SORABYCO | Life in Japan

If you live in Japan, you may see a garbage collection schedule that says something like “2nd and 4th Tuesday” or, in Japanese, 「第2・第4火曜日」 . This means the second and fourth Tuesday that occur in that month . It does not mean the 2nd and 4th day of the month. For example, imagine the Tuesdays this month are: 6th → 1st Tuesday 13th → 2nd Tuesday 20th → 3rd Tuesday 27th → 4th Tuesday In this case, “2nd and 4th Tuesday” means the collection dates are the 13th and 27th . It seems simple once you know it, but this was one of those small Japanese 생활 rules that confused me when I first started dealing with garbage collection in Narita, Chiba. I remember looking at the schedule and wondering, “Does 2 and 4 mean the dates? Or the second and fourth week?” Now I know exactly what to look for. How “2nd and 4th Tuesday” Works Japanese garbage schedules often combine items collected every week with items collected only once or twice a month. For example, you might see something collected every Mond...

When I shop for groceries in Japan, I’m used to seeing different tax rates on my receipt. Most everyday purchases are taxed at 10%, while many food and non-alcoholic drinks are currently covered by the reduced 8% consumption tax rate. So when I first heard that Japan plans to cut the tax on food to 1%, my immediate reaction was: Does that mean almost everything in my supermarket basket will be taxed at just 1%? Not quite. Japan’s Cabinet approved a basic policy on August 5, 2026, that calls for the reduced consumption tax rate on eligible food and beverages to fall from 8% to 1% for two years starting April 1, 2027 . The important words here are “eligible food.” Alcohol and restaurant dining are not currently part of the reduced-rate category, so the headline “1% food tax” is much broader than the actual plan. There is another point worth keeping in mind. The Cabinet has approved the basic policy, but residents should still check the final rules and implementation details as April 2027...

I used to pay very little attention to the things left outside when a typhoon was approaching. I knew there would be strong wind and heavy rain, but I assumed that anything reasonably heavy would stay where it was. Then one storm changed my mind. After the typhoon passed, I went into our backyard and found a tall, narrow planter lying on its side. It looked as though it had rolled several times before stopping some distance from where I had left it. The planter was filled with soil, so it was not particularly light. My first thought was simple: what if that had been on a balcony or somewhere higher? Fortunately, nothing was damaged. But since then, I have paid much more attention to outdoor items when a typhoon is forecast. If you live in Japan, the basic rule is straightforward: before strong winds arrive, move or secure anything that could fall, roll, tip over, or be blown away. What Should You Bring Inside Before a Typhoon? You do not need a complicated routine. Start by looking aro...

When I was growing up in Korea, pears often appeared on the table after barbecue. My mother would say, “Eat some pear. It’s good after a heavy meal.” I never thought much about why. I was simply happy to eat something cold, sweet, and full of juice after grilled meat. Years later, after moving to Japan, that memory came back to me in an unexpected way. I now live in Chiba Prefecture, just east of Tokyo, one of Japan’s best-known pear-growing areas. Every summer, small roadside farm stands begin to appear along local roads. Some are open only during the harvest season, with handwritten signs and baskets of freshly picked pears arranged on simple tables. The first time I stopped at one of these farm stands, I wasn’t even sure which variety to buy. I had assumed Japanese pears were all more or less the same. They are not. Kosui, Hosui, Akizuki, and Niitaka all have different levels of sweetness, acidity, juiciness, and texture. So, which Japanese pear is the sweetest, and how can you choo...

When I first considered joining Costco in Japan, the annual fee made me hesitate. Paying every year just for the right to shop felt unusual, especially when regular supermarkets do not charge an entrance fee. Here is the easiest way to look at it. If you save around ¥1,000 each time you shop , visiting about six times a year could cover the standard Costco Japan membership fee. For the Executive Membership, spending about ¥264,000 per year , or roughly ¥22,000 per month , on eligible purchases is the point where the 2% reward can roughly cover the extra membership cost. That does not mean you should spend more just to earn rewards. Costco works best when it replaces part of your normal grocery shopping rather than creating extra shopping. Which Costco Japan Membership Should You Choose? Costco Japan offers two main personal membership options. The standard Gold Star Membership is the simpler choice for people who visit only occasionally. It gives you access to Costco warehouses withou...

One of the least pleasant parts of summer in Japan is opening the kitchen trash can and immediately noticing the smell. Fish scraps are especially bad, but I was also surprised by how quickly watermelon and melon rinds could begin to smell. During Japan’s hot and humid summer, even a trash can with a tightly closed lid may become unpleasant before the next garbage collection day. When I first moved to Japan, I thought attaching a deodorizer to the lid would be enough. It helped a little, but it did not solve the real problem. The smell usually came from moisture and food scraps sitting in a warm kitchen for several days. After dealing with this for many summers, I slowly developed a routine using newspaper, baking soda, small plastic bags, and even the freezer. None of these habits began as part of a carefully planned system. I simply added each one after another leaking garbage bag or unpleasant smell. These are the methods that have remained part of our summer routine. Using Newspape...

Sora had been staring at the living room ceiling for several minutes. I called her name, but she did not even look at me. She just kept meowing at the same spot. At first, I thought she had found a tiny moth or a spider. My three Bengal cats often notice insects long before I do, so this was not completely unusual. Still, something about the way she refused to move made me curious. I walked over, followed her eyes, and looked up. That was when I froze. There was a large cockroach clinging to the ceiling near the window. I have lived in Japan for many years, but I still cannot get used to seeing cockroaches in summer. We do not see them often in our home—usually only once or twice a year—but every time one appears, it feels just as shocking as the first time. And this one was not small. It was big enough to make me stand there for a moment thinking only one thing: Please do not fly. My Cat Found a Cockroach on the Ceiling Once I realized what Sora had been watching, I rushed to get the ...

Every summer in Japan, I end up doing the same thing. I stand in the living room with the air conditioner remote in my hand and hesitate. Should I press Cooling? Should I use Dry Mode instead? Would Eco Mode help lower the electricity bill? Japanese summers are not only hot. They are also incredibly humid, which makes choosing the right air conditioner setting feel more complicated than it should. For years, I mostly pressed whichever button seemed right at the time. We also have three Bengal cats at home, so I cannot think only about saving electricity. I want to keep the room comfortable for them, especially when we are out of the house. I used to assume that Dry Mode was always cheaper than Cooling Mode. Then I started reading different explanations online and became even more confused. Some articles said Cooling Mode used less electricity. Others said Dry Mode was more economical. Eco Mode added another question because I thought it might automatically choose between Cooling and Dr...

When I first moved to Japan, I was relieved to see insect screens on almost every window. I thought that as long as the screen was closed, bugs would stay outside. That confidence lasted until I found a tiny flying insect in the living room one summer evening. The window screen was closed. The front door had not been left open. I could not see any obvious gap. So where had it come from? Since then, I have asked myself the same question many times during summer in Japan. I am not very good with bugs, so even a small one can make me jump. My three Bengal cats, on the other hand, react as if something incredibly exciting has happened. One cat runs under the table, another stares at the ceiling, and suddenly all three are chasing the same tiny bug through the living room. It is funny for a few seconds. Then one of them tries to catch it with their mouth, and I end up chasing both the bug and the cats. That was what finally made me look into how bugs get inside Japanese homes, even when the...