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Feb 27, 2025 • Subscribe
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Japan To Charge Tourists Consumption Tax and Refund At Departure
Thanks, scammers. Due to some people exploiting the system, Japan will now change how it handles duty-free purchasing by tourists.
An Audit of Tax-Themed Anime
These odd relics of the late 90s and early aughts offer insights into the way Japan has used animation to promote its tax system in comparison to American…
Japan Struggles to Find Solutions to Overtourism
Residents of tourist hotspots in Japan are expressing their frustration as overtourism causes congestion and creates safety hazards.
How Do Tax Returns in Japan Work?
Tax returns in Japan become more complicated if you are a freelancer, real estate investor or business owner. Here's what you should know.
Raising Black Biracial Children in Japan
Sometimes the biggest challenges we foresee for our children are the ones we’ve faced ourselves.
Overtourism in Japan and What It Means for Visitors
The recent influx of tourists has caused the government to introduce new measures to address overtourism in Japan.
Get Ready, Japan Tourists – Here Comes the “Tourist Tax”
As tourists pour back into Japan, more and more municipalities are taxing their stay. Here's what it means for your trip.
Will Japan Eliminate Tax-Free Sales to Tourists Completely?
A growing chorus of voices across the political spectrum says the country should collect the money to improve the lives of its citizens.
Shizuoka Mulls Steep Fee to Climb Mt. Fuji as Overtourism Continues
After seeing Yamanashi Prefecture's success with levying entrance fees on Mt. Fuji hikers, Shizokua says it'll follow suit.
Mount Fuji Climbers Hit with New Fee as Overtourism Concerns Soar
Amidst escalating tourism (over-tourism?) at Mt. Fuji, local officials respond with a new fee to ensure a safe climbing experience.
Answerman - Is Overtourism in Japan Real and Why is Japan Mad at Tourists?
Have a couple of bad actors ruined it for everyone? Jerome gives some context on 'overtourism' and what to do when traveling abroad.
An Anime Fan as An Adult
I’m an adult. Well… I’m technically one. I’m of age, but I’m definitely not the mental age of the mature adult that everyone expects. Anyway, it may sound…
Star Ocean: First Departure R
Star Ocean: First Departure R is a remastered version of the PSP remake of the original Star Ocean on SNES. From what I understand, though there were significant…
[MMV] Pokémon Adventures x departure!
After a VERY long wait and MANY weeks of work, here's my Pokémon Adventures MMV! This one was a goddamn herculean effort, to say the least, so I hope…
Anime As An Aspie
Not here to claim all people with autism of whatever level or form have the same experiences and not claiming I am an expert. Mostly will be…
How To Manage A Classroom in Japan as An English Teacher
Learn strategies to manage a classroom in Japan, including using praise, setting clear rules and using effective non-verbal cues.
What measure is a psycho?
Psycho-Pass, episode 11-13 As every viewer suspected, the Sibyl system is flawed. But that flaw isn’t just a technical detail, that it doesn’t accurately measure everyone, or a…
Essential Things I’ve Learned From Raising Kids in Japan
From daily park visits to an accidentally-achieved eye contact at the dining table, raising children in Japan teaches you a thing or two.
Kyoto to Raise Lodging Tax By Up to 10x, Highest in Japan
In a bid to fund train station improvements, Kyoto will raise the top tax on the city's most expensive hotel rooms to 10,000 yen per night.
Japanese Citizens Fume as New Lodging Taxes Aimed at Overtourism Apply to Them, Too
Experts say that assessing a "foreigner only" lodging tax would involve changing the way people check into hotels here.
Working as an Animator in Japan's Anime Industry (Kushagra Kushwaha) | Japan Station 107
On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, Kushwagra Kushwaha, an animator working in Japan's anime industry tells us how he got to Japan, how he got his…
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Working as an Animator in Japan's Anime Industry (Kushagra Kushwaha) | Japan Station 107
On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, Kushwagra Kushwaha, an animator working in Japan's anime industry tells us how he got to Japan, how he got his…
Japan Station: A Podcast About Japan by JapanKyo.com
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JapanKyo – Interesting news on Japan, podcasts about Japan & more
Naoko Yamada’s Departure From Kyoto Animation And Science Saru’s Painful Reinvention: End Of An Era, Start Of An Era?
KyoAni’s most renowned director Naoko Yamada left the studio she had dedicated her entire career to and is now directing Heike Monogatari at Science Saru—a studio in the…
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DanMachi 4 – 01 [Prelude (Night Before Departure)]
DanMachi is back! And that heralds the awakening of Amun from his anime slumber. Too long have I suffered through mediocre isekai or romcoms. Too long have I…
Park Closure and Strollers Highlight Hurdles of Raising Kids in Japan
A park in Japan will close thanks partly to one resident - and it has some up in arms about the country's hostility towards parents.
Netflix Adds Ads as an Option
When streaming really started taking off, mainly thanks to streaming service Netflix, one of the biggest benefits both people and companies boasted was no ads. Of course, the…
Amnesia as an Anime Plot Device
It seems as if every other anime character is getting clocked on the noggin’ and getting amnesia. Amnesia has become a fairly common plot device with many advantages…
Letters from Japan: ‘Dating An Expat In Japan’
Excerpt: Savvy Tokyo's resident "Love in Japan" columnist, Hilary Keyes, answers anonymous questions from readers on everything from dating in Japan to women’s health issues. Got a question…
Argonavis from Bang Dream! Episode 3: Our Departure
Visit the post for more.
Opposition to consumption tax reform grows
Plus: Kadokawa plans a marketing presence push in North America; Shueisha promotes former Shonen Jump chief editor; Innovations drive digital manga growth; and more
Opposition to consumption tax reform grows
Plus: Kadokawa plans a marketing presence push in North America; Shueisha promotes former Shonen Jump chief editor; Innovations drive digital manga growth; and more
Opposition to consumption tax reform grows
Plus: Kadokawa plans a marketing presence push in North America; Shueisha promotes former Shonen Jump chief editor; Innovations drive digital manga growth; and more
Trains: an introspection on art as discourse
Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Café Lumière begins with a title card stating it to be a tribute to the centennial of Yasujiro Ozu’s birth. Even without any contextual knowledge about…
Reading Violet Evergarden as an autistic woman
While it’s not necessarily overtly intended, the series explores and validates the ways that empathy can be expressed by neurodivergent women.
The Romance of Space as an Ocean
So we all know I love space operas, right? I think that I have proven that on so many levels with so many blog posts already. So why…
Gutenberg Doesn’t Suck as an Editor – Because It’s Not An Editor!
Gutenberg Doesn't Suck as an Editor: No, really! It doesn't suck as an editor. Why? Because, in all honesty, I don't think it's an editor!
AI and Japan as a Safe Space
OpenAI is American. Why is their latest product announcement so Japanese?
Life as a Ski Instructor in Japan
Have you ever wanted to be a ski instructor in Japan? Here's what it's like to work on some of the best slopes in the world.
Vegan in Japan: An Impossible Task?
Some might say it is nearly impossible to live or travel being a vegan in Japan, but is it? Let's examine the three challenges.
Adventures in Japan (and an Eggsen)
Hey Everyone! Here’s the latest installment of our Adventures in Japan series. I finally got 2 consecutive days off so that’s allowed us to do some more travelling…
An American Icon, Made in Japan
Barbie has a secret: she may have been dreamed up in the US, but she came to life in a Tokyo hotel room.
To Sleep So as to Dream (Japan, 1986) [JAPAN CUTS 2021]
Jason Maher reviews Kaizo Hayashi's debut feature To Sleep So as to Dream.
Debate: Does the “Artist Tax” Negate Pirating?
Recently, my best friend came to visit me for a week and -as is tradition whenever we see each other- we marathoned a show together. This time we…
Processing Overseas Loss And Grief As An Expat
Grieving from halfway across the world is a heavy feat. Savvy Tokyo spoke with Dr. Mira Simic-Yamashita for some insight on dealing with expat grief.
There’s No Such Thing As An Easy Job
Japanese Title: この世にたやすい仕事はない (Kono yo ni tayasui shigoto wa nai)Author: Kikuko Tsumura (津村 記久子)Translator: Polly BartonPublication Year: 2015 (Japan); 2020 (United Kingdom)Press: Bloomsbury Publis…
Akihabara loses its edge as an anime mecca
Plus: NTT Docomo launches Manga Mirai reading platform; Kadokawa names leader of anime studios; Domestic anime home video sales return to growth; and more