July 2026
What Japanese Expats Miss Most — Plastic Wrap
Does Your Country Have Plastic Wrap Too? Plastic wrap exists in plenty of countries around the world — it's a pretty universal kitchen item. But here's something that might surprise you: plastic wrap is actually one of the things Japanese people living abroad end up missing the most. There are many types of plastic wrap […]
Bath-Cleaning Slippers — A Uniquely Japanese Household Item
Why the Japanese Take Their Shoes Off Indoors If you've ever visited a Japanese home, you'll know the first thing you do is take your shoes off at the entrance. This custom goes back a long way, and there are actually a few reasons behind it: Slippers Actually Originated in Japan Out of this shoes-off […]
Mosquito Protection in Japan — Old Traditions and Modern Must-Haves
Summer in Japan means one thing you can always count on: mosquitoes. Over the years, Japan has developed its own particular culture around keeping them at bay — some of it charmingly old-fashioned, some of it seriously effective modern science. Let me walk you through both. １．Traditional Mosquito Repellents １－１．The Ceramic Pig — Kayari-buta (蚊やり豚) […]
The Sugar You'll Find in a Japanese Kitchen
If you ask most people around the world what sugar they reach for at home, the answer is usually granulated sugar. But here in Japan, that's actually not the case. The sugar you'll find in nearly every Japanese kitchen is something called jōhakutō (上白糖), and there are quite a few other types too. Let me […]