If you’ve been working in Japan for a while, you’ve probably noticed a flurry of emails from HR as the year winds down about nenmatsu chosei (年末調整). Nenmatsu chosei is a year-end tax procedure in Japan where your employer calculates your final income tax for the year and adjusts for any overpaid or underpaid amounts. […]

A comprehensive guide describing all the most common ways to get from Haneda Airport into Tokyo and deciding which one is right for you.

The words rizz, no cap, and slay might be taking over Gen Z lingo in English, but did you know that Japanese Gen Z has its own unique set of slang and phrases? Language is fluid, constantly evolving with each generation, and Japan is no exception. Gen Z has developed a variety of expressions that […]

These are the most uniquely themed bars that you should add to your Tokyo itinerary when you visit the city.

One of the most surprising things about getting a hot bowl of ramen in Japan is that you often have to order from a vending machine. Most ramen specialty stores have you select and pay for your choice of ramen at a vending machine, or rather a meal ticket machine called 食券機 (shokkenki) in Japanese. […]

Here’s everything you need to know about Japan’s increased visa fees and departure tax coming in 2026.

Japanese horror are not just cheap thrills but are some of the most influential movies ever made from Godzilla to cinematic masterpieces.

It is well-known that the Japanese language is considered one of the hardest languages to learn. According to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), which trains U.S. diplomats and government officials in languages and cultures, Japanese is classified as a “Super-Hard” language. But there’s an important caveat: FSI’s rankings are based on how long it takes […]

Anime, for many of us, holds a special place in our hearts, whether it’s because of the moving stories, the characters, or the incredible songs. The music score in anime is a big part of what makes these stories deeply moving. For instance, whenever we think of Ghibli, we inadvertently associate every work with its […]

As summer humidity fades and fireworks and matsuri festivals come to an end, Tokyo enters one of its most enchanting seasons: autumn. While spring’s cherry blossoms often steal the limelight, the city’s fall foliage, known as momiji, offers a quieter, equally mesmerizing beauty. From brilliant crimson maples to golden ginkgo trees, the changing leaves transform […]