Nate's Advice List
Did someone say unagi!
When I first came to Japan, I didn't expect the summers to be as long and as torturous as they are. Hot temperatures both highs and lows, day after day and month after month. Knowing the right drinks for a hot and sticky summer night is easy: beer! Food on the other hand is more difficult. But …(182 words)
Nate
Eel Sushi Beer SummerDaiso is SO da BOMB!
Back home the dollar store is home to outdated, tacky t-shirts, plastic plates and expired candy and food. In Japan, however, the hyaku-en shop, or Daiso, is a mecca of high-quality goods and great Japanese souvenirs.Plates, bowls, mugs and cups that would cost 10 times as much in your home cou…(188 words)
Nate
Daiso 100 yen shop Discount storesHitachino Nest Beer
Kiuchi Brewery in Ibaraki prefecture has been making Hitachino Nest Beer since 1996. They offer over ten different kinds of beer including Amber Ale, Espresso Stout, Pale Ale, Weizen, and Japanese Classic Ale. What is also interesting is that one of their beers, the XH (a strong Belgian ale) blend …(117 words)
Nate
Beer Shopping Shinkansen Bullet Train Shochu Hiroshima IbarakiThe One and Only Bikkle!
Have had your Bikkle Today?One of the unique soft drinks that you should try while you're in Japan is Bikkle. Just the name alone is a great reason to try it, but you'll also be wowed by the taste, too.It is a yogurt-based drink that tastes a lot like the orange cream popsicles you maybe en…(102 words)
Nate
Convenience store DrinkThe Glory that is Onigiri
Often translated as a Japanese rice ball, they tend to come in two distinct shapes: disc and triangle. Onigiri is packed rice with some kind of filling inside then usually (but not always) wrapped in nori or seaweed paper. Imagine a kind maki sushi hamburger. They're easy to eat on the go and they'…(200 words)
Nate
Onigiri (Rice ball) Convenience store Sushi Umeboshi Mayonnaise TripThe Easiest Place is a 7-11 Convenience Store
Several times I have been asked, "Where can I get money from my overseas bank account?" And I have replied, "Go to a 7-11." The look I usually get is one of confusion. 7-11 is a convenience store, not a bank. Yes, that's true but it is honestly the fastest most convenient way to get cash from overs…(102 words)
Nate
Tokyo Convenience store Bank