle is a typical thing people do on this day.
At midnight, you hear the sound of Joya No Kane (New Year’s Bell).
Monks at temples ring the bell 108 times to remove worldly passions such as anger and pain ,and purify everyone’s minds.

a bell at a temple

By the way, Japan has as many as 16 national holidays (on average) and a worker can take 20 paid days off a year.
However, because the work environment is very competitive and the number of employees are declining in Japan (due to the aging population combined with the diminishing number of children), most people take only about 10 paid holidays.
Reference: https://welove.expedia.co.jp/press/40915/

We do need to improve the work environment to enjoy holidays and event more!
How about in your country?
Do people have enough time to enjoy national holidays and events?
Give me some comments below!

See you next time.
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my album below.
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

21 Famous Japanese proverbs

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Hi, How are you?
I’ve been busy working as usual… But I’m making my living doing what I love so I have no complaint! Life is great.
I teach Music and English every week, and I’m getting ready for new music project.
Oh, and me and my friend are planning to start a Youtube channel.
I will inform here when we are ready!

This time I listed some of the most popular Japanese proverbs.
I like learning proverbs because we can learn important teachings.
While I was doing some research, I found that there are a lot of similar sayings in English.
It is very interesting to know different words (often animals or objects) are used to express the same meaning, and see the different way of seeing the world.
Here is the list of them.
Have fun learning Japanese and expressions!

kids learning

1.船頭多くして船山に上る/ Sendou ookushite funeyama ni noboru.

Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Sendou means “A leader on a ship”.
If there are too many leaders on a ship, it will sail to a wrong place.

2.ちりも積もれば山となる/Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru.

Many drops make a shower.
Chiri means “Dust” and Yama means “A mountain”.
Even a very small/little thing like dust, it will be like a mountain if it piles.
It is used to talk about either good or bad result that a habit/practice brings.

3.藪をつついて蛇を出す/Yabu wo tsutsuite hebi wo dasu.

Let sleeping dogs lie.
Yabu means “Bush”, and Hebi means “a snake”.
If you do unnecessary thing like poking at the bush, a snake (or a trouble) will come out, so just let well alone.

4.笑う門には福来たる/Warau kado niwa fuku kitaru.

Good fortune and happiness will come to the home of those who smile.

5.嘘つきは泥棒の始まり/Usotsuki wa dorobou no hazimari.

Lying leads to stealing (and it gets worse, so don’t form a bad habit).

6.二度あることは三度ある/Nido aru koto wa sando aru.

What happens “Nido” (twice) will happen “Sando” (three times).

7.明日は明日の風が吹く/Ashita wa ashita no kaze ga fuku.

Tomorrow is another day.
The direct translation is, “There will be different wind blowing tomorrow”.
This is often used to tell someone to take it easy and be optimistic.

blowing

8.終わり良ければすべて良し/Owari yokereba subete yoshi.

All is well that ends well or It will all come good in the end.

9.百聞は一見にしかず/Hyakubun wa iken ni shikazu.

A picture is worth a thousand words or Seeing is believing.

10.二兎を追う者は一とも得ず/Nito wo oumono wa itoumo ezu.

He who runs after two hares will catch neither.

11.残り物には福がある/Nokori mono niwa fuku ga aru.

There is fortune in leftovers.
It is often used to tell someone that there is unexpected good in what others have left behind, so don’t give up/let’s be positive even if you are (or something is) left behind.

12.七転び八起き/Nana korobi ya oki.

Ups and downs.
The direct translation is, “Fall seven times, stand up eight times”. Even if you fall seven times, you can be successful by standing up eight times and keep on going, so never give up.

13.石の上にも三年/Ishi no ue nimo sannen.

Perseverance prevails.
The direct translation is, “Three years on a stone (will make the stone warm)”. Be patient and you will achieve your goal.

14.猿も木から落ちる/Saru mo ki kara ochiru.

Even homer sometimes nods.
Saru means “A monkey”. The direct translation is, “Even monkeys fall from trees”.

15.芸は身を助ける/Gei wa mi wo tasukeru.

Art brings bread.
Gei means “Art”. Mi wo tasukeru means, “Help someone”.

16.将を射んと欲すれば、先ず馬を射よ/Shou wo inn to hosureba, mazu uma wo iyo.

Do not shoot straight for the top (instead, see things well first and start with something that will lead to success/goal).
The direct translation is, “If you want to shoot the general, first shoot his horse”.

17.初心忘れる可からず/Shoshin wasuru bekarazu.

Don’t forget your first resolution or Never lose your humility.

18.千里の道も一歩から/Senri no michi mo ippo kara.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Sen means “A thousand”, and Ri is an old unit of measure which is about 4 kilometers.
So, Senri is 4,000 kilometers. “Senri” is used to talk about a long journey.

a lot of books

19.泣きっ面に蜂/Nakittura ni hachi.

It never rains but it pours.
The direct translation is, “A bee comes to someone crying”.
One misfortune rides upon another’s back.
Well, that happens a lot, doesn’t it?

20.出る釘は打たれる/Deru kugi wa utareru.

A nail that stands will be hammered down.
This one explains Japanese society well I think.
If you don’t conform to the rest, you’ll get hammered down….Ouch

21.猫に小判/Neko ni koban.

Cast pearls before swine.
Neko is “A cat”, and Koban is “Gold”, so the Japanese version is “Cast gold before cat”.

cat

Thank you for reading!
If there’s anything that you want me to write, let me know!

Have a great month,
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my album below.
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

Lost in Japan? 17 useful Japanese phrases ≪with audio≫

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So many people, and so many narrow streets… It’s very easy to get lost in Japan! Things are very convenient and safe here, but the transportation system is a bit complicated and if you can not read/speak Japanese, you might have hard time finding the best way to get to your destination even using Google map.
Here are some of the useful phrases that you can use when you get lost and want some help in Japan. Learn these expressions and enjoy your travel in Japan!

Japan

・When you want to ask

すみません/ Sumimasen

Excuse me.

（ここは/今）何処ですか？/ (Kokowa/Ima) doko desuka?

Where is this place/am I now?

〜は何処ですか？/ – Wa doko desuka?

Where is -?

道に迷いました。/Michi ni mayoi mashita.

I’m lost my way. “Michi” means “Way”.

〜へはどうやって行ったら良いですか？/ – He wa douyatte ittara ii desuka?

What is a good way to get to -? “Douyatte” means “How to”.
When you don’t know how to do something, you could ask like, “どうやってするのですか？Douyatte suru no desuka?”

〜への行き方を教えて下さい。/ – He no ikikata wo oshiete kudasai.

Please tell me how to get to -. “Oshiete” means “Tell me” or “Teach me”.

〜が見つかりません。/ -Ga mitsukari masen.

I can’t find -. This phrase can be used when you lost something and you are looking for it. For example, “Tokei ga mitsukari masen” meaning, “I can’t find my watch.”

ここから何分くらいかかりますか？/Kokokara nanfun kurai kakarimasuka?

How long does it take to get there from here?

lost

・Other useful expressions

右/左 / Migi/Hidari

Right/Left

ここ/そこ/あっち / Koko/Soko/Attchi

This place(or here)/That place(or there)/Over there

(この/あの)道をまっすぐです / (Kono/Ano) michi wo massugu desu.

Go straight (this/that) way. “Massugu” is “Straight”.

(右に/左に/角を)曲がる / (Migini/Hidarini/Kadowo) Magaru.

Turn (right/left/at the corner). “Magaru” means “To turn”.

(歩いて/車で/バスで/電車で) 〜分くらいです。/ (Aruite/Kuruma de/Bus de/Densha de) – fun kurai desu.

It takes about – min (on foot/by car/by bus/by train).

遠い/近い / Toui/Chikai

Far/Close

案内しますよ。/ Annai Shimasuyo.


I will take you there.
Lucky you if you get this phrase from the person you are talking to!

〜で乗り換えて下さい。 / – de norikaete kudasai.

Please transfer at -. “Norikae” means “Transfer”.

助かりました！ / Tasukarimashita!


You saved me! /That was a help!
You could use this phrase to say thank you.

walking on the street

By the way, we don’t usually use “Block” in Japan when we talk about the directions.
So, you rarely hear someone says things like “Go straight this way for 2 blocks…”.

It is hard for Japanese people who can not speak English well to explain the direction.
But if you can use the Japanese words and phrases here, it will be much easier for you to get the right information when you are lost/looking for a place.

This reminds me of the time when I visited the U.K.
When I went to the U.K for the first time (about 4 years ago), I couldn’t find the hostel I was staying, so I asked for a help and a very friendly local drove me there.
I was very thankful for that! And I try to do the same every time I see someone who needs help in Japan now.

Japanese people are generally friendly and helpful, so don’t be afraid to talk to locals when you need some help.
If you know some Japanese, it is most likely that they will try to help you as much as they can.

Hope this post will be of your help.
If there’s anything that you want me to write, feel free to send me a message to [email protected]
Or you could simply give me a comment.

See you next time!
Taka 

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my album below!
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

All about capsule hotels in Japan

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Paying for food, transportation, shopping, and accommodation….
Traveling in Japan costs a lot of money.
If you are staying for a long time in Japan, you should plan out carefully.
There are a lot of delicious food and interesting goods, so without planning, you will end up spending too much money!

Here is an option for those who want to save some money during their trip in Japan: Staying at capsule hotels.
If you don’t care too much about the place to stay (or if you are a minimalist then definitely!), or looking for an interesting place to stay, booking capsule hotels is a great idea.

It will be a great experience staying at this unique accommodation and most of them are very comfortable and affordable.
Check the info below and learn all about capsule hotels!

capsule hotel and a laptop

Capsule hotels are cheap places to stay.
They were originally made for salarymen when they couldn’t make it home overnight.
Therefore, most capsule hotels are made only for men.
However, more and more capsule hotels are offering accommodation for women and foreigners recently.
At such places, they usually offer gender segregated sleeping floors for men and women and well maintained with security systems.
Such capsule hotels are usually found near major train stations and it only costs around 3,000yen to 5,000yen per a night to stay
(except at some premium capsule hotels that offer more space and luxurious experience).

sleeping lady

The type of capsules are different depending on the hotels.
A typical capsule is a fiberglass unit (about 1.2 m wide, 2 m long, and 1 m high), and has a single size futon mattress with sheets, blankets , and pillows, a TV/radio ,bed light, outlet, and WiFi inside with a curtain/door to cover the entrance.
Usually, two units are stacked and lined up side by side along the corridor.

capsule hotel osaka
This is the original capsule hotel in Osaka.

Bathroom/Shower room are shared with other guests like a hostel or guesthouse.
Some places have restaurants, laundry machines, vending machines, lounges with massage chairs, game/manga rooms, or even a Sento (Sento is the communal bathing place. About Sento, check my another post:https://hidanotaka.com/sento/).

inside a capsule hotel

Getting interested? But don’t rush!
Here are the things that you should know before going to a capsule hotel.

・You need to remove your shoes upon checking in.
You will be given a key with the number of the capsule you are using. You will have to return the key to check out, so don’t lose it!

・Smoking is not allowed inside of a capsule.

・You need to refrain from making too much noise or mess.
*Note that some capsule hotels are for a single stay.
At such places, you need to check out and check in again if you are staying more than a day.

Here are the recommended capsule hotels

In Tokyo

Shinjuku Kuyakusho-mae Capsule Hotel
It is located close to Shinjuku station, near Shinjuku piccadilly movie theater.
This place has a 24 hour bath and sauna with a lounge, restaurant, and coin-operated laundries.

Check in: From 4:00pm until 3:00am
Check out: 10:00am
Price: 2,500 to 3,800yen for women, 2,600 to 3,600yen for men

Capsule Value Kanda
It is a popular capsule hotel near Akihabara station.
They have luggage storages and 24 hour room service.

Check in: From 5:00pm
Check out: 10:00am
Price: 2,900 to 3,400yen

Hotel Asakusa & Capsule
This place is located near Asakusa station.
It has a large shared bath, free wi-fi, and a lounge, and each capsule has a TV and Yukata robe.
Although they don’t serve food, it is a cheap, comfortable place to stay!

Check in: From 4:00pm
Check out: 9:30am
Price: 2,200yen
*You could choose to stay at a room here. It costs 4,400yen per a night.

In Osaka

Capsule Hotel Inn Osaka
It is the first capsule hotel appeared in Japan in 1979.
I went to this place about 4 years ago and it was quite comfortable!
It has a big sauna and spa, a restaurant, laundry machines, and a spacious TV room with sofas. It’s only for men, however!

Check in: From Noon
Check out: 10:00am
Price: From 3,400yen

In Kyoto

Smart Stay Shizuku
It is a brand new (opened in 2018) capsule hotel near Kyoto Station.
It has a manga/magazine room, massage chairs, coin-operated laundry machines, a sauna, vending machines, and a restaurant.

Check in: From 4:00pm untill 5:00am
Check out: 10:00am
Price: From 3,980yen

If you would like to stay at a luxurious capsule hotel, you could stay at First Cabin Haneda.
It is fancier than average capsule hotels and is inside of the Haneda International airport.
The price is a bit higher than average capsule hotels, but you will be able to enjoy spacious single room.
Check in time is until 7:00pm, and Check out time is 10:00am.
It costs about 6,000yen per a night to stay at a first-class cabin.

Narita Airpot also has this kind of service, at the place called Nine Hours Narita Airpot.
It costs 4,900 per a night on weekdays, and 5,900yen on Friday and weekends.
Check in time is from noon to 5:00am, Check out time is 10:00am.
*There are a lot of First Cabin and Nine Hours in major city areas in Japan! If you don’t know which capsule to stay, you should always look for them.

staff at a hotel

I hope this post will make your stay in Japan easier.
There are a lot more capsule hotels all over Japan, and they are very convenient.
You will have a very comfortable stay if you can use some Japanese phrases and talk to staff.
Check my another post to learn some useful Japanese phrases: https://hidanotaka.com/17-simple-japanese-phrases-used-in-hotels/

Taka playing the guitar
This is me playing my guitar.

If there’s anything that you want me to write, feel free to send me a message to [email protected]
Or you could simply give me a comment.

Have a great day!(or night)
Taka 

*I’m a professional composer.
You can listen/download my album below!
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

17 simple Japanese phrases used in hotels《with audio》

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Hi, How’s it going? 
We just had the longest vacation time Golden week in Japan, and everyone’s back to work/school now.  
I met a really nice couple from Israel and showed them around.

It is always nice to be friends with people from overseas!

Alright, this time I wrote about some simple, useful Japanese phrases that you can use at a hotel.
I have experience working as a front desk at a guesthouse ,so I’m sure they will be of some help.
If you know these 17 expressions below, you will have no problem staying at a hotel in Japan!

When you check in

1.チェックインをお願いします/Check in wo onegai shimasu.

Check in, please. 
Onegai Shimasu means, “Please”. It sounds formal and is a nice phrase to use when you talk to someone you meet for the first time. 

2.予約人数は（一人/二人/三人) です/Yoyaku ninzu wa (Hitori/Futari/Sannin) desu.

I have a reservation for 1 person/ 2 people/3 people. 
“Yoyaku” means a reservation. When you count the number of people, “Hitori” is used for 1 person, “Futari” is used for 2 people, and from 3 people on, “ – nin” is used. 
(“San” is three. “Yon, Go, Roku, Nana, Hachi, Kyu, Jyu” are four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten respectively).

3.予約番号は～です/Yoyaku bangou wa – desu.

My reservation number is -. 
Most hotels won’t ask you to tell your reservation number but you should have it just in case. You are required to show your passport, so don’t forget to take it out when you check in!

4.～から～まで泊まります/- kara – made tomarimasu.

I’m staying from – to -. 
It is great if you know how to say the dates in Japanese, but if you don’t, you could use English and say like, “ 24th kara 26th made tomarimasu” and they will understand.

5.カードで払えますか？/Card de haraemasuka?

Can I pay by (credit) card? 
Hotels should be ok, but at some hostels/guesthouses in the countryside do not accept credit card, so you might want to bring some cash with you if you are going to such places.
You can learn more about this on my another post: https://hidanotaka.com/4-things-you-should-know-before-visiting-japan/

When you check out

6.チェックアウトをお願いします/Check out wo onegai shimasu. 

Check out, please. 
Yes, the same expression “Onegai shimasu” works here as well. 

7.鍵をお返しします/Kagi wo okaeshi shimasu

I’m returning the (room) key. 
You can say this as you return your room key to the receptionist.

8.ありがとうございました/Arigatou gozaimashita.

It is a formal way of saying Thank you. 
Hotel staff will appreciate it if you say this when you leave!

Trouble 　

9.すみません、～が動かないのですが/Sumimasen, – ga ugokanai no desuga. 

Excuse me, it seems that – is not working.
“Ugokanai” means something is “Not working”.

10.すみません、～の使い方を教えてください/Sumimasen, – no tsukaikata wo oshiete kudasai.

Excuse me, please tell me how to use -.
If you don’t know how to use an air-conditioner, a shower, or a TV, use this phrase to ask for a help!

Sending luggage

11.～へ荷物を送りたいのですが/ – e nimotsu wo okuritai no desuga.

I would like to send my luggage to – . 
If you have big suitcases and want to send them to the next destination, use this phrase. 
Note that you need to ask at least 2 days prior to the expected date of the arrival as it takes time to deliver suitcases. 
If the hotel doesn’t have a delivery service, take your luggage to a nearest convenience store.
Most convenience stores can help you send your stuff.

12.幾らかかりますか？/Ikura kakarimasuka?

How much will that be?
The price is different depending on the size and the distance, but it usually costs roughly around 3,000 yen to send one suitcase. For the detail, check the website of Yamato delivery service.

Talking to hotel staff

13.おすすめのお店はありますか？/Osusume no omise wa arimasuka?

Do you know any good restaurant? /Which restaurant do you recommend?

14.そこは何時から空いていますか？/Soko wa nanji kara aite imasuka?

What time does the place open?

15.～まで行きたいのですが/- made ikitai no desuga.

I’d like to go to -. 

16.～へはどうやって行きますか？/ – he wa douyatte ikimasuka?

How do you go to -? /How can I get to -?

17.～はどこですか？/ – wa doko desuka?

Where is -?

These are the 17 most used expressions at a hotel. 
Not all workers at hotels can speak English fluently (especially in the countryside).
It is the best to learn them before going to a place to stay!

By the way, there’s no tipping system in Japan.
So, you don’t need to pay anything even if a porter helped you carry your luggage or a cleaning staff came to clean up the room!

https://hidanotaka.com/new-album-free-somebody/

My new album, “Free Somebody” is well received all over the world and I’m really, really happy about it!
If you haven’t listened to it, check it out here: Free Somebody

My previous work, is also available: Skyhigh 

Thank you for your support!
I’ll keep on posting my music and info about Japan here. 

If there’s anything that you want me to write, feel free to send me a message to [email protected]
Or you could simply give me a comment below.
I’ll see you next time!
Taka 

53 useful Japanese words and phrases《with audio》

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Hi, How are you doing?
We just had the Spring Festival in Takayama.
The festival lasts for 2 days but we had a rainy day on the first day so the festival floats didn’t go out.
However they did on the 2nd day.
I was able to see them and take some pics.

About Takayama City, you can check my another post:https://hidanotaka.com/about-takayama/
We have festival 2 times a year here. Come visit if you have a chance!

This time I listed useful Japanese words and phrases that you can use during your stay in Japan.
There are still many places where the staff can only use Japanese, so I’m sure these expressions here will be of some help.
If you could use some of them, it will be much easier to communicate and make friends in Japan!

・Basic words and phrases

おはようございます/Ohayou Gozaimasu

Hello/Good morning. More casual way of saying it is おはよう/Ohayou.

こんにちは/Konnichiwa

Hello/Good afternoon.

こんばんは/Konbanwa

Good evening.

おやすみなさい/Oyasumi Nasai

Good night. More casual way of saying it is おやすみ/Oyasumi.

ありがとうございます/Arigatou Gozaimasu

Thank you. More casual way of saying it is ありがとう/Arigatou.

お元気ですか？/Ogenki Desuka?

How are you? More casual way of saying it is 元気?/Genki?

Japanese girl

・Getting to know each other

初めまして/Hajime Mashita

Nice to meet you.

私の名前は〜です/Watashino Namaewa …Desu.

My name is …

あなたの名前は何ですか？/Anatano Namaewa Nanndesuka?

What is your name?

好きな（映画/音楽/スポーツ)は何ですか？/Sukina (Eiga/Ongaku/Sport) Wa Nandesuka?

What is your favorite (Movie/Music/Sport)?

・Saying Goodbye

お会いできて良かったです。/Oaidekite Yokatta Desu.

It was nice meeting you.

またね/Matane

Take care/See you again.

さようなら/Sayounara

See you/Goodbye. A bit more casual way of saying it is さよなら/Sayonara.

You could also say じゃあね/Jya Ne to your friends. While さようなら is polite and often used as a farewell message,
じゃあね often has the meaning “See you again soon/Let’s meet again”.

Harajyuku

・At a store/restaurant

(これ/あれ)は何ですか？/(Kore/Are)Wa Nandesuka?

What is this/that?

幾らですか/Ikura Desuka?

How much?

いいですね/Iidesune

Good. More casual way of saying it is いいね/Iine.

大丈夫です/Daijobu Desu.

I’m fine/It’s OK (Polite way of saying No).
You could also say 結構です/Kekkou Desu to directly say “No thanks”.

(Wifi/この商品)はありますか?/(Wifi/Kono Sho-hin) Wa Arimasuka?

Do you have Wifi/this product?

(トイレ/試着室/レストラン/メニュー)は何処ですか? (Toilet/Shichakushitsu/Restaurant/Menu) Wa Dokodesuka?

Where is a (toilet/fitting room/restaurant/menu)?

〜へ行きたいです/…E Ikitai Desu.

I’d like to go to 〜．

〜を食べたいです/…Wo Tabetai Desu.

I’d like to eat 〜．

〜をしてみたいです/…Wo Shite Mitai Desu.

I’d like to try 〜．

お願いします/Onegai Shimesu.

Please.

これをください/Korewo Kudasai.

This one, please (requesting).

どうぞ/Douzo.

Please (Offering)/Please go ahead/Here you are.

もう一度言ってください/Mouichido Itte Kudasai.

Please say it again.

ゆっくり言ってください/Yukkuri Itte Kudasai.

Please speak more slowly.

(写真を撮っても/触っても)良いですか？/(Shashinwo Totemo/Sawattemo) Iidesuka?

Is it OK to (take a picture/touch)?

はい/Hai

Yes.

いいえ/Iie

No.

すみません/Sumimasen

Excuse me. More polite way of saying it is ごめんなさい/Gomenasai I’m sorry.

何時まで空いていますか？/Nanjimade Aiteimasuka?

Until what time are you open?

おすすめは何ですか？/Osusumewa Nandesuka?

What do you recommend?

〜が食べられません/…Ga Taberaremasen.

I can’t eat ~. If you are a vegan/vegetarian, check my another post:https://hidanotaka.com/vegetarian-and-vegan-in-japan/

美味しい/Oishii

Delicious.

お会計お願いします/Okaikei Onegaishimasu.

Check, please.

ご馳走様でした/Gochisou Samadeshita.

Thank you for the meal.

クレジットカードは使えますか？/Credit Card Wa Tsukae Masuka?

Can I use my credit card?

At a restaurant, you might hear… 

いらっしゃいませ or いらっしゃい/Irashaimase or Irashai

It means “Welcome” or “May I help you?”

店内でお召し上がりですか/Tennaide Omeshiagari Desuka?

Will you be eating here?

お持ち帰りですか?/Omochikaeri Desuka?

Is this takeout?

喫煙ですか、禁煙ですか?/Kitsu-en Desuka, Kin-en Desuka?

Smoking or Non-Smoking?

If you are not feeling well/In case of an emergency, you could say…

具合が悪いです/Guaiga Waruidesu.

I don’t feel well.

助けてください！/Tasukete Kudasai!

Please help me!

Thanks to the advance of technology, nowadays you can communicate using a translator even if you don’t speak any Japanese at all.
But if you know some Japanese words and phrases, your stay in Japan will be a lot more fun and you can have the “Real communication” with locals without any devices and I’m sure it will be a great experience!
People will really appreciate it if you try talking in Japanese.

If you are interested in learning some Japanese slangs, check my another post :https://hidanotaka.com/japanese-slangs/

Have fun learning and speaking Japanese!
Taka

※I’m a professional composer. My songs are available here: Skyhigh 
Or, you can click on the band camp link below to listen.

*Need more info about Japan?
Give me a comment here or send me a message to
[email protected]

4 ways to use a cell phone in Japan

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You can’t live comfortably without a phone these days, especially when you are on a trip.
It will be very inconvenient if you can’t get directions, make reservations, or send messages online. 
(And if you can’t use the google translation, it will be very hard to communicate with Japanese speakers!)
But the mobile phone use in Japan can be a little confusing for foreigners because there are so many services and mobile phone companies.
So, this time I wrote about phone use in Japan and listed best options for anyone coming to stay in Japan!

1.Get a SIM card

With a SIM card, you can use your own mobile phone in Japan if it is unlocked and work on a network in Japan.
You can simply buy a Japanese SIM card and data plan for your phone.
Note that most SIM cards are for data only and you cannot make a phone call. 
You can get a SIM card at airports, retailers in Japan (like at Bic camera or Yodobashi), or online.
The price varies depending on the plan, but usually costs around 4,000yen for 30 days of use (1 or 2 GB).

2.Rent a mobile phone

If you don’t have an unlocked phone, you may want to rent a phone in Japan.
By doing so, it will be very easy and inexpensive to make local calls and you will have no problem using Japanese Apps and online services.
You need a picture ID and a credit card to rent a phone. 
Phones can be rented online or at major airports in Japan. 
Rentafone Japan and Softbank are the major companies that offer this service.
After using, you can return the phones at the airport or via the mail.
It costs around 200-500 yen a day for regular phones, and for smartphones, 1,000-2,000yen per a day. 
Calling rates are usually around 40-100yen per a minute. 
(Incoming calls are free)

3.Rent a Pocket WiFi

In remote areas of Japan, it’s sometimes hard to find Wi-Fi connection.
Some trains and buses do not offer Wi-Fi service, so you could be in trouble finding a connection if you rely on Wi-Fi (except at Starbucks and Mcdonald’s).
But don’t worry, Japanese phone companies offer this thing called “Pocket WiFi”.
It’s a small, simple mobile hotspot that helps you connect to the Internet from your devices.
With that, it will be much easier to stay connected no matter where you go in Japan, and you will have the unlimited Internet access. 
You just have to charge it and turn it on and connect it to your phone/PC.
Pupuru and Ninja WiFi are two major, reliable companies that carry this service, and you can order online and have it delivered to your hotel. 
If you are planning to use it , you should request over a few days before the day of use as it is a very popular service for tourists.
Note that you can’t make phone calls using just WiFi, but internet-based call services (like LINE, WhatsApp, Skype) can be used.
Just like renting a mobile phone, you can send it back to the company you used via mail after using. 
It depends on the provider and the service, but it usually costs around 6,000yen for 10 days of use. 

4.Buy a prepaid phone

Although it is not very common in Japan, there are some prepaid phone services. 
As you can have control over your calling expenses, it is a smart way to prevent from using phones too much.  
You just need to go to a mobile phone company that carries this service (Softbank is the most popular) with a passport and tell staff. 
The price for the prepaid phones are from about 4,000yen to 7,000yen. 
Note that if you have a Softbank prepaid phone, making a call to non-Softbank call can be expensive.
You can buy your own calling minutes for a few thousand yen at a time. 
Check the detail about the service here: https://www.softbank.jp/en/mobile/product/prepaid/

Those who are staying for a long time in Japan might want to make a mobile contract. 
You can either go to a network store, or to a large electronics store with your alien registration cards and Japanese bank accounts (Mobile bills can be paid automatically from a Japanese bank).
When you make a contract, you might want to go there with someone who can speak Japanese well because the explanation about the services and contracts can be a little complicated. 

Have a great time in Japan with a phone with you!
See you next time
Taka

※I’m a professional composer. My songs are available here: Skyhigh 
Or, you can click on the band camp link below to listen.

*Need more info about Japan?
Give me a comment here or send me a message to
[email protected]

Vegetarian & Vegan in Japan: What to eat and avoid

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Japan’s diet is largely based off of fish and seafood products, so being a vegetarian/vegan in Japan can be difficult sometimes.
But now that we have a lot of tourists from all over the world, the number of vegetarian/vegan-friendly restaurants are increasing to meet the demand.
With pre-planning and checking what and where to eat, vegetarians and vegans can fully enjoy their stay!
Here’s the vegetarian/vegan survival guide to Japan.

What to be careful

You need to avoid 出汁/Daishi as fish (usually Bonite Flake) is used to make it.
It is the foundation of Japanese cuisine and is found in everything from brought to sauces, etc. 
There are some vegetarian friendly kind of Dashi which is based on seaweed or dried mushrooms, but they are not very common.
So you need to be careful every time you see soup or sauce as Dashi is usually in them.
But don’t worry, we have a lot of rice ,vegetable, and bean products. 
Below are the recommended food for vegetarian/vegan.

Recommended food

精進料理/Shojin Ryori

It is a Zen Buddhist temple cuisine and is entirely vegan (no fish, meat, or other animal products are used).
Tofu and wild plants, and various seasonal food are used to make this beautifully decorated cuisine.

漬物 Tsukemono/Japanese pickled vegetables

There are many kinds of pickled vegetables, or Tsukemono in Japan.
Tsukemono appeared long time ago before refrigeration to preserve food.
Salt,vinegar,rice bran, sake lees, miso, and soy sauce are usually used to make Tsukemono ,and the most popular kinds are Daikon (Japanese radish. This tsukimoto is called Takuan), Cucumber, Eggplant, Carrot, and Ume plums.

蕎麦 Soba/Buckwheat noodles

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour and they are thin. 
Soba is served either chilled (called Zarusoba) with a dipping sauce, or in hot broth.
It often comes with onions, sesame, and wasabi.
As hot broth contains Dashi, you need to order Zarusoba.
Note that うどん (Udon/wheat noodles) is also popular, but it is usually comes in hot broth with Dashi in it.
If you would like to try Udon, you should find つけ麺 (Tsukemen/Dipping noodles) that comes with noodles and sauce aside.
As long as you avoid dipping in the sauce, it will be OK!

ラーメン Ramen 

It is probably the most popular kind of noodle in Japan.
Ramen shops are everywhere and every place has its own style so it’s really fun trying the different shops.
For vegans, it is hard to find the one to eat as almost all broths contain Dashi. However, there are some vegan friendly ramen restaurants. 
If you would like to try Ramen in Japan, check these places below.

Tokyo
Sora No Iro  (There’s one in Nagoya as well)
Afuri
OUKA

Osaka
Veggie Ramen Yuniwa

Kyoto
Engine Ramen

カレー Curry 

Japanese curry is different from Indian curry. 
Less spice is used and rice and roux come together. 
You can find vegetable curry at most curry restaurants, but it’s likely that roux was made with meat. 
Coco Ichibanya, one of the largest curry chains in Japan, offer an entirely vegan curry so this is the place to go.
For details, check the link here: Coco Ichibanya

寿司 Sushi 

It is not easy to find vegan/vegetarian sushi, but it’s possible to find some. 
At a sushi restaurant, you can order Kappamaki (seaweed rolls with cucumber) , Takuan-Maki (pickled daikon radish roll), and Inarizushi (Vinegared Rice stuffed in a fried tofu pouch. You need to check it wasn’t made with dashi).
Here are some vegan/vegetarian friendly sushi restaurants.

Tokyo
Mominoki House
Shirokanedai Suchicho

※For other places, check the link of the recommended restaurants at the end.

おにぎり Onigiri/Rice ball

Onigiri, or rice ball is made from white rice and often wrapped in 海苔 Nori/Seaweed. 
Many kinds of Onigiris are available at convenience stores and supermarkets. 
Make sure you find the ones that don’t have any fish or meat inside. 
焼きおにぎり (Yaki onigiri/Grilled rice balls with soy sauce on top) can be found at most 居酒屋 Izakaya/Japanese pub.
It usually comes with cold green onions and pickles on the side. Perfect food for vegans/vegetarians!

You could also try 赤飯おにぎり (Sekihan Onigiri/Red rice and Azuki bean balls) at a convenience store.
It used to be a sacred food and we traditionally eat it on special occasions through out the year such as birthdays, weddings ,and holidays and it is believed that the food ward off the evil spirit. 
I recommend it if you want to try something different!

豆腐 Tofu 

There are plenty of Tofu restaurants in Japan and you can enjoy delicious Tofu meals. 
But don’t assume that all Tofu restaurants offer vegetarian food. 
Most places use Dashi , so you should check before ordering. 
Below are major kinds of Tofu in Japan.

ごま豆腐 Goma Dofu 
It is sesame Tofu, made from ground sesame paste, water, and Kudzu powder (starch powder made from the root of the Kudzu plant). I has the name “Tofu/Dofu”, but actually soy is not used to produce this food.
It is a popular dish served on Shojin Ryori dish.

湯葉 Yuba 
Yuba is Tofu Skin, which comes from boiled soy milk. 
Yuba is formed on the liquid surface during the boiling of soy milk.
It can be a little expensive but has a lot of benefits on health like anti-aging and good for smooth skin.

高野豆腐 Koya Dofu 
It is freeze dried tofu, which is a very old traditional preserved food. 
It is like a sponge, and you need to soak it in the water before eating. 
When you order it at a restaurant, make sure that it is not soaked in Dashi!

湯豆腐 Yudofu 
This is probably the safest for vegans to order. 
Yudofu is boiled Tofu. Kombu kelp is usually put in the hot water with Tofu.
It is especially popular during cold winter season. 

串カツ Kushikatsu/Fried sticks  

It is a kind of fried food with varieties of food on sticks. 
At a Kushikatsu restaurant, you can order Eggplant, Mochi, Mushrooms, Asparagus, Onion, but don’t use the dipping sauce as it usually contains Dashi.

天ぷら Tempura 

There are a lot of vegetable options for tempura. 
Popular ones are, Katocha (pumpkin), Renkon (lotus), Satsumaimo (Sweet potato), Eggplant, Mushrooms, Sansai (wild mountain greens), 
Here again, watch out for the sauce as it contains Dashi.
You can sprinkle some salt instead to enjoy this Japanese food. 
At some places, tempura contains egg in the batter so you need to check before eating out at a restaurant. 

味噌 Miso 

It is made primarily from soy beans and salt and it is generally vegan and vegetarian friendly.
Miso is suitable to people on most diets and it has a number of health benefits. 
But you need to be careful about Miso soup which again contains Dashi.
So, look for miso paste which consists of fermented soy beans, salt and optional grains like wheat and rice. 

Snacks

団子 Dango

It is a Japanese dumpling and sweet, which is made from rice flour. 
It is usually offered on a skewer and has varieties of flavors like sweet soy sauce and red beans. 

餅 Mochi

Mochi is rice cake, and usually served with soy sauce or wrapped with seaweed.
It is popular throughout the year, especially during New year’s days. 

煎餅 Senbei

Senbei is rice cracker.
It’s available everywhere in Japan and there are many kinds of it.
Just make sure you don’t get one with dried fish or shrimp in it.

枝豆 Edamame 

These green, young soy beans can be found at most restaurants and convenience stores. 
It is a very popular snack at pubs and people often order it with beer or sake. 

Recommended restaurants

Tokyo 
Teikoku Hotel(Variety of Food)
Mothers Organic Restaurant (Organic Food)
Komaki Shokudo (Shojin Ryouri)
Veganic to go (Vegan Food)
Omusubi Chaya waseda ten (Organic rice balls)
Organic Vegan Lunch Kaimon Asakusa (Shojin Ryouri)
SUMI-BIO(Vegetable dishes)

Nagoya
ORIBIO Cafe Dining(Variety of Food)
Oyasai (Organic Vegetables)
Vegecafe Lotus (Vegetables and sweets )

Osaka
Sangmi (Healthy dishes) 
Paprika Shakudo Vegan(Variety of Food)
Green Earth (Healthy dishes) 
Atl (Variety of Food)

Kyoto
Ain Spot.Journey (Vegan restaurant)
Little-Heaven (Vegan restaurant)
Biotei (Fresh vegetables)
Shigetsu (Shojin Ryori)
Izusan in Daiji-in Temple (Shojin Ryori)
Dairoku-ji Ikkyu (Shojin Ryori)
Ajiro Main Shop (Shojin Ryori)

When you want to tell Japanese waiter/waitress that you are vegetarian/vegan, it is better to tell that you don’t eat any meat or fish instead of telling them that you are a vegetarian/vegan because some people don’t understand exactly what you can or cannot eat.
Here’s a sentence that might be your help.

“Watashi wa niku to sakana ga taberare masen”

Which means

“I can’t eat any meat or fish”. 

If you are not comfortable saying this, you could write the sentence on a paper and show it.

Food culture in Japan is great and if you choose the right ones, you can enjoy having meals anywhere in Japan.
Eat well and have fun visiting/staying!

See you next time
Taka

※I’m a professional composer. My songs are available here: Skyhigh 
Or, you can click on the band camp link below to listen.

*Need more info about Japan?
Give me a comment here or send me a message to
[email protected]

A Simple guide to train travel in Japan

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Hi, how are you?
I’ve been busy writing and working on music and getting ready for new projects.
I just got an art work for my new album and the final version of my songs after mixing.
I think I will be able to release it at the end of this month.
Wait for it!

This time I wrote about train system in Japan.
Japan has a very efficient transportation network. The whole country (expect Okinawa) can be reached by train.
Japanese trains are very safe and clean, and they keep time very well.
Using trains is a very convenient way for visitors to travel in Japan.
However if you are a first timer, you might have hard time understanding how it works.
Here is info about trains in Japan and how to travel using them!

Train Categories

There are 5 kinds of trains in Japan.
You need to choose one depending on your purpose.

1.普通 Futsu (also called Kakutei)/Local

This train stops at every station.

2.快速 Kaisoku/Rapid

It skips some stations.
The price for 普通 and 快速 are the same but 快速 is usually more crowded.

3.急行 Kyuko/Express

It stops at fewer stations than 快速.
In most cases, the price is the same as 普通 and 快速.

4.特急 Tokkyu/Limited Express

It only stops at major stations.
To use this kind of train, a limited express ticket (called 特急券 Tokkyuken) is required in addition to the cost for the regular tickets (they are called 乗車券 Joshaken).
The additional price is from about 500 to 4,000yen depending on the distance you travel.

5.新幹線 Shinkansen/Super Express

It is the fastest and best kind of train to travel distant regions in Japan. Just like 特急, a limited express ticket is needed.

Seat classes

When you take a long-distance train, you get to choose between Ordinary and Green (first class) seats.
Green is less crowded and you will have spacious seats compared to Ordinary ,but the additional 30% to 50% fee is required.
Many of Shinkansen and limited express trains have 自由席 (Jiyu seki/Non-reserved seat) and 指定席 (Shitei seki/Reserved seat).
It costs around 300 to 700 yen to have a reserved seat.
※If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you don’t need to pay the additional cost and make seat reservations for free. You just need to talk to the worker at the counter to reserve your seat.
※Hayabusa, Hayate, Komachi, Kagayaki, and Hokkaido Shinkansen only carry reserved seats.

Seat reservations can be made from a month prior to the travel date at ticket offices, ticket machines, or online.

On Shinkansen, smoking is not permitted on trains, but there are some areas where you can smoke on long-distance trains.

How to buy a ticket

If you are traveling the short distance, you can either buy prepaid IC cards (Suica, for example) or get tickets at ticket machines.
Here is the instruction to get a ticket at a ticket machine for short-distance travelers.

1.Check the map above the machines and find your destination and fare.
2.Put the money into the machine and select the right price.
3.Choose the number of tickets.
4.Collect your ticket(s) and change.

If you want to travel for long distance, you should get a ticket at a ticket counter.
You need to tell where you would to go at what time, and whether you are taking an ordinary or green, reserved or non-reserved.

Going through the gates

With your ticket, you can go through the gates to the paid fare zone.
Insert the ticket into the slot and pick up the ticket that comes up on the other side.
If you are using an IC card, you can touch the IC card reader.
※If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you must go through a manned gate and show your pass.

If you have a limited express ticket, make sure you insert it with your regular ticket.
When you are at your destination, leave the paid fare zone through the gate.
You just need to do the same as you entered.
If you traveled without paying the correct fare, you have to pay the difference at a Fare Adjustment machine or at a manned gate.

Japan Rail Pass

It is also called JR pass (JR is the major train company in Japan).
This pass can be used by foreign tourists only and you will get unlimited use of JR trains including Shinkansen, Limited express, Express, Rapid, and Local trains, as well as Tokyo Monorail from/to Haneda Airport, and Ferry to Miyajima.
(Note that you can ride on JR buses with it, but can’t use highway buses)
If you are staying Japan for a while, you should get it for your convenience and also to save money.
There are two kinds of it: Ordinary and Green (first class).
You can purchase the pass online.
After making the payment, you will receive a voucher.
Within 3 months of buying it, you need to exchange it to the pass in Japan.
(You can exchange it at major JR stations and Airports. You need to show your passport upon receiving your pass)
Details are on the link here:Japan Rail Pass

The price of the pass is
For 7 days: 29,110yen (38,880yen for Green)
For 14 days: 46,390yen (62,950yen for Green)
For 21 days: 59,350yen (81,870yen for Green)

※You could upgrade your Ordinary seat to Green seat by paying additional fee.
※The pass can’t be shared or given to another person.
※You could purchase the pass at stations in Japan (instead of online) at an increased cost.

Note that you can’t use the automatic ticket gates with the pass.
Pass holders need to go through the manned gate and show the pass and passport.
The seat reservation is optional, but when you want to reserve a seat, you need to talk to staff at the station (You can’t reserve your seat using ticket machines).

When you are on train, you need to follow the manner.
To learn about it, check my another post: 13 things to avoid doing in Japan

Train system in Japan is great and once you know how to use it, you will feel very comfortable traveling in Japan.
I hope info here will be your help!

See you next time
Taka

※I’m a professional composer. My songs are available here: Skyhigh 
Or, you can click on the band camp link below to listen.

*Need more info about Japan?
Give me a comment here or send me a message to
[email protected]

13 things you should avoid doing in Japan

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Planning to visit Japan? That’s great! You are always welcome!!
But if you don’t want to be an annoying tourist, you should check these things that visitors should be aware.
Japanese culture is quite different and there are certain manners and don’ts.

I have worked with foreigners for 3 years ,and I have 2 years of experience working at guesthouses in Japan.
I have met over 4,000 visitors all over the world so far, and I sometimes find that some people make the same mistake without knowing that they are bothering others…
So, here are the things to avoid when visiting Japan to make your stay comfortable (for others as well!) and enjoyable.
It’s not so complicated to follow the rules and behave well once you know the things below!

1.Don’t take pictures at cemeteries

Tombstones in Japan are well made and they look very interesting to foreigners.
But please do not take pictures of them unless you were allowed to.
Cemeteries are where the spirits of people passed out are resting.
Please do not disturb them!

2.Don’t be late

Be on time when you are meeting someone or joining an event.
When Japanese people say it starts at 7:00, it starts at 7:00.
Most people even come 5 to 10 min earlier so that the plan goes smoothly for everyone.
This is particularly important at work.
At worst case, you might be considered as inefficient and lose your position if you show up late without any reason.

3.Don’t block the way on escalators

As a lot of people use escalators, you need to stay on the same side as others to make some space.
Don’t stand randomly and block the way for those who want to walk up.
The side you keep varies depending on the area.
In Tokyo, you need to stand on the left. In Osaka, you stand on the right.
(In some places like Kyoto, it’s kind of mixed. Just follow what others are doing!)

4.Don’t forget to take off your shoes when going into a house

In order to keep the place clean, you need to take off your shoes when going into houses in Japan.
This rule applies to other places like temples, shrines, or Japanese style restaurants as well.
At some places, you can find slippers for indoor. If you do, you need to use them!
If you are not sure what to do, just see what others are doing and do the same.

5.Don’t keep wearing toilet slippers when you leave the restroom

At some toilets, you find vinyl slippers.
These are for the restroom area only, so make sure that you use them when you going into the toilet and take them off when leaving the area (I sometimes see some foreigners walking around the house wearing these toilet slippers…)
Again, this is to keep the house clean.

6.Don’t forget to throw away used toilet paper in a trash bin

In some countries, you throw away toilet paper in a trash bin, but not in Japan.
You have to throw it away in the toilet and flush.
Toilet paper is the only thing that you can throw away in the toilet, and please refrain from throwing away other things like tissue paper as that might be stuck in the pipe.

7.Don’t enter a public bathtub before washing yourself

When you use a public bath at Onsen(hot spring) or Sento, you have to clean yourself first before going into the bath to keep the water clean.
You can learn more about this on my another post :A beginner’s guide to Japanese bath, Sento

8.Don’t disturb others on public transportation

When you are using some kind of transportation such as train or bus, don’t talk loudly or make phone calls.
It is an etiquette to keep the public place quiet and comfortable for everyone.
Also, you should refrain from eating/drinking while you are on public transportation (it’s sometimes OK when there aren’t many people there).
You can learn more about this on my another post : 4 things you should know before visiting Japan

9.Don’t ignore smoking ban

When you smoke, find a smoking area.
According to JT (Japan TABACO INC.), about 18% of people in Japan smoke (the number declined to 1/3 of its peak in 60s) as of 2018 and the number is declining as more people are concerned about the secondhand smoke.
Smoking is a personal choice, but don’t forget that there are some people who don’t like it.
After smoking, throw away the cigarets at the smoking area.
It’s sometimes hard to find a smoking area, so if you a heavy smoker, you might need a portable ashtray with you when you travel (they are available at a 100yen shop in Japan).

10.Do not park at someone’s premises

If you are renting/using a car in Japan, you need to follow the parking rule.
When you park, you have to find the right place to park, and you can’t just randomly park.
You will be most likely be charged/in trouble if you do so.
Even if you find a parking spot, that might be someone’s premises.
If you are not sure, it is always good to park at a coin-operated parking.
I don’t know how many foreigners ignored this and got in trouble…. so please keep the parking rule.
You can learn more about this on my another post : 4 things you should know before visiting Japan

11.Don’t cut in line

When you wait in line, you have to wait and you can’t cut in line even if you were in a hurry.
You need to find arrows that point out where to wait at a convenience store, and when you ride on a train, you need to check what’s written on the platform and know where to stay in line.

12.Don’t misuse your chopsticks

Playing with chopsticks is a bad manner and people don’t like it if you do.
The major things that you should avoid doing are: pointing with your chopsticks, passing food from chopsticks to chopsticks, and resting chopsticks vertically in food.
They are considered in appropriate as they are done at a funeral (and pointing is just rude in Japan, so you should not point someone with your finger).

13.Don’t expect to find a lot of English speakers

This is kind of embarrassing, but you won’t find many fluent English speakers in Japan even though English is a compulsory subject in junior high and high school (according to a Swiss-based international language education organization, English proficiency of Japan ranks 49th out of 88 non-english-speaking countries) Reference: Asahi Shinbun

Most people can (kind of..) understand what English speakers are saying, but many have trouble communicating.
This is because these 2 languages and the way we communicate are very different.
It might be a good idea to make a Japanese friend who can talk in English before visiting Japan.
Or you can contact me when you need help!

If you know these 13 don’ts and follow the manners, you will have no problem staying in Japan!
I’d like to add one more thing that might help.
You should not be too casual to everyone.
It depends on the person you meet, but some people like to keep distance with people they are not familiar with.
If you approach too friendly, they might get scared away or feel uncomfortable.

Here are 2 things to note.
It is always good to use “- san” when you call someone’s name
(for example, if you see a lady named Kayo, you should say Kayo-san to make it polite and show respect in stead of just calling the person’s name).
And avoid too many physical contacts like hugging or kissing until you build good relationships with them.

I hope info here will be your help.
See you next time!
Taka

※I’m a professional composer. My songs are available here: Skyhigh 
Or, you can click on the band camp link below to listen.

*Need more info about Japan?
Give me a comment here or send me a message to
[email protected]

A beginner’s guide to Japanese bath, Sento

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Hi, it’s Taka. How’s everything?
Yesterday, I had a strange dream.
A big gray circle thing appeared in front of me and covered my vision.
And then it pressed me to death!!
Just before dying, I saw 3 white cups with names on them.
They were disappearing but I wanted them to be there so I mentally forced to keep their existence somehow.
And then I could push the circle away and woke up.
What a strange dream it was. I still feel weird that I’m actually alive in this world.
It is said that dying in dream is a good sign, so I guess some nice things are waiting for me (well I want to think that way!).

Anyways, today’s about 銭湯/Sento!
銭湯/Sento is a communal bath house in Japan.
Customers pay for entrance and people of all kinds share the joy of bathing.
Sento is simply a place made for hot water bathing, and it is different from Onsen, which has numerous natural minerals or chemical composition.
The number of Sento grew in the post-war time as the population went up.
Back then, not many people have bath at home, so people would go to public baths.
After 1970, most new houses had a bath and shower unit, so the popularity of Onsen declined.
There were over 17,000 Sentos in Japan in 60s, but we only have about 2,600 now.
It is a fading tradition ,but you can still enjoy the Sento culture throughout Japan.
Here is a beginner’s guide to Sento, including some manners that you need to follow.

Before going to a Sento…

Some Sentos do not have towels for rent, so bring a towel for drying.
You also need to take your soap and shampoo with you.
Some places won’t let you in if you are tattooed ,but you may be allowed to get in if tattoos are not too obvious.
(The reason for the ban was to keep Yakuza/violence groups away from a public area)

入り口/Iriguchi, Entrance

Most Sentos have traditional Japanese house/temple looking building with 暖簾/Noren curtain at the entrance.
Which is usually blue and has the Kanji 湯/ゆ, meaning hot water, or written 男 for men and 女 for women.(Men’s area usually has a blue Noren, and red/pink for Women’s area)
The price for entrance is around 400 per a person (varies slightly depending on the area) and it is fixed by Tokyo Sento Association.
You pay at the front desk and go inside of the dressing room.

脱衣所/Datsui Jo, Dressing room

It is a place to take off your clothes.
At a traditional style Sento, there is a tall barrier separating the sexes within one large room, and between the entrances is 番台/Bandai, which is a place where the attendant sits (this style is not common these days).
Dressing room is about 10 m by 10 m in size, and sometimes partly covered with tatami sheets.

There are lockers for the clothes.
Some places have metal or wooden keys for the lockers, while some don’t have them but just some baskets to keep your stuff.
The ceiling is usually 3 to 4 m high and there are coin-operated massage chairs and a scale to measure weight.
The women’s side usually has some baby beds.
At most Sentos, Milk drinks are available.
Drinking Milk after taking a bath is kind of a tradition that many people like.
Before entering the bathing area, make sure that you bring a small towel to dry yourself when you come back after bathing.

風呂場/Furoba, Bathing area

Going through the sliding door, you can find a spot and wash yourself.
There are usually buckets called 桶/Oke in front of each faucet.
You can use it to wash yourself.
Baths are not for washing yourself in, so make sure you clean before getting in.
After washing, make sure that you return your Oke at the place where you found.

If you have long hair, you need to be careful not to get your hair in the water.
You should pull your hair back with a hair elastic or clip.
Also, you can not bring towels into the bathtub, so keep it outside of the bath.
When you return to the dressing room, make sure that you dry off so that you won’t get the floor wet.
It is a manner to keep Sento clean for other guests.

Popular Sentos

Here are the popular Sentos in Japan.
Once you experience the joy of bathing at a Sento, you will find it very convenient and relaxing!

Tokyo

Kyoto

Osaka

Nagoya


Bathing at a Sento, you can not only warm your body up but also relax and keep your health.
Some Sentos are very big and have lounges where you can read manga, watch movies, and take a nap (this style is called “Super Sento”).
Visiting Sento will surely be a great experience.

See you next time!
Taka

※I’m a professional composer. My songs are available here: Skyhigh 
Or, you can click on the band camp link below to listen.

*Need more info about Japan?
Give me a comment here or send me a message to
[email protected]