BYOB: Retailers in Japan to Charge ¥3 to ¥10 for Plastic Shopping Bags Starting July 1
Starting in July, Japan’s three major convenience store chains (7-Eleven, Lawson, and Family Mart) will charge between ¥3 and ¥5 per plastic shopping bag, and other retailers will charge as much as ¥10 per bag. This is because the government... More
Living in Japan
What you can and can’t find at a local Japanese supermarket
Sometimes it’s the little things that are the most surprising when trying to adjust to life in a new country. Take, for example, the simple act of grocery shopping. We get accustomed to the products in our supermarkets where we... More
Toranomon Hills Station – Newest Station on the Hibiya Line Since 1964 – Opens on June 6
Toranomon Hills Station, the newest station on the Hibiya line since the line opened in 1964, will open on June 6th. The station will be located between Kasumigaseki and Kamiyacho Stations and will also be connected directly to the BRT... More
Rooftop Promenade to Be Built Along KK Line in Ginza, Modeled on New York’s High Line Park
Tokyo Governor Koike announced on June 2nd that the city plans to build a garden promenade along the KK Line where it crosses rooftops in the Ginza district of Chuo Ward. Ginza is one of Tokyo’s ritziest shopping destinations, known... More
Tokyo’s Shinagawa Ward to Give ¥30,000 to Every Resident – Coronavirus Income Support
Shinagawa Ward in Tokyo announced on June 1st that it plans to give a cash handout of ¥30,000 (about $279) to every resident of the Ward, in an across the board effort to help people who may have experienced an... More
What Tokyo Looked Like the First Weekend After the Lifting of the State of Emergency
The initial state of emergency for Tokyo was declared on April 7 and lifted on May 25. Even before the state of emergency was in place, many businesses were implementing social distancing rules, telework, and a reduction in face-to-face meetings.... More
Grocery Shopping in Japan: Making the most of your budget
While Japanese supermarkets and grocery stores operate much like their counterparts in other countries, you might find that you can’t find familiar brands or be overwhelmed by ingredients you haven’t seen before. It’s also possible that you might start to... More