If you’re new to Japan, there are many quirks and unique experiences here that might be surprising to a first-timer. One of the reasons for this is that Japan is, yes, very different from a lot of other countries. Another, for western visitors, is that it might be your first time in a wildly different culture.

Especially in the big cities a night out is common after work on any day of the week and not restricted to the weekend. In this article we will introduce your main nightlife options in Japan, including the best locations for food, drink, song, and dance.

Living abroad is exciting, but inevitably adapting to a new culture and language has its own stresses and strains. One of the best ways to maintain your physical and mental wellbeing is to get regular exercise, and of course your diet is important too.

Getting money into and out of Japan has never been easy. Since about two years ago, it’s been much harder. Banks everywhere have taken a policy of vetting every transfer — and the person and account making it — extremely carefully.

Hobbies are important. They help to take your mind off the more stressful aspects of life (like work) and they can also give life a rich sense of purpose and achievement.