Lifestyle
How long-term couples in Japan can keep the spark alive
Once you’ve been with someone for a while, your interactions can become routine. However, when you’ve been in a relationship for long enough, it’s easy to start taking your partner for granted. It doesn’t matter what ethnicity or gender your partner is; everyone can, in some way or another, forget… Read
Where are those darn keys? Tricks for remembering where you put things
With a scarf dangling from your coat pocket and those gloves left behind at the coffee shop, there are simply more things to lose in winter. That’s not counting your misplaced keys at home or those exasperated moments looking for your phone when you say, “I just had it!” Try… Read
Japan startup expands 'granny business' to put elderly women to work
A Japanese startup is expanding a "granny business" that turns seniors' lifetime skills into paid work through cafes, food stalls and community festivals, placing elderly women -- including those with dementia -- at the center of local economies. The company based in the Fukuoka Prefecture city of Ukiha, Ukiha no… Read
'Yokai' descending upon Tokyo this spring in latest immersive art experience
Japanese yokai spirits live in an interesting realm that blends eerie and endearing, as some of them can be terrifying monsters, but others are cute little troublemakers and pranksters. Despite their long history, yokai still maintain a certain presence within Japan’s cultural landscape, and continue to receive representations throughout modern entertainment… Read
Tokyo travel agency offers hands-on evacuation shelter experience
In a shuttered school north of Tokyo, office workers assemble cardboard houses in minutes, part of a travel agency's effort to help people better prepare for life in evacuation shelters. A Tokyo-based travel agency is promoting a program that allows participants to experience simulated evacuation living, saying the hands-on training… Read
Kyoto shrine holding beautiful after-dark cherry blossom event this spring
When visiting Kyoto, many travelers hope to experience moments of unhurried tranquility and timeless beauty at the city’s temples and shrines. “Timeless” doesn’t mean “open at any time,” though. Many of Kyoto’s most popular sightseeing attractions are only open during the day, which can lead to situations where you’re forced to… Read
Snow protects your garden beds like winter mulch. Trees might need some help though
Shoveling in single-digit temperatures after the colossal winter storm this weekend, I dumped mounds of snow onto my garden beds, knowing it would protect my trees, shrubs and dormant perennials. When the ground repeatedly freezes and thaws, as it does over winter in cold climates, that can squeeze roots, seeds,… Read
Japan has a new bar just for people thinking about quitting their jobs, and the drinks are free
Go for a walk around most major train stations in Japan, and you’ll see a lot of bars. There are izakaya, pubs with a wide assortment of small side dishes to munch on as you drink. There are wine bars, whiskey bars, and sake bars, and if you venture farther… Read
Japanese young women reveal their top dealbreakers in a man
Sitting lost in your own world, as the train trundles on, you find your gaze drifting to a person seated opposite. At first they’re just a blur in your traveling eyes, but then the details register: slovenly clothes, food stains on a white shirt, and long, greasy hair that hasn’t… Read
Tokyo train lines people most want to live along: survey
Tokyo is one of the most populous cities on the planet, and with housing prices at a premium, how you commute to work becomes a large determining factor in where you live. As videos on social media, such as ones of people being literally shoved into rush hour trains by… Read
