Are you living in Japan but need some help getting adjusted to the new culture and lifestyle? Maybe you are looking for a job and want to see if moving to Japan from your country is even possible. Luckily, there are numerous popular blogs that can help you find jobs and apartments in Japan, as well as learn about the culture, pop culture, and lifestyle of the country.
1. GaijinPot
For expats living in Japan, people interested in moving to Japan, or general Japanophiles, GaijinPot is a must-follow blog. Owned and operated by GplusMedia, the blog covers everything from travel and the latest news to anime, video games, and other pop culture. Furthermore, aside from the blog, the website also has various resources for people looking to move to Japan. Gaijinpot has a separate jobs section, which is one of the largest Japan job boards for English speakers, as well as a resource page to help foreigners find an apartment (which is no easy task).
Also, for those who are looking to start freelance writing and get published online, Gaijinpot accepts contributing writers all year round. You can visit their website and email the editors with your interest to become a contributing writer.
To get a feel of the type of content Gaijinpot commonly posts, here are a few of their most recent blog articles:
- Tweet of the week #81: Japanese People Are Beyond Bored Staying Home
- 5 Manga that Deserve an Anime Adaptation
- Top Jobs in Japan with No Japanese Required – Week 19, 2020
2. Japan Bound
Similar to Gaijinpot’s blog, Japan Bound posts a variety of blog articles about everything Japan, with a focus on Japanese pop culture. From Coronavirus news to first-hand accounts of unique Japanese experiences and cultural issues, the blog is not afraid to go deep into sensitive content. However, the majority of Japan Bound’s content is about all things anime, manga, Japanese video games, and tips for living in Japan.
Like Gaijinpot, for those who are looking to start freelance writing and get published online, Japan Bound is currently accepting guest posts and contributing writers. If interested, you can visit their Write for Us page and apply to become a contributor.
To get a feel of the type of content on Japan Bound, here are a few of their most recent blog articles:
- Violet Evergarden Anime Review
- Why Japan Needs to Take Coronavirus More Seriously
- Where to Buy Kimi No Na Wa Books
3. ZenMarket Blog
ZenMarket is a proxy shipping service that operates out of Osaka, Japan. Because they ship a variety of Japanese products all over the world, their blog covers a wide variety of content. For people interested in Japanese anime, games, books, manga, and purchasing Japanese products, ZenMarket Blog is another must-follow website.
Furthermore, the website also has frequent giveaways of interesting Japanese items. Recently they had giveaways of Super Mario watches and Animal Crossing: New Horizons on the Nintendo Switch.
To get a feel of the type of content on ZenMarket, here are a few of their most recent blog articles:
- Learn Japanese Through Video Games
- 6 Japanese Ramen Types You Should Try
- 7 Japanese Toys to Get You Through the Quarantine
4. SoraNews
SoraNews is a well-known English news website in Japan. While they do cover a lot of the latest Japanese news, they also have a lot of non-news content that spans a variety of topics and interests. They post articles on everything from popular anime cosplays and video game backgrounds to tourism sites in Japan and Japanese food recommendations. The website is currently accepting new writers that have at least a JLPT N2 language level.
To get a feel of the type of content on SoraNews, here are a few of their most recent blog articles:
- Beautiful Japanese swimsuit model performs knockout Tifa Final Fantasy cosplay
- Ghibli Museum virtual tour reveals what’s inside the bathrooms
- Uniqlo teams up with Billie Eilish and Takashi Murakami
5. Savvy Tokyo
Another blog owned by GplusMedia, Savvy Tokyo focuses less on Japanese pop culture and more on lifestyle, fashion, careers, and food, as well as having a family and living in Japan. It is a very well-managed blog about Japanese life and culture. Instead of short listicles, this blog goes deep into big issues concerning people today, such as problems dealing with gropers on Japan trains.
This blog is also accepting contributing writers, but you must be living in Japan to be eligible.
To get a feel of the type of content on Savvy Tokyo, here are a few of their most recent blog articles:
- 10 Japanese Dramas To Binge On Netflix
- ‘Corona Divorce’ Threatens Marriages As Life Amid Virus Exposes Couples’ Values
- Japan’s Love Hotels: What You Need To Know Before You Go
I hope this list of popular blogs about Japan will help you find the information you need or a great new anime or video game title to try out. Did we miss one of your favorite Japanese blogs? Let us and our readers know in the comments below.
