Author Archives : Sarah
Sarah is a long-time resident born and raised in Japan. She spends her time trying to raise her children, translating and making soy candles on the side. She loves the beach, paddle boarding, mountain lakes and Japanese beer :)
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Funerals in Japan
Attending your first funeral in Japan can be confusing. Here are a few tips for making the experience a bit easier. Funerals in Japan usually have two parts, the otsuya 通夜 and the kokubetsu ...
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Nengajo – New Year’s Cards
Halloween decorations are still up but holiday music is already playing in the malls. Yes, it’s that fuzzy time of year in Japan where holidays and seasons get mixed up. And before you know ...
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Rites of Passage – The Golden Ages
Japan is well known for its oldest life expectancy in the world. The average life expectancy is 86 for women and 79 for men. In 2013, there were 54,397 centenarians! Landmark birthdays are ...
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Aoiro Shinkoku 101
* disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only, and does not guarantee that your taxes will be ready for filing in February. It intends to help you organize your accounts for easier ...
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Summer Survival
Depending where you live in Japan, you’ve already experienced the heat of summer. Here in Nagoya, we’ve had little rain and the winds still have a hint of coolness in them. But in just a few ...
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Numbers
You might say the Japanese are a bit obsessed with numbers. Some numbers are lucky, some are unlucky, and there’s a reason for each one. Take 4 and ...
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Omiya Mairi – Baby’s first rite of passage
KA-Japan has welcomed many KA-babies into the group recently. First-time moms in Japan may be getting used to how things are done differently here (and yes, many things are different from back ...
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Jusan Mairi – Coming of Age in Japan
In this country of numerous customs and traditions, rites of passage are taken very seriously. Between the time a child is born to when they reach adulthood, there are three (for boys) or five ...