We’ve lived in Japan going on three years now and there are characteristics here that are simply unique to Japan. Obviously, there are more then 10 things I love about Japan but the list would be incredibly long. I came up with this top ten list based on day to day aspects that truly make living in Japan fun and exciting!  Cleanliness Japan is incredibly clean. You rarely see trash on the side of the streets. On mainland, I think I’ve seen graffiti only a handful of times. You can go to a city like Hiroshima or Fukuoka, well over a population of 1 million and the cities are almost spotless. The streets are clean, the paint on them is almost like they’ve never been touched, it’s fascinating. Even the pigeons here are in pristine condition. I’ve never seen such clean and healthy pigeons in my life. The cleanliness might have something do to with how they recycle here or just the way the Japanese have grown up. The most fascinating thing about the cleanliness of Japan is that there are hardly any trash cans around. You could walk for an hour and not find a single trash can. I guess everyone here is just good at packing out their trash. To me, a clean city is just refreshing, it is nice to know that people care and actually make an effort to make their city clean and trash free!   Convenience Stores Convenience Stores can be found in any country throughout the world. But the stores here in Japan are much different then any other convenience stores I’ve been to. For starters, people here rely on convenience stores. I say this because people come to them for lunch and dinner, use the ATM’s, pickup mail, and purchase almost anything else one can find at any store, it is pretty amazing! We have 7-Eleven in Japan, but without the pumps, it’s simply a convenience store. My favorite items at the convenient stores are their treats! Many times, you can find great seasonal chocolates here, really good pastries and pre-made meals, and warm fresh food at the counter. The food is not your typical hot dog and taquito that has been spinning around all day. At the 7-Eleven in Japan, you can find chicken on a stick, various types of fried chicken, steam buns, and even soups. At first, I really only went to convenience stores once in a while, now I find myself here often, especially on road trips!  English Translations I’m not sure how companies do their English translations here. Many products here are professional products with legit labels, yet the English translations sometimes make zero sense. It is actually a hobby of mine to look at product labels and signs just to read the English translations. Jill and I always joke around that she should get a job (she has an English degree) in Japan and translate the product phrases to something a little more readable. Below are a few of my favorite English translations I’ve found so far while in Japan.  “Keep Out, Do Not Enter, a Flower is Growing“ “Because you are slippery, and this inside is dangerous, please do not enter“ “It will enjoy to cooking because hardly stick and very light“ “It is always walking on business everyday, and it gets tired“ “ParadiseCat – A pretty holiday in a cat is full of fun“ Hotels I love staying at hotels, but I really love staying in Japanese hotels. In the States, you know what to expect when you arrive at your hotel, they all have the same layout and amenities. In Japan, almost every one is different and unique. They all have amazing bathrooms, some have very little space while others are the size of an apartment, there really is no telling. Every hotel I’ve stayed at, the room comes with awesome items to use and take home. Some items include slippers, robes, brushes, toothbrushes/toothpaste,  and  razors. We have a pile of these items in our home, they make for great amenities for guests. Hotels are considerably cheaper as well. It’s rare to pay over $100 for a night stay.  If you come to Japan, try and find a hotel that serves breakfast. The breakfasts are usually buffet style and come with a lot of traditional and western style food options like eggs. The breakfasts also include Japanese items like eel and other fish, potato salad, various types of noodles, rice, and even soups. You can also find Pod Hotels in all the big cities.  I stayed at one in Osaka and it was a wonderful experience. There were 4 pods in one room. The pods are actually quite comfortable and spacious, each one was equipped with a shelf, light, and even a safe.  Manhole Covers As if Japan does not have enough fun things! Another great past time of mine, especially when visiting new cities is to look for their manhole covers. The manhole covers here vary from city to city, and usually reflect the city in some way. As an example, Iwakuni is famous for the Kintai Bridge, so the bridge is the main focus on the manhole cover. Hiroshima has a popular baseball team known as the Carp, so some of their manhole covers have the Carp mascot on them. It is estimated that in Japan there are 6,000 unique manhole covers. Apparently in 1985 some high ranking individual allowed each municipality to design and create their own manhole cover. Since local taxpayers are paying for them, might as well make them at least appealing to the city.  There are even Pokémon manhole covers that can be found throughout certain prefectures of Japan.  Below are some of the manholes we’ve found around Japan.  Nature When you think of Japan, I guarantee that nature is not what pops up in your mind. When I thought of Japan, I automatically thought of Tokyo and other huge concrete jungles full of crowds, lights, and technology. I could not have been more wrong about Japan. Japan is an island and 70% of the country is mountainous, stretching from northern Hokkaido to the southern tip of Kyushu. Most of the major cities are located on the eastern side of Japan near the coasts. Between the east and west coast of Japan is mountains and forests. I still can’t believe how much nature is here in Japan. Agriculture exists, but in small quantities. It is not like other places where entire states are almost set up for agriculture. Here, you will find local farmers throughout the prefectures that have small and sustainable farms. Japan should be world famous for their hiking and outdoor activities. In central Honshu, there is an area known as the Japanese Alps because of their resemblance to the famous European Alps. If you get tired of mountains, Japan is an island so ocean surrounds it on all sides. I think the western side of Japan facing the Sea of Japan has some of the most gorgeous beaches with turquoises water and tropical fish. Not to mention there is the southern prefecture of Okinawa with some of the prettiest beaches on the planet.  Seasonal Items Japan surprised me when I found out you can’t buy things like apples all year long or when you go to the store to get your favorite chocolate and its gone, it wont be available until next year! At first it was frustrating but now I love it. Fruits have their seasons, so grocery stores are stocked with seasonal fruit. Mikan (mandarin oranges) season is a few months out, but once they are in season the stores will be full of them. Now you can find imported oranges that are higher in price. Candy and sweets seem to be seasonal as well. Hazelnut season is not to far out now, I am starting to see hazelnut kit-kats and other sweets that are hazelnut flavored. There will also be orange flavored chocolate come winter time. It is always changing, so if you find a flavor of Kit-Kat or other treat you like, it is probably wise to stock up, because it might not be there tomorrow and you will have to wait another year.  Toilets There is no place else in the world that has toilets like Japan and to be honest it has ruined me, I feel I am to good now for an average western toilet. When I move back to North America or Europe, one of my first purchases will be a Japanese bidet. You can actually install them in your home, as long as you have a plugin. First, let’s start with the traditional Japanese toilet, which I have used but not a huge fan. The traditional toilets are squat toilets, which are still widely used and can be found in most outdoor public spaces. But when you are in a home, store, rest stop, or restaurant, chances are that they have a Japanese style bidet toilet and it is magical. The bidet varies by brand and obviously expense, but for the most part they include the hose that sprays you clean (option for women as well). You can also adjust the temperature of the water that sprays you, warm water is really nice during the winter months. Most bidets will also have a heated seat where the temperature can be adjusted as well. Some of the fancier bidet’s will have more advanced features. Some of the advanced features include an air dryer, so toilet paper is not even necessary. One of the coolest functions I’ve seen, is the bidet will play music or some sort of sound like waterfalls or rain droplets to mask the sound. A little side note, not only are the toilets awesome but the whole bathrooms here are incredible, especially in public spaces. Almost every restroom has a stall with a seat for a child, you can place them here while you take care of business. The handicapped bathroom stalls are impressive as well, they come with a bed and other functions I can’t even begin to explain.  Transportation Growing up in Germany, I got spoiled with public transportation because when I moved to the Midwest, public transportation was non-existent. I knew Japan and other Asian countries were known for their bullet trains and having great transportation, but I never knew how great the system was until I actually moved here.  Most cities in Japan have great train stations. You can use an ICOCA card (prepaid card) to board the train then sit comfortably until you arrive at your destination. Bigger cities have train stations where you literally can spend all day in. They are full of shops, restaurants, and attractions. Taking the local trains say from Iwakuni to Hiroshima is quite convenient, it’s not the cheapest option to get from one place to another but it is fast and easy. Taking the Shinkansen is a whole new animal. The Shinkansen is Japan’s Bullet Train or High Speed Rail. It is impressive, if standing on the train platform and you hear one coming, get your phone ready because it will pass you in the blink of an eye. The train can go 320 km/h or 200 mph. Once inside the train they are so spacious, clean, and quiet. The Shinkansen mainly goes through the country side, so you can stare out the gigantic window and view the beautiful nature Japan has to offer.  Vending Machines Vending machines, another thing where at first I didn’t really rely on, simply because I never used a vending machine in the states. Oh man, they are much different in Japan. In the US, vending machines are pretty much the same everywhere you go and have the same products. In Japan, vending machines are quite the opposite, sure you will find a lot of the same products in various vending machines, but they are so much more fun and enjoyable and the stock rotates constantly. The vending

Nagasaki, Japan. To Westerners, one image or thought instantly pops up when discussing the Japanese city of Nagasaki. August 9th, 1945, 3 days after the atomic bomb exploded over the city of Hiroshima, Nagasaki witnessed a similar fate. Fat Man – the name given to the atomic bomb that exploded over Nagasaki, killing around 80,000, ultimately leading to the surrender of Japan 6 days later. Prior to the war, Nagasaki was one of Japans most important and largest trading ports. Because of trade mainly by the Portuguese, Dutch, and Chinese, there are a lot of cultural influences within the city that make Nagasaki a truly unique city worth visiting not to mention they host the Lantern Festival every year around February.  An Early History of Nagasaki Nagasaki started off as a small fishing village on the Japanese island of Kyushu. The first outside visitors to arrive on the shores of Nagasaki were Portuguese explorers in the early 1500’s. Shintoism and Buddhism are the primary religions in Japan and Christianity was non-existent at the time of the first explorers arrival. The Portuguese decided to preach Christianity here before making their way through other areas of Japan. Because of the success of trading, in 1571, the local government decided to open a port here to allow trading with the Portuguese. Soon after, the Dutch and Chinese also found themselves here at the port trading goods. At one point, the Japanese government closed off all ports in Japan except Nagasaki to foreigners, so the city quickly expanded and became one of the more prominent cities in Southern Japan.   The War and How it Shaped Nagasaki It is a shame that World War II and the atomic bomb are what makes Nagasaki so famous. But we can’t deny this, it will forever remain in our history. When you walk around the Peace Park and museum you will see the date August 9, 1945 everywhere. The day the atomic bomb was dropped and leveled the city killing 80,000 people. The B-29 known as Bockscar took off with “Fat Man”, the atomic bomb. The people of Kokura got very lucky that day, as Kokura was the primary target, but due to haze and bad visibility that day, Bockscar flew to Nagasaki, the secondary target. At approximately 10:58 am local time, Fat Man was dropped and exploded 1,640 ft above ground.   Half of the 80,000 people on the ground died instantly, and the rest died  days, weeks, months, years later  of injuries from the blast and radiation.  About 40% of the entire city was completely destroyed.  Because of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered. Nagasaki and most of Japan has done a tremendous job of rebuilding their city, history, and culture since the war.  Attractions and Sites Nagasaki is not a huge city but has a lot to offer, therefor I suggest spending two days here. There are trams that connect the city and travel frequently so it easy to get from one end to the other relatively quickly.  Atomic Bomb Museum – Museums in Japan are inexpensive, the entrance fee for the Atomic Bomb Museum is 200 Yen. If you are a foreign visitor in Nagasaki, this museum is a must. The museum is not very big but it is informative and of course tragic but it is a part of our history. The museum has a replica of Fat Man and a lot of artifacts that were collect after the bombing along with stories of residents at the time of the bombing.  Peace Park – Not far from the museum is the Peace Park, a place for remembrance. Beautifully laid out and has one of the coolest escalators I’ve seen. Dejima – An Open-Air-Museum, set up to show what the port was like for the Portuguese and Dutch traders. Originally it was an island and made to separate Westerners from the local Japanese. Today, you can freely walk around and explore the buildings. Chinatown – The oldest in Japan and is fairly large. This area is full of restaurants and shops.  Oura Church – Considered the oldest Catholic church in all of Japan and is a UNESCO site. I found the entrance to be very expensive for what it is, 1000 Yen.  Kofukiuji Temple – The oldest Chinese temple in Nagasaki. It was built by a Chinese monk in 1620.  There is a 300 Yen fee to enter the grounds for this temple.  Lantern Festival For a long time, Nagasaki has had residents from China. The famous lantern festival started when they would celebrate the Chinese New Year everywhere. In the year 1994, the city of Nagasaki made it a tradition to turn this into Japan’s largest lantern festival. Since then, every year the lantern festival takes place in Nagasaki on January 1st of the lunar calendar year for fifteen days. During this time period the city sets up over 15,000 lanterns throughout Chinatown and other parts of the city and the celebrations begin! During the 15 days, Chinatown is completely overrun by locals and tourists. All shops and restaurants are open but there are several street vendors and festival areas serving food. Honestly, one of our favorite street foods was a Baked Sea Bream, a cake in the shape of a fish filled with either Red Beans or Custard. After living here in Japan for several months, they tend to put red bean paste in a lot of pastries, it is ok but usually I think it’s chocolate, so it is always a let down, my opinion is go with the custard sea bream. Other then food and drinks, many activities take place daily. You should get a pamphlet with events their location and times. Some of the events that occured were the Emperor’s Parade, Dragon Dance, Lion Dance, Acrobatics, karate, and the changing of the masks (Bian Lian)!  Bian Lian – I was at the Kofukiuji Temple with Jill and Kimball for an event. Unfortunately, Jill told us the wrong time and we ended up at the temple for over an hour waiting for the event. We had no idea what the event was but found seats and the temple was a beautiful backdrop for whatever event was scheduled. All of a sudden, music began to play and a fairly large individual appeared in front of the temple wearing a black outfit with huge feathers and a colorful mask. We had no idea what was happening but the performer danced to the music and all of a sudden snapped his fan and boom, a new mask appeared! How was that possible? Not even a split second and his face went from orange to green! Apparently this is an ancient Chinese art associated with a traditional opera where the performer would dance to music and instantly swap their mask with the flick of the fan or other movement. This event was definitely a highlight for me from the Lantern Festival.  [envira-gallery id=”2155″]

I Moved to japan! In 2019, I created a goal for myself to leave the Mid-West. Originally, I was hoping to move to either the East or West Coast, so I applied for positions along the coasts. Just for laughs, I applied for one position in Okinawa, Japan. Out of the places I applied for, I never heard anything back except for the job in Japan. The company got back to me letting me know that the positions in Okinawa were full but they had an opportunity in Iwakuni, Japan. I’ve never heard of Iwakuni, but anything in Japan sounds exciting so I accepted the position and have been here for a few months now.  A Little Information on Japan The island of Japan is located in East Asia and is made up of 47 Prefectures. Prefectures are basically what we refer to as States. There are four main islands – Honshu (being the main Island, where Tokyo is located), Kyushu, Hokkaido, and Shikoku. Okinawa can be considered a main island as well, depending on who you talk to. In total there are close to 7,000 islands and roughly 430 are inhabited. About 73% of Japan is mountainous, so most major cities are located along the coasts. The current population of Japan is 127 million people. Tokyo, being the most populated city has a population of 14 million, 38 million if you count the the entire metropolitan area.  The language of Japan at least to me seems to be quite complicated especially the writing. Japanese consists of Kana which are phonetic symbols and Kanji which are the Chinese symbols. Kana is the combination of Hiragana and Katakana, each having 46 characters. Many signs here in Japan will have both Kanji and Kana making it even more confusing for people like me trying to learn. I am trying to learn as many symbols, phonetics, and phrases for now, I know i’ll never be fluent or gain a complete understanding, but since I live here, I will try my hardest!  Iwakuni, Yamaguchi prefecture I reside in the town of Iwakuni located in the Yamaguchi Prefecture, the southern most Prefecture on the Honshu Island. The Prefecture of Yamaguchi does not really have any big cities, Shimonoseki is the largest city. The population of Iwakuni is around 138,000. Iwakuni is probably most famous for the Kintai Bridge over the Nishiki River which was built around 1673 to gain access to Iwakuni Castle which is perched on top of the hill. With hundreds of years of typhoons and flooding, the original bridge no longer exists, but the bridge that stands today is an exact replica.  Other popular attractions here in Iwakuni are Kikko Park, The White Snake Museum (Not the band), and their many many festivals! Regarding the white snake museum, these are a particular type of albino rat snake that call Iwakuni home and are said to be good luck if you spot one!  Iwakuni is also home to the Marine Corps Air Station.  My thoughts after two months I love it here! I’ve always dreamed about a place located near both the ocean and mountains, not far from a big city with exceptional transportation. Iwakuni is just that! Iwakuni lies between a mountain range and the Seto Inland Sea and is a short train ride from Hiroshima, a city of over a million people. I live in a traditional neighborhood and shop at local supermarkets. I hold an international license but have chosen not to purchase a car. Instead, I purchased a hybrid bike and like to explore the area on two wheels or by using the wonderful trains here.   One more thing,  I absolutely love the signs here in Japan. Not road signs but signs like pick up after your pet or don’t litter, they are hilarious and creative! It’s become one of my hobbies to take photos of the signs here.  Transportation In Japan, there is a Japanese Rail the JR and the Shinkansen aka the Shin aka the Bullet Train. Iwakuni has a main train station for the JR that is easy to navigate, there is also a Shin Station a bit further out of town. I took the Shin to Fukuoka, I am used to the ICE train in Germany so am familiar with high speed trains, but the Shin is a on a whole new level. My first time at the station waiting for my train I heard a noise and the Shin zoomed by, I  was instantly amazed by how fast the train was, I wanted to record it. The Shin goes so quick, I missed it three times trying to record it on my phone. They trains are spacious and very quiet, makes for an enjoyable ride! For the most part the trains are on time. Really the only times they are delayed is when a tsunami is happening or a vehicle gets stuck on the tracks.  Some of the frustrations while living here I’ve traveled to Asia before but living here is a completely different then living out of a suitcase. I basically started my life over from scratch. I had came here with two suitcases and knew nothing about Japan really. For two weeks, I lived in a hotel until my apartment was available. In order to rent here, you need a whole lot of money up front. I somewhat knew that coming in. One of the more frustrating things here is everything takes forever! You want internet? That won’t be ready for about two weeks. How about a kitchen set or bed? That will take a month to deliver. Basically everything here takes a while, patience is key!  The Trash! Yes, we all love to recycle and protect the environment but the recycling out here is complex and downright confusing. I have three separate trash bins for different uses. Combustibles, Plastics, and Misc items that recycle companies come around once a month to collect, I am constantly scratching my head and asking myself what trash goes where??  The lights here take forever and no one J-Walks. Sometimes you feel like you are waiting for 5 minutes just for the light to give you the OK.  I have not found any decent beer here yet, everything taste like Bud Light. Maybe I’ll start drinking Sake.  The Food The food has been great! Obviously, at some point i’ll have a post just about the food in Japan, but I feel I am not an expert yet. One of my favorite things to do is go to grocery stores, each one has a section of fresh meals to go whether it be chicken on a stick, okonomiyaki (I’ll explain later), or tempura, it’s always cheap, tasty, and makes for a great snack or meal. Japan has a lot of exciting candy, like dark chocolate or green tea Kit-Kats. I don’t understand why the U.S. isn’t adventurous with their candy, why does Kit Kat sell all the fun stuff here. Same goes with soda, although I am not a huge soda fan, they have a lot of unique flavors here. The food out here is addicting, I just want to try it all!  Going forward I am really hoping I will be out here for a few years. I want to explore as much as Japan as possible. I also have plans to visit some of the U.S. territories that are accessible from Japan and other countries. My ultimate goal is to live a slower paced and different life then in the States. Living abroad is not for everyone and is definitely not easy. It takes a special type of individual to pack up their life in two suitcases and move thousands of miles away to an unfamiliar place. I am grateful this opportunity came my way and can’t wait to explore my new home!!