2022's last post from Native Expat is about the ski trip to Niseko and an onsen trip to Lake Shikotsu in Hokkaido.
Skiing in Niseko, onsen at Lake Shikotsu in Hokkaido
End of the year team activity – Art Bar
Yesterday was my last day of work at 2022 🎉. As a team, we went on a team building activity at Art Bar in Harajuku, Tokyo on the second floor opposite Trunk Hotel. Up to 10 people can join a 2 hour group activity. Artists paint while sipping wine, drinks, coffee, tea and snacks. As … Continue reading End of the year team activity – Art Bar
A single word to sum up 2022
Beautiful winter illumination lights up Tokyo since end of November which brings the feeling of the end of the year. What really marks the wrapping up of the year in Japan is the announcement of kanji or a single character that sums up the year. The character has been announced for the last 28 years … Continue reading A single word to sum up 2022
Finding a home in Tokyo – the wonderful and weird rental properties in Tokyo
There are nearly 14million residents in Tokyo in a relatively compact space of 2,194 km². Many high rises and compact apartment units pack Tokyoites in Tokyo like tetris blocks. Unlike Australia or western culture, share houses aren't common in Japan. Combined this with the fact that many Japanese remain single, many people who move out … Continue reading Finding a home in Tokyo – the wonderful and weird rental properties in Tokyo
World Cup and Covid-19 fever in Japan
My team who have never seemed too sporty and many people in my company have caught the World Cup fever ⚽️ especially after Japan making through the Group early Friday morning. 🎉 Not just in my company but the nation seems to have supported Japanese soccer team in Qatar no matter the time as posted … Continue reading World Cup and Covid-19 fever in Japan
Nagano’s Bessho onsen and natural wine bistro
November 23rd being a public holiday in Japan and the following day being my husband's birthday. He likes onsen♨️, beef🥩, natural wine🍷, nature🍁 and traveling🧳 so we headed for a quick getaway in Nagano for a celebrate his birthday at Bessho onsen and a natural wine bistro. Bessho Onsen Bessho onsen is the oldest onsen … Continue reading Nagano’s Bessho onsen and natural wine bistro
Busy, busy Japanese: hobbies culture in Japan
Continuing with last week's post, after living in Japan for nearly 4 years, most of my friends in Japan are expats who live in Tokyo temporarily and some have left. Slower compared to the rest of the world, but as Japan has slowly come out of pandemic world, now seems like a good time more … Continue reading Busy, busy Japanese: hobbies culture in Japan
Finding connection amongst the disconnects
New York Bar in Park Hyatt Tokyo was a perfect setting for one of the farewells with an expat friend whom I spent a lot of time over the year. The jazz bar located high up on 52nd floor is famous for being the one of the pivotal locations in the film, "Lost in Translation". … Continue reading Finding connection amongst the disconnects
Japan’s travel subsidy experience 2022 version
The Japanese government initiated a second round of domestic tourism initiative to support the tourism industry that was hit hard from the long border closure and request to stay home to prevent the spread of Covid-19. 1st Government Travel subsidy program in 2020 Go To Travel campaign, the first government domestic travel subsidy program that … Continue reading Japan’s travel subsidy experience 2022 version
All Blacks are back in Tokyo!
New Zealand's national rugby team, All Blacks have been in Japan for this afternoon's test match against Japan's national rugby team, Brave Blossoms. All Blacks are popular amongst Japanese and this afternoon being the first time the teams play against each other since 2019 Rugby World Cup, it has drawn a massive crowd with over … Continue reading All Blacks are back in Tokyo!
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