H&R Group Newsletter

Typhoon season in Japan runs from June to December, but most typhoon activity occurs between the months of July and September and residents of any part of Japan are likely to experience one or more during their time here.  […]

It is important to start this conversation with the caveat that the contents of  your specific housing contract may be significantly different than the broad generalities outlined in this article. As with anything, read your contract to find out for sure what your rights and responsibilities are  […]

For many foreigners working in Japan, Obon is a great time. As most companies close for a bit of a summer holiday; it gives us a chance to hit the beach, travel, or just hang out at home glued to the air conditioner. In fact, many Japanese see it as a similar way […]

Throughout July and August there are festivals all over Japan celebrating all manner of things... However, for the citizens of Aomori Prefecture, August is a time to celebrate warriors of the past. ‘Nebuta’ festivals, in which giant floats of […]

Lease Japan offers high quality car insurance in Japan with English service from knowledgeable, bilingual staff.

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Japan has much to offer in terms of cuisine, but some foods also play a special role in the country’s culture. One such example is soba, a buckwheat noodle and one of the four main types of noodles eaten in the country.  […]

Our latest weather woes have made international headlines recently, with an unprecedented heatwave that has set records across Japan. Many of us come from countries where this is quite normal,but many more may not have ever experienced “hot n’ humid.” […]
 

As long as we have known fire, we’ve also known barbecue. Most of humanity would agree that there’s nothing beating a few pieces of meat and/or veg on the grill, with the smoke from the coals helping to give it a flavor that’s unmistakably summertime. We Tokyoites […]

Obon is an annual event where Buddhists and Confucians celebrate their ancestors.  Buddhists and many Japanese people in general believe that every year during Obon their ancestor’s spirits will return from “beyond the grave” for three days to visit with relatives they left behind. […]

Lease Japan offers an extensive selection of new and used cars for sale and lease. With Lease Japan you can have your car for exactly the amount of time you need it, for much less cash upfront.

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Tokyo has been named “World’s Greatest Food City” numerous times and at last count is home to  226 Michelin-starred restaurants. More than just ramen, udon, and tonkatsu places, you can find pretty much whatever a human can consume if you search hard enough […]

It could be argued that one of the greatest things on Earth is sitting outside on a warm summer’s day with an ice cold beer. Being from the south west of England I am used to having a pub on every corner, and  […]

See rentals available in Tokyo's best areas for expats by Japan Home Search

• Moto Azabu Neighborhood

• Minami Azabu Neighborhood

• Roppongi Neighborhood

• Akasaka Neighborhood

• Minami Aoyama Neighborhood

Summer festivals are a time when Japanese and foreigners alike can wear yukata, a summer and informal variant of the famous kimono. What is Yukata? The word ‘yukata’ means […]

 

Nagoya-meshi is famed for its full-flavor, its richness, its piquancy. When it comes to breakfast, Nagoya too differs noticeably from the the rest of the nation. While the rest of the […]

Osu is considered Nagoya’s district of cool, but for those in the know, it is Endoji that is becoming the place where all the good stuff is going on. On the face of it, Endoji looks like any old run down shopping arcade […]

Lease Japan offers high quality car insurance in Japan with English service from knowledgeable, bilingual staff.

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Between New Year’s Day on January 1st and December 23, there are 15 national holidays observed. One recent (2016) addition to the calendar is Mountain Day, or ‘Yama no hi,’ […]

A good way to get your feet wet if you are new to Nagoya is to try out the “Me-Guru” bus, or the Nagoya Sightseeing Route Bus. This is not a standard city bus; the “Me-Guru” bus is an air-conditioned model with […]

See rentals available in Nagoya's best areas for expats via Japan Home Search

• Yagoto Neighborhood

• Hoshigaoaka/Chikusa Neighborhood

• Issha/Hongo Neighborhood 

For four magical nights each August, at Gujo Hachiman in Gifu, dancers revelers line the streets until dawn breaks over the surrounding mountains in celebration of Obon. Across most of Japan, the festival of Obon is celebrated […]

Summer festivals are a time when Japanese and foreigners alike can wear yukata, a summer and informal variant of the famous kimono. What […]

Lease Japan offers an extensive selection of furniture and appliances for rent and sale. Furnish your home tastefully for exactly the amount of time you need it, for much less cash upfront.

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Japan is a country rich with mythology and fascinating tales. From folklore heroes to dark creatures, there are many tales associated with Kansai or have their roots in the region. Some are familiar, others not so. […]

From intensive retail therapy to quick souvenir shopping, Kobe has a score of places where you can explore and discover great finds to take home or give away as gifts. There are some places where locals flock to on a daily basis  […]

Lease Japan offers an extensive selection of new and used cars for sale and lease. With Lease Japan you can have your car for exactly the amount of time you need it, for much less cash upfront.

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One of the best places to visit at night are where the drinks and food are. After a long day of touring the attractions and shopping, anyone would love to unwind and take a swig of chilled beer in the company of family and friends […]

The “Kobe Port Marine Fireworks Festival” is a great way to spend a hot summer night in Kobe. As many as 250,000 people will gather at Meriken Park and the surrounding areas to watch as 15,000 fireworks dance in the night sky.  […]

Lease Japan offers an extensive selection of furniture and appliances for rent and sale. Furnish your home tastefully for exactly the amount of time you need it, for much less cash upfront.

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Mapmakers say Arima Onsen is a part of Kobe but it is a world unto itself. People have been making their way to this unique world for almost 1400 years, drawn to the magical powers of its storied hot springs. […]

 

Both my daughters have attended and enjoyed this wonderful local film festival their entire lives. If you’re living in Hiroshima, or are lucky enough to be passing through, you have to make time in your schedule to drop by, if only for an hour or so. […]

The entire world knows what happened in Hiroshima on the morning of August 6th, 1945, and the events that occurred are one of the main reasons that Hiroshima receives such a disproportionately high number (for a city its size) of visitors. […]

Lease Japan offers an extensive selection of new and used cars for sale and lease. With Lease Japan you can have your car for exactly the amount of time you need it, for much less cash upfront.

See Cars for Lease

Ceremony a day early. You don’t feel like sitting around the hotel room watching TV, but what feels right to do the night before attending the anniversary of the A-Bombing of this lovely little city. Anyway, it’s Sunday night, and all the most […]