Aiko learns how to do laundry, which in Japan, usually means hanging them out to dry on your balcony.
LWIF EP36: What a Japanese River Park is Like
Ok, not every Japanese park is like this, but you can definitely find these river parks throughout Tokyo. Even though name on the sign for the park says river park, it’s more like a stream park. The video actually starts off by showing you what a park found underneath a bridge or elevated train tracks looks like. Since space is limited, you’ll often find little playgrounds under such structures. The vast majority of parks I’ve encountered in Japan come standard with a water fountain, water tap, and bathroom facilities. So, if you find yourself in Japan and are in need…
LWIF X EP6: Visible Homeless in Tokyo, Japan
Join me as I go on a walk around Shinjuku, a major government and business district in Tokyo, exploring the living conditions of the visible homeless.
LWIF EP35: What Japanese Dinner is Like (Nabe)
Nabe (鍋物) is simply the name of the dish (cooking pot), so when you have nabe, there really could be anything in it. If you’re from a country that has stews and soups in the winter time, this is the Japanese equivalent. Since nabe is such a general term, you can have many different types of nabe. Meals like sukiyaki and oden fall under this blanket term. With the nabe we made in the video, we cooked as we ate, so you’ll notice that kept on adding ingredients over the course of the meal. This is different than how our…
LWIF EP34: 花は咲く(Flowers Will Bloom) Japanese Tōhoku Earthquake Song
On March 11, 2011, the Tōhoku region of Japan had a massive earthquake and tsunami. The song 花は咲く(Flowers Will Bloom) was created to commemorate the tragedy. You can purchase the song and all royalties will be donated to the recovery effort.
LWIF X EP5: Nudity in Japan
When I first visited Japan, I was eager to try out the famous onsens (hot springs), but very nervous about bathing naked in a room full of guys. While some aspects of Japanese culture is very open to nudity (like public bath houses and men’s toilets), it’s also one that is fairly conservative (in comparison to North America, women are modestly dressed). Jess from Jessica and Hai joins me to discuss nudity in Japan.
LWIF EP33: How a Japanese Family Sushi Restaurant Gets You to Buy, Buy, Buy!
The kids loving going to this family kaiten sushi restaurant where you can order using an iPad and win gacha gacha prizes.
LWIF X EP4: What is an Average Japanese Apartment Like?
So, what IS an average Japanese apartment like? My daughter and I created a video tour of our apartment and I was surprised at the number of comments saying that the place was big (thrown in with a mix of contradictory comments saying it was small). What sparked my interest in creating a response video was this comment: Was I misleading the world? Is my family living it up and I didn’t even realize it? After a few days of thinking and a few hours of research, I’ve come to the conclusion that while we are very, very, well of in…
LWIF X EP3: Tokyo – Big City or Small Town(s)
Tokyo is a big city; no one will argue that. The Tokyo Metropolitan area population is gobsmackingly huge, with 37 million residents. However, despite having buildings as far as the eye can see, it’s still filled with small communities.
LWIF EP32: What a Japanese Apartment is Like
Aiko finally gives you a tour of our Japanese apartment. Did you know that in Japan they call some apartments mansions?