I have been asked several times about the best way to move money from one's home country to Japan. The service that I recommend is TransferWise. I have used the service myself with a promotion to transfer funds at no fee. It will take a couple days, but it beats traditional transfer methods and fees.
If you click the above link or the one posted here, you will receive a free transfer up to 75,000 yen (around 750 USD), which is plenty for settlement costs, leisure, or an emergency. This service will work just about anywhere (not just to Japan), so I think it is a great tool for any traveler!
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I went to the Tokyo National Museum over the weekend. It was a wonderful experience to take a look at the history of Japan. All students can receive a discount by showing their student ID at the ticket booth. It makes for a full (and educational!) afternoon.
While studying at Saitama University, students have the option to enroll in an intensive Japanese language program. All aspects of the language will be covered and the class meets almost everyday. The course covers material equivalent to the corresponding JLPT level.
Click "Read More" to find out more about the academics at Saitama University. A few weeks ago, I posted about my trip to Tsuta, the first ramen restaurant in Tokyo to receive a Michelin star. Today, I tried the second ramen restaurant in Tokyo to receive a Michelin star. In December 2016, Nakiryu, a small shop near Otsuka station in the same neighborhood as Tsuta, was given the prestigious status.
Nakiryu is known for shoyu (soy sauce) and tantan-men (担担麺) style ramen. Since I have never tried it before, I decided to order tantan-men. The dish consists of a spicy broth, minced pork, scallions, Sichuan spices, and the expected ramen toppings such as a slice of chashu and a boiled egg. Click "Read More" to see my full adventure at the acclaimed restaurant! Few things in this world have given me as much satisfaction as the ramen from Bones (らーめん梵's). Being only about a five minute walk from the campus bus stops, Bones is a paradise for the average college student.
Granted, I am bragging about this noodle joint a tad much, but they deserve it all. I have eaten at a Michelin star ramen restaurant, and I still prefer this small shop in Saitama. In fact, I always go here at list once or twice a week. Maybe it is an addiction? Huh. Click "Read More" for a full breakdown on my typical trip to Bones.
Located about a ten minute walk from Ikebukuro station is the legendary Taishoken (大勝軒 ) tsukemen noodle shop.
For those interested, tsukemen (つけめん) is a type of dip ramen. Cold noodles are dipped in warm soup that is highly concentrated. The dish was invented by the late Kazuo Yamagishi in 1961. Why is this important? Taishoken is his restaurant. That's right. These noodles are a piece of Japanese culinary history! Click "Read More" to learn more about my time at the legendary Taishoken! When studying abroad, the little things are often what cause somebody to become the most baffled. For me, using a Japanese rice cooker was quite a challenge, simply because I did not know the kanji on the magical machine.
I strongly feel that other people will have the same struggle as myself, so I wanted to make a small guide on how to cook rice. Rice is something cheap that can be eaten everyday, so it is a very nice skill to learn. Click "Read More" to see my short and simple guide. |
AuthorI am a student from the University of Nebraska at Kearney who studied abroad at Saitama University in Japan. I want to share my experience to inform future students about the program. Archives
March 2018
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