Hello World! Pasmo is one of the smart cards that lets you ride on most trains and buses in Japan. You just tap and go. It can also be used to make purchases at places like convenience stores (7-eleven) and vending machines.
LWIF EP12: Visiting Tokyo’s Izu Islands
Hello World! Did you know that Tokyo has islands? Yes, the prefecture (province/state) of Tokyo has a volcanic chain of islands called the Izu Seven Islands group. We stayed at Shikinejima (Shikine-jima), which is a small island 3 km long by 2.5 km wide that is located 160 km south of the city of Tokyo. To get there, we took an overnight ferry, where we slept on a carpeted floor.
LWIF EP11: A Japanese and half Japanese Kid Draw their Homes, Families, and Favourite Animals
Hello World! What do the drawings of a Japanese and half Japanese kid look like? Is it like manga? Find out as Aiko and her cousin draw their homes, families, and favourite animals.
LWIF EP10: Inside a Japanese Kid’s Bedroom
Hello World! Do Japanese kids really sleep on the floor? Are the floors really made from grass (rice straw)? Do they roll up their beds?
LWIF EP9: Washing Dishes in Japan
Hello World! Finally Aiko washes some dishes. Not as easy as her home in Canada, which had a dishwasher 😉
LWIF EP8: Fishing at a Japanese Park (Zarigani)!
Hello World! Aiko makes a fishing rod using a branch, string, and squid (very minecrafty)! She then suffers through the heat and allergies to catch the cute zarigani (crayfish).
LWIF EP7: A Visit to a Japanese Vegetable Garden
Hello World! Aiko visits her ojiisan’s (Grandpa’s) vegetable garden, where he grows soramame (broad bean), naganegi (leek), piiman (green pepper), naganegi (onion), kyuuri (cucumber), suica (watermelon), okura (okura) and jagaimo (potato).
LWIF EP6: Mak/eat/ing Japanese Candy
Hello World! Aiko tries out an assortment of Japanese candy and snacks, from Pocky to toilet candy.
LWIF EP5: The Homework of a Japanese Student in Third Grade
Hello World! A lot of people think school in Japan is tough and there’s a lot of homework. Here’s a quick video showing what homework can be found in the backpack of a third grade elementary school student in Tokyo. There’s Kanji, reading, math, and even cleaning shoes.
LWIF EP4: 12 Reasons Why Japanese Bathrooms are the Best!
Hello World! Japanese bathrooms are usually separated into three areas: sink, bath/shower, and toilet. If you’re staying at a hotel you probably won’t experience separation like this (it’ll be more like a Western style setup).