News
Make the Most of Zoom This Winter
It's about that time of year when we need to (temporarily) say sayonara to pleasant weather and ohayou to chilly temperatures and grey skies. And with rising coronavirus numbers throughout Japan, it may be especially important to stay indoors, at home, when possible over the next couple of months.
But that doesn't mean you and your family have to go stir-crazy! We're all very (too?) familiar with Zoom by now, but you can't deny that it's an extremely helpful tool for learning, playing and connecting with one another. As your family continues to take advantage of the wide array of...
If you are looking for some inspiration for your family's next DIY craft project this fall, look no further! We've rounded up our favorite seasonal activities and crafts for the whole family. Apples, leaves, pumpkins, chestnuts and more are perfect ingredients to get you started. Whether you want to hang out indoors or take advantage of the beautiful autumn weather in Japan, give these all a try!
Leaf Art
Now is the best time to collect colorful leaves around your neighborhood! Bring them home, cut them in half and have your children draw the other side!...
Celebrating Thanksgiving in Tokyo
Did you know there's a Thanksgiving Day in Japan, too? It's a little different than the one in November many Americans are used to. In Japan, it's Labor Thanksgiving Day ( Kinrō Kansha no Hi or 勤労感謝の日).
As the name implies, Labor Thanksgiving Day is a day to celebrate and be thankful for the hard work of those all over Japan. It began as a harvest festival as far back as 585 BC, but following World War II and the establishment of the new Japanese Constitution, it became a holiday to commemorate new rights for the Japanese people. This year, Labor Thanksgiving is on a Monday, so we'...
2020 is coming to a close and to say it's been an unusual year would be putting it very mildly! The novel coronavirus upended plans and created a lot of (reasonable!) fear and uncertainty. As the situation has thankfully improved in Japan, the government is offering a promotion for domestic entertainment and travel - to make it easier financially and to encourage those of us who can't easily leave Japan right now to explore locally instead!
The GoTo campaign is a government subsidy program that reimburses, either through point-of-sale discounts or vouchers, up to 50 percent of your...
It's officially been Fall for more than a month, but now that the weather has cooled and the leaves are beginning to change, it finally feels like it! It's the perfect time of year in Tokyo to enjoy sunny skies, comfortable temperatures and colorful nature with your whole family.
Halloween is this Saturday. Culture Day is November 3 and Labor Thanksgiving is November 23. Though these holidays will look different this year than years past, they're still opportunities to get out of the...