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The Japanese subculture of Chindōgu (Unuseless Inventions)

February 23, 2025

What Happened to KonMari? The Evolution of Marie Kondo’s Lifestyle Movement

February 22, 2025

A Quirky Symphony: Reviewing the Otamatone

February 21, 2025
vehicle on the road

Why does Japan drive on the left?

February 21, 2025
empty interior of a modern passenger train

Why is Japan So Clean? Understanding the Culture of Cleanliness

February 20, 2025
the toki wakamiya bed and breakfast at shimogyo ward in kyoto

Ryokan in Kyoto: A Traditional Japanese Lodging Experience

February 20, 2025
February 23, 2025
by Japan Living

The Japanese subculture of Chindōgu (Unuseless Inventions)

Japan is well known for its cutting-edge technology, but much less well known for a delightfully absurd counterpoint to high-tech: chindōgu, which means “unuseless inventions.”

  • Blog
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February 22, 2025
by Japan Living

What Happened to KonMari? The Evolution of Marie Kondo’s Lifestyle Movement

Marie Kondo took the world by storm in the mid-2010s with her philosophy of keeping only items that “spark joy.” But in recent years, her media presence has waned. So, what happened to KonMari?

  • Books on Japan
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February 21, 2025
by Japan Living

A Quirky Symphony: Reviewing the Otamatone

The Otamatone is a whimsical electronic musical instrument that looks like a cartoon eighth note come to life. Let’s take a closer look.

  • Japanese Technology
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February 21, 2025
by Japan Living

Why does Japan drive on the left?

Japan drives on the left due to historical influence from samurai traditions and adopting British railway systems in the 19th century.

  • Japan Questions / Japanese History
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February 20, 2025
by Japan Living

Why is Japan So Clean? Understanding the Culture of Cleanliness

Japan’s exceptional cleanliness stems from cultural values, strict social etiquette, and collective responsibility, where citizens actively maintain public spaces and follow cleaning routines.

  • Japan Questions
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February 20, 2025
by Japan Living

Ryokan in Kyoto: A Traditional Japanese Lodging Experience

Experience authentic Japanese hospitality at Kyoto’s traditional ryokans. Enjoy tatami rooms, onsen baths, kaiseki dining, and serene gardens in the heart of ancient Japan.

  • Travel in Japan
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February 26, 2024
by Japan Living

Five Japanese Concepts that Help Appreciate the World

There are many expressions in Japanese that are difficult to translate into other languages due to the connection of the...

  • Japanese Culture
  • 17
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February 24, 2024
by Japan Living

Review: “A Monk’s Guide to a Clean House and Mind” ★★★★☆

Japan has produced two major exports in the fields of self-help and cleanliness in the past decade: Marie Kondo and...

  • Books on Japan
  • 13
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February 24, 2024
by Japan Living

Review: “From Tatami to Tokyo: The Foreigner’s Handbook Apartment Hunting in Japan” ★★★★☆

“From Tatami to Tokyo: The Foreigner’s Handbook Apartment Hunting in Japan” by Brian Takahashi is a 54-page guidebook for foreigners...

  • Books on Japan / Housing in Japan
  • 9
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February 22, 2024
by Japan Living

Bureaucracy in Japan: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

One of the most common complaints I hear from fellow ex-pats, in Japan and elsewhere, is that the bureaucracy is...

  • Expat Life
  • 11
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February 22, 2024
by Japan Living

Unveiling the Blades: How to Choose the Best Japanese Cooking Knives

Japanese knives, with their sleek design and razor-sharp edge, have earned a reputation for precision and elegance. But navigating the...

  • Japanese Food
  • 11
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February 21, 2024
by Japan Living

A break down of the cheapest places to live in Tokyo

Tokyo is known for being one of the most expensive cities in the world. However, this doesn’t mean that living in Tokyo has to break the...

  • Housing in Japan
  • 10
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