I would say one of the most reflective parts of living overseas is the development of international relationships across cultures. Today, I want to share a bit of my experience. Your Language Skills Will Improve Dramatically–Only If You Work Hard When it comes to international relationships, the language barrier is often the first thing people…
A friendly guide to Japanese manners, unspoken rules, and how not to accidentally become that person Have you ever seen any social media posts about tourists behaving badly in another country and thought, What are they doing? Lately, as Japan has become a more affordable destination for many travellers, I have been seeing more and…
What is an identity crisis? An identity crisis occurs when your sense of “who I am”– and sometimes “where I belong” – feels shaky, confusing, or suddenly no longer fits. At the end of 2025, I came across the word “identity crisis” on YouTube. It stopped me in my tracks. “I might have been in…
Life on the internet is getting so chaotic! Whenever I Google what I want to know or open Instagram, loads of ads pop up, telling me “You want this new jewellery, don’t you?” and “You were looking for this last week, didn’t you?” Most of the time, I am resilient against these seductions, but sometimes…
“Age is just a number” It was the phrase that made my eyes open when someone non-Japanese told me. I loved this phrase, and it is still shining in my heart. In Japan, each age group has its own “regulation,” and many Japanese are trapped by it. Age In The West vs Japan: ‘Just a Number’…
Foreigners say the Japanese are polite, kind, punctual, and rule-bound. I have met many non-Japanese friends during my 7 years living overseas (Australia), and, funny enough, some of them have told me, “You are not a typical Japanese” (with a laugh, not in an offensive way). It was interesting what they said to me, as…
I don’t usually write posts like this. Beyond Kimono is where we talk about Japan and I try to keep it as a cheerful corner on the internet. But this autumn in Japan comes with a new reality: bears are showing up in places that used to feel ordinary. Japan logged a record year for…
First things first: in most countries, most politicians are male though still a lot of female politicians get greater attention. Japan’s part of the club—but when it comes to women’s social presence, we’re still kind of waiting for our “main character moment.” And now, Japan is absolutely buzzing: on October 21, 2025, the country finally…
Speaking of Sony, most of us recognise its popular game gadget “PlayStation”. Even if you’re not a gamer, you must know this brand name for home appliances like TVs.But Sony is not only that. In this article, you will know how Sony became a world-famous Japanese brand. From the Founding to the Birth of the…
Watch a few “Get Ready With Me” videos and you’ll notice it: a pastel tumbler, a tiny whisk, and that electric‑green swirl. Matcha showed up uninvited to breakfast and somehow stole the coffee’s seat. Why did this happen—even though most Japanese people don’t actually drink matcha every day? (Day‑to‑day, sencha or hojicha are far more…