Yen for Living

The road to nowhere leads to Ibaraki Airport

Philip — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:20:25 +0000

Rumors of a third airport in Tokyo have been greatly exaggerated. It's two hours away, in Ibaraki.

Philip — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:36 +0000

With few incentives to give to charities and few that qualify as NPOs, it no surprise that Japan has a bum rap as a "no-donation" culture.

Philip — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:23:28 +0000

Smart cards such as PASMO and Suica are convenient for traveling in Tokyo but there's hidden value in the Metro's kaisuken (multiple tickets).

Philip — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:54 +0000

Japan tends to vacation en masse at the same times annually, which isn't great for an ailing tourism industry.

Philip — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:37:44 +0000

The payout of the BIG soccer lottery promises to be a biggie: ¥600 million to the lucky ticket owner.

Philip — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:58:12 +0000

To aid laid-off workers, the government has been offering rent subsidies, but clearly the money isn't reaching the right people.

Philip — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:00:42 +0000

The Moyashi Index: When bean sprout consumption goes up, it means grocery spending is down. And yes, families are eating more moyashi these days.