Remember after coming back to Canada and thinking, “Wow, our shopping carts are so huge!” Well you’re not the only one.

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Train “Easy Transfer and Exit Guides”

This is one thing that I really miss about Japan (although I only remember seeing these in Tokyo). My job in Tokyo demanded that I go to different stations everyday for work. The train network alone is already a crazy nightmare to the inexperienced traveller (JR, Metro, and a hundred other private lines all weaved together), and nothing’s worse than getting off the train and not knowing which direction to go next, especially when you’re pressed for time. But once you get used to it, it’s not so bad. (more…)

Hangaku Hunting = End of Day Grocery Store Discounts

During the four adventure-filled years I spent in Japan on the JET Programme, one of the seemingly mundane activities that I found unusually fulfilling was hunting for end of day deals at local grocery stores. The thrill of the chase, competing with like-minded salary men and obaachans, the reward of a tasty dinner, and the sense that I was doing something uniquely Japanese, made this one of the most unexpectedly satisfying cultural experiences I had.

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If I had to look through the many memories I experienced in Japan, I would have to say that the most favourable of them were during the fall. Canada and Japan may share many similarities in experiencing seasonal variation, however there are a few things they do in Japan that really makes this season come alive.

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Probably everyone who has ever taken a drive in the inaka notices the scarecrows. When I was on JET, I used to collect photos of these surprisingly scary life-size faux-humans.…