http://www.expatify.com Expat Blogs & Community Magazine Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:30:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://www.expatify.com/japan/the-museums-of-tokyo-japan.html http://www.expatify.com/japan/the-museums-of-tokyo-japan.html#comments Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:37:24 +0000 Tanya http://www.expatify.com/?p=6681 Tokyo National Museum The Tokyo National Museum is the oldest museum in all of Japan. It is divided into several different sections, including the Asian Gallery, the Japanese Gallery, Japanese archaeology and others. The collective museum has a preservation collection of over 110,000 art and archaeological pieces. They often hold rotating exhibits that are themed around [...]]]> http://www.expatify.com/japan/the-museums-of-tokyo-japan.html/feed 0 http://www.expatify.com/japan/exploring-the-lakes-of-japan.html http://www.expatify.com/japan/exploring-the-lakes-of-japan.html#comments Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:49:06 +0000 Tanya http://www.expatify.com/?p=6572 Lake Biwa Lake Biwa is Japan’s largest freshwater lake, covering an area of 670 square kilometers. It is located in the Shinga Prefecture, which is on Honshu island, close to Kyoto. There are about 500 brooks and rivers that feed this lake, and it does not get clogged with all of the incoming sediments because it [...]]]> http://www.expatify.com/japan/exploring-the-lakes-of-japan.html/feed 0 http://www.expatify.com/japan/exploring-the-beaches-of-japan.html http://www.expatify.com/japan/exploring-the-beaches-of-japan.html#comments Sun, 01 Aug 2010 18:19:57 +0000 Tanya http://www.expatify.com/?p=6135 There are over 1,000 beaches in Japan. Being a nation of islands, the territories are surrounded by water everywhere. These beaches differ intensely, as some of them are in urban settings that are easily accessible by train, while others are in secluded islands which take a while to reach. Kamakura Beach Kamakura Beach is not the most beautiful [...]]]> http://www.expatify.com/japan/exploring-the-beaches-of-japan.html/feed 1 http://www.expatify.com/japan/exploring-the-rivers-of-japan.html http://www.expatify.com/japan/exploring-the-rivers-of-japan.html#comments Sat, 22 May 2010 17:33:08 +0000 Tanya http://www.expatify.com/?p=5345 In Japan, the majority of the rivers are known to be very steep but short. This is because the country’s terrain is largely mountainous. The Japanese rivers tend to rise in the forests of the mountains, flow through V-shaped valleys and then turn into alluvial plains downstream. The lower reaches of these rivers are used [...]]]> http://www.expatify.com/japan/exploring-the-rivers-of-japan.html/feed 0 http://www.expatify.com/japan/the-museums-of-kyoto-japan.html http://www.expatify.com/japan/the-museums-of-kyoto-japan.html#comments Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:37:31 +0000 Tanya http://www.expatify.com/?p=4752 Kyoto National Museum The Kyoto National Museum is located in the center of Kyoto, and focuses mostly on ancient Japanese art. There is the Collections Hall, which has the permanent exhibits, houses over 12,000 specimens of calligraphy, textiles, artifacts, metal works, paintings and sculptures. These are displayed on rotating exhibits. There is also a Special Exhibition [...]]]> http://www.expatify.com/japan/the-museums-of-kyoto-japan.html/feed 0 http://www.expatify.com/japan/celebrating-valentines-day-in-japan.html http://www.expatify.com/japan/celebrating-valentines-day-in-japan.html#comments Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:24:05 +0000 Tanya http://www.expatify.com/?p=4157 The Japanese have their own way of celebrating Valentine’s Day. The most common tradition is for Japanese women to give chocolate to men on February 14th. They may also give other gifts, but chocolate is the most common. Women do not only buy chocolate for their boyfriends and husbands, but also for most of their [...]]]> http://www.expatify.com/japan/celebrating-valentines-day-in-japan.html/feed 3 http://www.expatify.com/japan/navigating-the-volcanoes-of-japan.html http://www.expatify.com/japan/navigating-the-volcanoes-of-japan.html#comments Sat, 23 Jan 2010 04:06:48 +0000 Tanya http://www.expatify.com/?p=3943 Ten percent of all volcanoes in the world are located throughout the islands of Japan. Out of all of Japan’s volcanoes, about 80 of them are considered active today (though this is according to who you ask). The entire country is spotted with volcanoes, from north to south. Japan also has longest recorded history of volcanic [...]]]> http://www.expatify.com/japan/navigating-the-volcanoes-of-japan.html/feed 0 http://www.expatify.com/japan/learning-the-business-customs-of-japan.html http://www.expatify.com/japan/learning-the-business-customs-of-japan.html#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:30:33 +0000 Tanya http://www.expatify.com/?p=3796 The Japanese are aware of the challenges that foreigners face when in their country. Though they have some specific standards within their own culture, they do not expect foreigners to completely conform to these. They will not expect foreigners to understand or speak Japanese very well, and they may also be shy themselves if they [...]]]> http://www.expatify.com/japan/learning-the-business-customs-of-japan.html/feed 0 http://www.expatify.com/japan/shogatsu-celebrating-the-japanese-new-year.html http://www.expatify.com/japan/shogatsu-celebrating-the-japanese-new-year.html#comments Fri, 01 Jan 2010 08:43:11 +0000 Tanya http://www.expatify.com/?p=3363 In Japan, New Years is called “shogatsu” or “oshogatsu.” It lasts from January 1st-3rd, and businesses close down so families can celebrate together. Schools often close for a week or two. The Japanese celebrate this holiday as separating the two consecutive years completely, which includes completing every prior obligation for a fresh start. The Japanese throw [...]]]> http://www.expatify.com/japan/shogatsu-celebrating-the-japanese-new-year.html/feed 0 http://www.expatify.com/japan/bodhi-day-buddhist-holiday.html http://www.expatify.com/japan/bodhi-day-buddhist-holiday.html#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:09:35 +0000 Tanya http://www.expatify.com/?p=3183 Today is Bodhi Day, the 8th of December. This holiday commemorates the day that the Buddha, Siddhartha Guatauma, experienced enlightenment, or “Bodhi.” According to legend, Siddhartha had sat under a Pipul tree and meditated to relieve suffering. He eventually was able to overcome suffering by finding the root of it, and then liberating himself. He [...]]]> http://www.expatify.com/japan/bodhi-day-buddhist-holiday.html/feed 1