Chilling Out in Japan
While most people travel in the spring and summer, Japan can be enjoyed all year. I think the archipelago is especially beautiful in the winter, when the sunlight is soft and the tsubaki flowers are in full bloom (you can also get some good deals in the cooler days). Here are the top 5 things to do in Japan when it's cold outside.
Heading to Hakone: Where History Meets Hot Springs and High Rides
If mention Hakone to most Americans they're likely scratch their heads. But the Japanese destination is one of the nation's most popular tourism spots -- drawing such international celebrity guests as the late John Lennon and proving there's so much more to the archipelago than Tokyo and Kyoto. Just a couple hours from the nation's capital city, Hakone is located in south-western Kanagawa. Yet it can feel like a world away from the craziness of Tokyo. It also can feel like it's stuck in another time -- the past.A Labor of Love: Why Japanese Learn a Language They Hardly Need
I taught English in Japan for about a half year in 2010 on Shikoku, and, again, to a few students to make extra cash over 2013 and 2014 while living there and freelance writing. Getting a job teaching at eikaiwa -- or English conversation -- schools is still unreasonably easy, even decades after the nation's bubble days. The qualifications for the job are few -- so few they would nearly ensure low pay or long-term unemployment in the States. All you need, in general, is to come from an English speaking country, have no criminal record and hold a four-year college degree in any subject. But one question has always nagged at me: Why do so many Japanese want to learn English?
October Fests: How to Spend Early Autumn in Japan
Despite the popularity of summer travel, one of the best times to visit Japan is in the fall. That's when the leaves turn copper, crimson and yellow in the north, and temperatures are still warm in the south and west. It's also after the suffocating heat of summer has finally blown away for the year, and when the lines of tourists begin to shorten or disappear completely. In addition, airline tickets tend to be cheaper at this time than they are in the summer and spring months. And there's still plenty to see and do. Here are some of the top activities around the nation this month.Teaching English in Japan 101
If you're considering teaching English in Japan, you're in luck. The jobs are still fairly easy to come by, even years after the bubble days. In general, you need few skills to get hired at an eikaiwa -- or English conversation -- school. Here are some tips on how to get started and what you need to land a job.
Lessons of Teaching English in Japan: 5 Rules to Follow
I taught English in Japan for about a half year in 2010, and, again, to a few students to make extra cash over 2013 and 2014 while living there and freelance writing. Getting a job teaching at eikaiwa, or English conversation schools, is still relatively easy in Japan, even in the countryside. Here are the 6 rules of the job.
5 Tips for Surviving Summers in Japan
I used to think summer was the time for vacations. That was before I spent two entire summers in Japan. It took me a while to learn, but June, July and August are not the best times to enjoy Japan. They will make even the strongest deniers believe in global warming. But if you're there or have flights booked for a summer vacation in Japan, you can still have a good trip, if you know how to handle the heat...
