Resident Interview: The Donnalley Family
Just having recently moved from Houston Texas, the Donnalley family get cozy in their new spacious apartment—complete with a traditional tatami room and grand garden.
Useful Websites for Expats
Let’s face it. It can be a little tough at times when living in a country where you can’t communicate or read the native language. That’s why we have come up with a list of useful websites for English speakers in Japan, which can make life smoother and more enjoyable.
Phonic Hoop
By David Labi
For a crystallization of post-hippy bourgeois-bohemian cool, swan through the plant-flanked door of this street-level bar located a few minutes eastward from Golden Gai. Elevated prices stem perhaps from its astounding location on Yasukuni Dori, in a zone of mostly upper-floor cubbyholes accessible via a beat-up elevator. A cover charge of ¥500, plus an additional 10% service charge after 10pm might stop this being a regular hangout. Still, excellent cocktails and food make Phonic Hoop a prime date spot or somewhere to impress, and a decent nomihodai deal (2 hours/¥2,300, cover charge included) makes it worthwhile for groups of four or more.
Cherry Blossom Viewing Hotspots
It’s that time of year again where people eat, drink and sing under the infamously short-lived Sakura trees. In Tokyo, cherry blossoms generally start opening around the end of March and come into full bloom about a week after. All in all, cherry blossoms only last for around two weeks, which explains why they are so worshiped in Japan. You can enjoy the cherry blossoms with your loved ones at one of the following popular hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spots: