Today’s Question On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: What’s better: rural life or city life in Japan? Topics Discussed The pros and cons of living in rural Japan The pros and cons of living in a big city in Japan Life in Ishikawa Prefecture Life in Kobe Life in Osaka Where Ishikawa Prefecture is located Whether rural …

An overview of the information currently available on Universal Studios’ upcoming Nintendo-themed land: Super Nintendo World Almost five years ago a partnership was announced to bring the Japanese video game giant Nintendo to Universal Studios theme parks. The first iteration of Universal Studios Super Nintendo World is currently looking like it will open in Osaka, Japan in time for the …

 On This Episode of Japan Station On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re talking about ninjas, the judicial system of 16th century Japan, and more with Susan Spann, author of the Hiro Hattori “shinobi mystery” series of books. About Susan Spann Susan Spann is the award-winning author of the Hiro Hattori series of mystery books. The novels …

On This Episode of Japan Station On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re talking about “otaku,” the history of the anime “holy land” of Akihabara, and a whole lot more. About Dr. Patrick W. Galbraith Dr. Patrick W. Galbraith is a lecturer at Senshu University in Tokyo. He is one of the world’s leading expert on the topic …

 On This Episode of Japan Station On this episode of the Japan Station podcast we’re talking about learning Japanese, running a business, and a whole lot more with the creator of Tofugu, Koichi. About Koichi For more than a decade Koichi has been helping people learn about Japan, Japanese culture, and the Japanese language via the blog Tofugu and …

On This Episode of Japan Station On this episode of the Japan Station podcast I’m talking with popular webcomic creator Evangeline Neo about her career and her travels in Tokyo. About Evangeline Neo Evangeline Neo is an illustrator and comic creator from Singapore. She is best known for her webcomic which has developed a large following and often touches on …

 On This Episode of Japan Station On this episode of the Japan Station podcast we’re talking about the city of Tokyo and its “bells of time.” About Anna Sherman Anna Sherman is an editor and writer living in Oxford, England. Sherman spent many years living in Tokyo and used many of her experiences there to write her first book: …

Who needs revolving raw fish, when you can have revolving raw meat? A restaurant in Tokyo has opened that has combined the conveyor belt part of conveyor belt sushi with the raw meat part of hotpot. Called Ichi (full name: Hitori Shabu-shabu Ichi, or Solo Shabu-shabu Ichi), this interesting new restaurant opened on October 23 in the busy Shinjuku area …

Perfect for those who want to game after they sightsee… or just game instead of sightsee. Preparing for a trip overseas can be stressful. Just finding lodging that is both convenient and won’t break the bank can be a long and frustrating process. This task gets even more challenging when you’re picky about certain amenities. For example, if you want …

On This Episode On this episode of the Japan Station podcast we’re digging deep into the world of Japanese Buddhist statues and iconography. About Michael VanHartingsveldt Michael VanHartingsveldt is an expert on Buddhist art and iconography. In 2016, Michael obtained a Master’s degree in East Asian Art Business through a joint program offered by the Sotheby’s Institute of Art and …

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast we’re talking about the Japanese language and the very interesting linguistic phenomenon of “made in Japan English” (wasei eigo). Anne Crescini is an Associate Professor at the University of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture. She has conducted extensive research on the linguistic phenomenon of wasei eigo (“made in Japan English”) and has even written a …

Practice flying an airplace inside one of Japan’s busiest airports. Last July the Haneda Excel Hotel Tokyu inside Domestic Terminal 2 of Tokyo’s Haneda Airport made headlines around the world when it was announced that the hotel would soon start offering guests the opportunity to stay in a room with a rather interesting feature: a full-sized Boeing 737-800 flight simulator …