Rainy season in Japan: A Survival Guide

How to Keep Upbeat and Happy During the Rainy Season in Japan: A Survival Guide


The rainy season has begun here in Japan and anyone who lives here or is thinking of moving here should know that every year, for a few weeks, we are locked in a world of constant rain and general wet misery. This bleak and dreary weather can often lead some to become depressed. If you follow my quick and easy tips though, you’ll never feel gloomy again during Japan’s rainy season!



1. Wear Hawaiian shirts everyday. It may be gloomy outside, but it will be a party everywhere you go!

2. Have loads of electric fans stationed throughout your apartment to dry the clothes you have to hang inside (no dryers here).


3. Install a large inflatable palm tree in the corner of your living room. It will give you that tropical feeling you so long for. My wife doesn’t know I plan to do this and she probably won’t like it too much, but I know my son sure will!



4. Booze! Lots of booze may help you forget this dreary period of the year. Go on a bender until rainy season is over. You’ll be just like a beautiful butterfly emerging from your drunken cocoon in the summer!

5. Quite your job and move to a desert region. Once the rainy season is over, move back to Japan and beg for your job back (it might just work).

6. If you are a runner like me, don’t let the rain discourage you. People in Japan may not run in the rain, but you sure did back home in Canada, America, U.K etc. Don’t forget your soaking wet running past!


7. Wear sunglasses everywhere you go and complain about how bright it always is! Convince yourself that it isn’t cloudy! Young women all around Japan wear large sunglasses inside, outside, during the daytime and nighttime....you'll blend right in!

8. Always keep the lights on in your apartment and buy several extra lamps. Make your apartment as bright as possible. Sure, it won’t be good for your power bill, but you’ll feel more cheery!

9. Drink heavily….ah wait…I already mentioned that one.

10. Only eat food from India, Jamaica, Korea and Mexico. Spicy food will warm you up. With that increased body temperature you might be fooled into believing it isn’t so damp and crappy outside.


Follow these tips and you’re sure to have a far more enjoyable rainy season here in Japan.

Also, don’t forget to take them with a grain of salt ;)


You can follow me on Twitter: @jlandkev

5 things to do when you're sick

I am sick. It’s official. It came out of nowhere. Some coworkers couldn’t make it into work today because of illness, but I felt great. I suppose I did have some minor “blahs” to the heavy rain all day, but aside from that, was ready to teach and excited about hitting the road early in the morning for my first training run in several days (looks doubtful that run will happen).

I am feeling worse with every passing minute and will crawl into my cocoon (aka…bed) soon. I was however able to construct one piece of (out of 2) IKEA furniture that was delivered to our place this evening.

I decided to come up with a list of things to do when you suddenly become sick, but definitely have to go to the work in the morning:



1. Drink boat loads of water, herb tea and other hydrating fluids.

2. Take some over the counter cold medicine (not sick enough to necessitate a trip to the emergency room). Unfortuantely, cold medecine in Japan is pretty weak compared to what I am used to in Canada and really doesn’t help much. I suppose the placebo affect might be worth something.

3. Build IKEA furniture (but then realize you are too weak to finish the second book shelf).

4. Feel sorry for yourself (I’m really good at this one)!

5. Go to bed….night folks….


DOWN with being sick....especially on cold rainy nights!

You can follow me and my sick self on Twiter: @jlandkev

Rain Rain and More Rain

My wife tells me that the rainy season in the Kansai region of Japan will start soon. I disagree with her. I tell her that it already started more than a month ago. Why else would it rain four to five days a week? Apparently I am wrong. it is raining a lot, but the wet stuff falling now has nothing to do with the official rainy season. It's just a precursor!

I'm sitting at home early on a Monday morning enjoying a cup of coffee and doing something I normally never have a chance to do on a weekday morning. I'm writing a blog. What has caused this change in routine? My school has been closed for the day due to heavy rainfall warnings in the area. It is indeed raining cats, dogs and maybe some sheep. It was as well yesterday.

So, let's get to some news in Japan and Korea that I find a little interesting!

Police ask Kotomitsuki to explain baseball gambling report

TOKYO - The Metropolitan Police Department met with sumo wrestler Kotomitsuki on Saturday over a recent report in a weekly magazine that said he is in heavy debt from gambling related to professional baseball games, police officials said Saturday. Police asked the ozeki, the second-highest rank next to the grand champion yokozuna, for explanation about the contents of the article, according to the officials. Read more at Japan Today

This guy is an ozeki which is the second highest ranking fighter in sumo in Japan. He is a very high profile athlete in these parts. he also looks like a giant bird with massive breasts! I love sumo guys!



Check out this odd, yet fun story over at Japan Probe.

100 Animals in One Small Apartment


Of course everyone knows by now that those trouble making rascals, the North Koreans were responsible for the sinking of the South Korean corvette, the Choenan. They torpedoes it. They are true A-Holes....them North Koreans!

S. Korea takes ship sinking case to UN
The South Korean government, which accuses North Korea of sinking one of its warships, said Sunday it's taking its case against Pyongyang to the United Nations Security Council.

A senior government official in Seoul suggested the South will likely push for international agreement for the existing sanctions against the North to be strengthened. There are reports unilateral measures will also be announced.

"We are focusing on diplomatic means of punishment as we found out that existing sanctions and resolutions are not enough," the official told South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. "It is time to decide whether we go over to another step."

An international team of investigators announced last week that the evidence pointed to a North Korean submarine having fired a homing torpedo on March 26, tearing apart the 1,200-tonne Cheonan and killing 46 sailors on board.
Read More at CBC.CA

It's rainy in Kobe

Yep, rainy season. It's not just a name,it's a fact! It's been pouring for the last two days here in Kobe and surrounding area and is forecast to do so for the remainder of the week. I'm of course not letting that get me down. Kobe is loads of fun, even on a rainy day!

Last week I made a post about the new Pepsi Shiso here in Japan. Here's my video review of it:




Just a little Japanese food porn for everyone out there who loves to eat noodles as much as I do. I first heard the term "food porn" from a food blogger based in Korea by the name of Joe McPherson. His Korean food blog, ZenKimchi is pretty damn awesome!
So, anyways, back to the food porn!

My wife whipped up some ramen noodles the other day. They were made with a soy sace base and were simply awesome!

The beautiful presentation just before it was time to tuck it!


Yep, homemade ramen kicks ass for sure. I've eaten a fair amount here in Kobe. Normally I get it when I'm by myself. With limited Japanese skills, it was easy to order when I first arrived. I tend to have a lot of time off with my work so when my wife is working and I'm loafing about Kobe, I'm more than likely stuffing my face with greasy noodles! No wonder I have to run....the only way to keep a decent shape and still enjoy my noodles!

Pepsi Shiso has Arrived!

It's rainy season here in Japan and if you're currently living in Kobe or the Kansai region, you're wishing you were a duck! Yep, it's wet. REALLY wt. Last year's rainy season brought us very little in way of the wet stuff, but it would seem that this year, Mother Nature is making up for last years' shortfall!


In REALLY BIG NEWS...Pepsi's new and bizarre flavor of the summer is here. Pepsi Shiso is on store shelves of today and is ready for the people of Japan to take on. Minty green goodness wrapped up with the flavor of Pepsi!

here I am this evening cautiously eyeing up the bottle of Pepsi Shiso my wife brought home for me. I have been eagerly anticipating it for weeks.



A closer look t this monstrosity. What is Shiso anyway? It's known as Perilla in North America and is a minty leafy herb.

How was it anyway? Not sure as of right now. I'm planning to crack the bottle open tomorrow evening and give it a taste test for You Tube!


Speaking of "The Tube", I posted two short videos last night.





And in some less serious news (because green Pepsi is REALLY serious):

Shoplifter tries to leave store, wearing women's shorts under his pants
HYOGO —

A 29-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of shoplifting four pairs of women’s shorts from a Hyogo Prefecture supermarket by wearing them under his trousers, police said Wednesday. Office worker Katsutoshi Nishigaki was allegedly caught red-handed while attempting to leave the store in Asago, Hyogo Prefecture, at 4 p.m. Monday.

The shorts he is accused of stealing are worth a total of 5,670 yen. Nishigaki allegedly took the shorts with him into a fitting room to layer them under his trousers so no one would notice the theft, according to police. But his escapade was seen by a female plainclothes security guard who took notice of him when he entered the women’s underwear section, police said.Read original at Japan Today