H&R Group Newsletter

For children making friends is about shared knowledge and experience. This can be difficult when moving to a new country where cultural references are different, and doubly tricky when things are in a different language. But there are plenty of great TV shows out there that you can watch with your children that […]

Halloween is becoming an increasingly popular event in Japan with parties popping up all over the country. For me, though, there is nothing better on All Hallow’s Eve than hunkering down at home, dimming the lights, grabbing a bowl of popcorn, and scaring myself […]

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

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VR-Zone by Bandai-Nampo opened in 2017 to showcase VR gaming as an amusement experience, just like going to a theme park for the day.  Unlike going to a theme park, you don’t need to worry about the weather since everything is inside. […]

With its constant stream of people, iconic street crossing, and of course one of the most recognizable canine mascots in the world, Tokyo’s Shibuya district is known worldwide, if not always by name, it arguably best matches the foreign idea of Tokyo. […]

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

See Cars for Lease

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Japan loves beer. So it’s no surprise there’s an Oktoberfest festival happening somewhere at any point in the year. But what about actually IN October? […]

As sure as you’ll find vending machines, convenience stores, and a small shrine in the average Japanese neighborhood, you’ll find people traveling around on a bicycle.  More everyday transport than pleasure, most Japanese use their bikes to run errands, ferry children […]

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

Once upon a time in Tokyo, celebrating Halloween meant dressing up in a costume and riding the Yamanote Line around the center of town drinking heavily and being unruly. Other than that weirdness, you really couldn’t tell October 31st from November 3rd, or […]

Halloween is rapidly approaching so get your costume soon because leaving your costume to the last minute and dressing as “an ax murderer, because they look just like you and me” isn’t as clever as you think it is. […]

One of the great pleasures of living in Japan is discovering the wide array of cultural differences that we encounter. From arts to food to ways of life, it is difficult to overstate how not only different, even amazing, this country’s cultural heritage is. […]

Halloween is rapidly approaching, and we want to remind you that leaving your costume to the last minute, and dressing “as yourself” or “an axe murderer, because they look just like you and me,” isn’t as clever as you think it is.  Get your costume on in Nagoya! […]

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

Online Insurance Estimate Form

Seki is a small city in the center of Japan, located in the northern Mino region of Gifu Prefecture.  Seki is famous for the production of blades; first samurai swords and now kitchen knives and cutlery continue a legacy of production using modern and traditional forging styles that […]

The Nagoya Festival's main attraction is a parade, lead by Nagoya’s 3 most famous historical figures and feudal lords; Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and Ieyasu Tokugawa accompanied by 700 mounted soldiers, foot soldiers, entertainers, and dancers. […]

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

• Yagoto Neighborhood

• Hoshigaoaka/Chikusa Neighborhood

• Issha/Hongo Neighborhood 

Nagoya has a long and rich history, and The Nagoya Festival is a great time to celebrate this great city in which we live, but you may be surprised to know that there are also plenty of other things going on which are […]

The subject of tattoos in Japan is a bit taboo. The history of body modification in Japan is long, but in modern Japan, tattooing is immediately associated with criminal organizations, and those with body ink began from society: banned from onsens […]

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

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Food is always a part of traveling and venturing into new places. Even if you don’t love to eat much, trying out something new when you visit is a way to learn about where you are. For those who like to try whatever a new place has to offer, eating at different restaurants for every […]

Themed cafes have been a huge hit these past few years in Japan. The themes are run from movies, cartoons or just about anything that an owner could be a fan of. Regular cafes are still popular, of course, but these themed shops have gained a lot of attention; especially from animal lovers. […]

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

See Cars for Lease

When you go to Paris, you have to take a photo with the Eiffel Tower as the backdrop. When you go to London, a picture in front of Buckingham Palace is a must have. When you travel, a photo of yourself with an architectural masterpiece as a background fully completes the trip. […]

The Land of the Rising Sun is known for the freshest produce and beef.  Quality is always a top concern here, and the Japanese painstakingly and continuously develop processes to ensure their products are the epitome of excellence.  […]

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

See Furniture and Appliances

Traveling from one city to another, one country to another and one island to another is one of the most leisurely and most exciting adventures ever. You can go backpacking, hiking, fly from one destination to another or of course, ride a cruise ship to visit several places in just one trip. It’s a fantastic […]

Hiroshima Prefecture’s Saijo town lets its hair down for a massive, two-day block party. One of Japan’s three premier sake-brewing locales, Saijo is proud of its history. About thirty kilometers east of Hiroshima City, the town’s brewing industry claims roots reaching back over three centuries. Today […]

If you missed the Onomichi Lantern Festival on the 13th, or you were blown away by it and wanted more, the Takehara Shokei-no-michi Candle Festival may be just what you’re seeking. […]

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

See Cars for Lease

Onomichi’s Lantern Festival (Onomichi Akari Matsuri) makes for a perfect way to see this jewel of a small city and its historic temple district. Some 30,000 paper lanterns light the way along a path which carries you past some of the town’s best sights, laid out […]

The Rokko Island Halloween and Harvest Festival is one of the largest in the Hanshin region and it occurs just across from Kobe on Rokko Island at the River Mall. Grab your kids, friends, and/or family, put your best costumes on and head over […]