All posts by Ted Tanaka

  • Best passport in the world 2017: Germany shares top spot with an Asian country. Hint: It’s not Japan.

    Global Financial Advisory firm Arton Capital recently revealed the most powerful passports in the entire world this year. Although Germany remains to be on top of the list, it is joined for the first time this year...

    • Posted April 15, 2017
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  • UK based Japanese artist puts heart to art

    Kazuhito Takadoi may not be a household name in Japan but art aficionados in Europe pay a high price for his brand of art. Takadoi studied Garden Art and Design at Leeds Metropolitan University in the U.K....

    • Posted April 12, 2017
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  • If you drink tap water in Japan, here’s something you need to know.

    According to posters distributed by Japan Water Works Association (Nihon Suidou Kyokai), Japan is one of only 15 (out of 196) countries in the world with potable tap water.    (Source: Global Water Supply and Sanitation Assessment 2000...

    • Posted April 6, 2017
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  • A bilingual toy that helps your child think and learn about colors

    Every time the chameleon’s brush scans a palette of paint around him, the chameleon’s body lights up and changes to the same color. It also says the name of the color in Japanese and English which can...

    • Posted March 29, 2017
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  • Float Over to Huis Ten Bosch As You Sleep

    Over at Hollanda Mura or Huis Ten Bosch,  Japan’s Dutch Village and Theme Park in Nagasaki, a floating capsule that drifts along the surrounding scenic spots while you sleep, is the park’s newest attraction. The two-level floating...

    • Posted March 10, 2017
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  • Hawaii’s ‘Mochiko’ chicken comes to town

    Teddy’s Bigger Burger, Hawaii’s popular burger chain with stores in Tokyo, has just added Mochiko Fried Chicken on its menu. Just as popular as Teddy’s 100% U.S. beef, large burgers, Mochiko Fried Chicken is well loved by...

    • Posted March 9, 2017
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  • A look at a Japanese Daycare Center

    There are many things that work in Japan that won’t work in other countries.  One of them is the ability of children to be independent and go about their day-to-day tasks with no parent or guardian in...

    • Posted March 4, 2017
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  • Tattoo-friendly Onsen resorts

    Going to an onsen is Japan’s favorite escape from the humdrum of busy Tokyo life. Get naked, rinse and relax in these atmospheric and therapeutic  onsen resorts.  Got a tattoo?  These places don’t mind. Shirakaba Resort Ikenohei...

    • Posted March 1, 2017
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  • Strange Japanese Laws You Never Knew Existed

    Every country has its own weird laws and Japan is no different. We’ve compiled a list of laws that you  probably haven’t heard of. Articles 1 and 2 of the Cupid Ordinance in Mie Prefecture Kisho-cho Article...

    • Posted February 26, 2017
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  • Famous Tokyo Chef shares his tips for a perfect Japanese-style fried chicken.

    Apart from being an owner chef at ‘Sanpi Ryoron’ (Pros and Cons) , a Japanese restaurant in Ebisu, Tokyo, Masahiro Kasahara is also a popular face on cooking show “Wakaki wa no kyosho” (Young Japanese Maestro). Best...

    • Posted February 26, 2017
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  • Aikido state of mind

    People in 67 countries around the world take Aikido lessons according to Aikikai Foundation, the official organization promoting one of the most respected Japanese Martial Arts. It is no surprise that like me, many people are drawn...

    • Posted February 15, 2017
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  • Japan’s new gorgeous TV

    Sony has joined the OLED bandwagon and its latest offering was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The much talked about sleek and flat Bravia 4K OLED TV A1E series come in...

    • Posted February 14, 2017
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  • Even old people in Japan play Pokémon Go

    This augmented reality game that drives people to hunt down kawaii (cute) monsters in the most unreasonable places has created a stir in the gaming world. With more people of all genders and ages getting hooked on...

    • Posted January 3, 2017
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  • Why is your electric bill high in winter?

    Electric bills rise over winter as households in Japan use more electric appliances. Even with Christmas lights running all night long in December and people using tumble dryer more frequently in winter, a survey conducted by I...

    • Posted December 23, 2016
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  • Japan’s Best Chef Knives: A Cut Above

    Highly skilled sushi chefs in Japan will tell you that one way to tell a great chef from an amateur is by looking at his knife. Japanese sushi chefs take pride in using professionally crafted extra thin,...

    • Posted December 17, 2016
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  • Where to get a ¥2,980 an hour massage in Tokyo

    Getting a body massage at a proper salon in Tokyo could cost anywhere between ¥8,000 – ¥12,000 an hour. The other day,  I spotted a ¥2,980 an hour massage signboard at the entrance of a narrow building...

    • Posted December 16, 2016
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  • Where to eat ‘Uni’ (urchin roe) in Tokyo

    A favorite of snarky chef and TV personality Anthony Bourdain, ‘uni’, is a prized delicacy in Japan consumed in December and January for Japan’s holiday festivities.   Many people like its creamy texture and a slightly sweet...

    • Posted December 12, 2016
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  • Japan’s Gundam says goodbye

    Mobile Suit Gundam, the 18-meter (59 feet) high giant robot in Odaiba’s Diver City Tokyo Plaza that has attracted large crowds in the city since appearing in 2012, will be gone by March 5, 2017. The Gundam...

    • Posted December 2, 2016
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  • Finding Mr. Right

    Italian mom writes a book about her experience dating a Japanese man before finding Mr. Right. Love doesn’t always come about in quite the way that the storybooks lead us to expect. As Claudia Frambini has experienced...

    • Posted November 13, 2016
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  • A 4-word song by Japanese comedian/singer makes it to Guinness World Records

    The 4-word song PPAP (Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen) that Japanese DJ/ comedian and singer Pikotaro (producer Daimaou Kosaka) wrote made it to the Guinness World Record as the shortest song ever written to hit the U.S. Billboard Hot Chart 100....

    • Posted November 3, 2016
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  • Alexander’s Steak House, California’s upscale restaurant opens in November

    Tokyo is a foodie’s happy place for its high quality food and craftsmanship. Recently, there is a growing trend for foreign restaurateurs and food companies to expand to Tokyo despite its highly sophisticated market. Licensing deals with...

    • Posted September 14, 2016
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  • What to do if you don’t have enough money to cover your hospital bills

    What’s great about the Japanese health care system is that when you are hospitalized, a big chunk of the medical bills you paid upfront  can be reimbursed to you within 3-4 months after making an insurance claim ...

    • Posted September 9, 2016
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  • Tokyo’s spacious 100 yen stores

    Let the kids loose with a few coins at the biggest Hyaku-en stores in Tokyo. You have to love Daiso for providing just about everything you could possibly want or never knew you wanted for a few...

    • Posted August 16, 2016
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  • Why average Japanese families have more cash savings than people in other countries

    Last year, the Japanese households’ average savings reached ¥18M and is steadily increasing every year. The habit of saving money is deeply ingrained in the Japanese culture because not having enough money can make one run  into...

    • Posted August 11, 2016
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  • Ikea launches recycled products

    Swedish lifestyle brand IKEA is putting profit in the back burner as it focuses on its 2017 PS project. IKEA is thrilled to announce the launch of its 2017 PS collection, a range of stylish household products...

    • Posted June 16, 2016
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  • Canadian musical artist promotes her debut single in Asia March 15

    Rising to number 1 on the Canadian Electronica charts and voted Canada’s best new musical artist, the Canadian musician, yogi, activist and author Parvati is touring Asia and Oceania in April to promote her new single “I...

    • Posted March 14, 2016
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  • What happens when Japanese mom sends her 5-year old son Masaki and 2-year 10-month old Sayaka on their first errand alone?

    Some Japanese TV programs do well not only to entertain but also to educate viewers. Thanks to YouTubers who post these clips to inform foreigners what exactly goes on in Japan. One program called Hajimete no otsukai...

    • Posted March 4, 2016
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  • Could you be jailed in Japan if you homeschooled your kids?

    There are many resources about homeschooling in the United States to which some 2 million students have access. Here in Japan, I am surprised by how little information there is about education options for children in non-traditional...

    • Posted February 23, 2016
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  • Cheaper bullet train ride to Hokkaido for inbound tourists.

    Following the opening of the new Hokkaido Shinkansen, the new ‘JR East-South Hokkaido 6-day Rail Pass‘ will be made available to tourists starting April 1, 2016  for use in the South Hokkaido, Shin Chitose Airport and the...

    • Posted January 15, 2016
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  • What’s in our fridge?

    You are out shopping for groceries and no one’s at home to ask if you have run out of milk or orange juice. Should you go home first and check? Who needs to when one owns a...

    • Posted January 5, 2016
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