Fireworks Summer Spectacular in Japan

Get ready for the Fireworks Summer Spectacular in Japan. Hanabi, the Japanese word for fireworks, is synonymous with summer in Japan, and a must-see event for travellers and visitors to anywhere in Japan during the summer. Fireworks in Japan are now a major summer tradition with most fireworks taking place along the many rivers located throughout Japan. There are over 500 firework events held in Japan during the summer and can be found everywhere from big cities to small villages. Going to a fireworks event is a big opportunity for the Japanese especially younger Japanese to embrace their traditional culture. Many people will show up in a yukata (summer kimono) and enjoy traditional snacks, foods and drinks from the numerous street side vendors located along the riverside. Most fireworks events are free and open to the public. Get there early with a good strategy to secure the best viewing spot as most people will start early to get prime locations.

This is my entry to this month's Japan Blog Matsuri

The Secrets Of Speaking Japanese Fluently

What does teaching English in Japan involve?

What does teaching English in Japan involve? It really depends on what type of teaching you pursue. In Japan there are eikaiwa (conversation schools), English schools and ALT English teachers. Eikaiwa mostly teach conversational English but we were also required to explain grammar and teach grammar to higher level students. The students usually range in age from about 2 years old in kids classes to 90 years old. Typical working hours will fall somewhere in between 10am to 9pm and the classes are usually around 45-50 mins long. The most famous eikaiwa schools are Nova, GEOS and AEON.

ALTs (Assistant Language Teachers) mostly work in Elementary and Junior High School as an assistant to the main JTE (Japanese Teacher of English). Most of the time the JTE will explain the grammar in Japanese so the kids have a better understanding but can put you on the spot with a grammatical question. I recommend teaching in Elementary or JHS with an ALT company as this was the most rewarding experience for me and you get the chance to participate in real school life with real students. I would highly recommend contacting ALTIA Central Japan if you are interested in working as an ALT in Japan as they were the best company in Japan for ALTs.

Whatever teaching you do it will pay to have a good understanding of English grammar.

How to become an English Conversation Teacher

Working in Japan

The easiest and quickest way to send money home from Japan

The easiest and quickest way to send money home from Japan is to set up an account through Lloyds of London. The Go Lloyds account takes a little time to set up but once you have set up an account you can send money home directly through any ATM in Japan and it usually takes 1-2 business days to arrive. There is a small fee that is applied to the receiving bank (around $8) and the exchange rates used are usually 1-2 cents higher through Lloyds. The other alternative is via the post office but I have found this inefficient and difficult at times. The post office money transfer can take several weeks to arrive and in one instance I had my money arrive via London to Australia more than a month after sending it. Used at your own peril.

The Secrets Of Speaking Japanese Fluently

Getting a Phone in Japan

Getting a phone in Japan can be quite an easy process if you know the basic steps. Softbank and NTT Docomo are the two biggest mobile phone companies in Japan. Both have English support and phones available with English. Softbank tends to be a little cheaper with Docomo offering better coverage across Japan. I could speak Japanese so didn`t have any problems getting a phone, but most stores usually have someone who speak a little English. You will need to bring along your passport and have your gaijin registration card before you can sign up. Some places also require a hanko stamp but this is rare. Phones on the cheaper end will cost zero yen and you can select from several different monthly plans depending on the amount of use.

The Secrets Of Speaking Japanese Fluently

A Brief History of Karate

Karate is a Japanese form of martial arts developed in Okinawa through the Chinese influence of Kung Fu. Anko Itosu is called the grandfather of modern karate. He helped popularize karate as a way of practicing martial arts, by promoting karate in Okinawan public schools. His ten precepts of karate include using karate not just for health and circulation, but for fighting enemies as well. Funakoshi Gichi, a student of Anko Itosu created the twenty precepts of karate, which emphasized respect, humility, patience, diligence, and inner peace. His precepts advocate against unnecessary violence. After Funakoshi`s death, his students formed different schools or forms or karate. After all these years, karate continues to be popular both inside Japan and around the world.

The Secrets of Real Martial Arts

Working in Japan

To work in Japan, a foreigner must receive a job offer from a guarantor in Japan, and then apply for a working visa at an embassy or consulate outside the country. In most cases in order to work full time in Japan you need to have a University degree and you also require the backing of a company in Japan to sponsor your visa. There are about a dozen types of working visas available, each allowing the holder to work only within a defined professional field, e.g. as an engineer, instructor or entertainer. Working visas are valid for a period of 1 to 3 years, and may be used to secure employment at any employer within the scope of activities designated on the visa (including employers other than the guarantor).

Spouses of Japanese nationals can obtain spousal visas, which carry no restrictions on employment.

The Working Holiday program is open to young citizens (between 18 and 30) from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea, France, Germany, Ireland and the UK: those eligible may apply for working holiday visas without having a job offer.

The most common form of employment among foreigners is teaching English.
Many foreign residents from English speaking countries now work in Japan, most as language instructors. The demand for native language instructors remains high, with a lot of major language schools now operating recruitment offices overseas. It is quite easy to find work teaching in Japan as there are many eikaiwa (conversation schools). The most famous being Nova, GEOS and AEON. I recommend teaching in Elementary or JHS with an ALT company as this is the most rewarding.

Other fields that qualified residents have a good chance to find work include translation, IT, modeling and entertainment.

The best site to look for employment in Japan is Gaijinpot.

How to become an English Conversation Teacher

Divorce in Japan (A smashing end to wedded bliss)

Japanese couples are embracing divorce with a twist. A new ritual is becoming increasingly popular among Japanese couples who choose to end their marriages with the same pomp and ceremony with which they began them. The ceremony involves couples dressed as in a wedding with the groom in a suit and bride in a gown surrounded by family and friends. A sparkling ring then appears which in not placed lovingly on the finger, but the bride and groom are handed a hammer and proceed to smash the ring to symbolize the end of their marriage. The ceremony includes drinking toasts to never seeing each other again, elaborate cakes and consists of a string of symbolic acts to mark the definitive end of a marriage. Divorce has been on the rise in recent years in Japan with now a third of Japanese marriages ending in divorce.

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