It can be interesting being a Batman fan when outside of the U.S. Let’s dig deeper and talk about Batman in Japan. He is (or was?) the most popular superhero in American pop culture. So how does he stack up in the land of the rising sun? You might be surprised!
Japan
Top 10 things that make me love living in Japan
These are the top 10 things that make me love living in Japan. My last top 10 post was negative, so today everything is going to be positive! See how that all balances out? Ok, let’s dive into what makes me love living in Japan!
Pepsi White Cola Japan Exclusive Drink
Have you seen the new Pepsi White Cola? It’s a new drink exclusive to Japan and I think it’s pretty neat. I finally caved and bought a bottle the other day at the grocery store.
You know, I always wondered why Japan got all these exclusive wacky flavors of stuff. When it comes to soda, you would think that companies would experiment in the USA because there are way more consumers of cola drinks than in Japan. That’s not the case!
Top 10 things that make me hate living in Japan
Do I hate living in Japan? No, because I could be somewhere much much worse. However, no country is all rainbows and magical sunshine. Sometimes there are just things that annoy you and there’s nothing you can do about it. These are the top 10 things that sometimes make me hate living in Japan. So scandalous!
Netflix Japan vs Hulu Japan: Which one is the best?
It’s Netflix Japan vs Hulu Japan!
I’ve been using online video services in Japan since 2014. With the recent launch of Netflix Japan, I wanted to compare the two services and note the differences as well as the pros/cons. Which one should you consider using? (If you want to pay for a streaming service in Japan, that is)
2019 Update: Hulu Japan and Netflix Japan have changed drastically over the years. Long story short, Netflix is the better option with more content than Hulu Japan. Amazon Prime now has HBO content which is another blow to Hulu.
Japanese Air Conditioner guide: Tackling the remote
If you’ve ever been to Japan and been in need an air conditioner, you might have had to think twice before pushing a button on the remote control. Learning how to use a Japanese air conditioner doesn’t have to be hard, though. You just have to learn a little bit of what symbols do what. I’ve made a little guide to help you out.
The explosion of the messaging app LINE
I have no idea what people are using in the U.S. to message each other these days. The last I heard, people were using “WhatsApp” to message each other instead of paying fees for text messaging. For those that don’t live in Japan, you may not be familiar with the most popular messaging app that almost everyone with a smartphone uses: The popular messaging app LINE. It launched in Japan in 2011 and by 2013, it had already gained 200 MILLION users. That’s incredible growth. If you want to message people from Japan and want to know where you can find them, they’re all probably on the LINE app.
A guide to switching to a Japanese MVNO
If you live in Japan, you might be paying too much for a Japanese cell phone contract. I recently switched to a Japanese MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) and couldn’t believe the difference in my monthly bill. What if I told you that your monthly bill could go from 4000-5000 yen ($40-$50) to something around 1600 yen ($16)? That’s some major savings. I’m going to talk about the current major carriers, the differences, and how to switch to an MVNO.
Rental Stores in Japan: Still Alive
Renting movies from a store is a pastime that has died out in the U.S. Why are rental stores in Japan still alive and kicking? A lot of it has to do with consumer culture, and the way that rental stores manage their stores.
Sure, people in the U.S. have it pretty good now. So many movies and TV shows are now available on demand through services such as Netflix, Hulu, and more. What if I told you that most people in Japan still go to rental stores to rent and return movies?
Ima Ai ni Yukimasu (Be with you) Review
One of my all-time favorite Japanese movies is “Be with you” or [いま、会いにゆきます] (ima ai ni yukimasu) in Japanese. It’s a heartwarming love story that came out in 2004 and, unfortunately, isn’t widely recognized outside of Japan, China, and Korea. In my opinion, it’s a hidden gem of Japanese cinema that’s definitely worth watching.