Everyone knows Japan is a special country with many, many things to do. Since experiencing new things is one of the most exciting things while travelling, I want to give you some recommendations on things you absolutely shouldn't miss while travelling through Japan. Since most things are easy to google, like temples and festivals, I will go into other things I experienced as fun and local. This time these recommendations are more city-related, some other time I will write a blog about which places to visit to see some stunning nature. 

1. EAT THE LOCAL FOOD!!
Absolute number one for me (even though I was vegetarian while in Japan). Almost every region/city has a local dish, which makes Japan a Walhalla for food lovers. From okonomiyaki in Hiroshima (or Osaka as some people there claim) to miso paste in Nagoya, snakes in the southern islands of Japan and tofu in Kyoto. Some things might sound strange and not so delicious maybe, but you should definitely try it out. The Japanese really know what to do with their ingredients and are for example one of the best in making delicious fermented food. The best way to find out what the local dish is, is to ask locals of course. So get in touch with them, or ask at your hotel/hostel. Often you can just find it at restaurants in the streets, or at markets. Temple markets are often a great place to find delicious local dishes. 

* One thing I do want to say is that you shouldn't eat everything in my opinion. On Okinawa (one of the southern islands) they sell whale meat, which is absolutely terrible in terms of animal wellbeing. There are more of these examples so please don't just eat anything :). 

2. Try Purikura with your friends
In my opinion, purikura is disturbing but amazing. While in Europe, we can take pictures in a small photobooth with at most black and white or sepia colouring, in Japan there is a variety I can't even explain. These purikura machines are often found in arcades, where sometimes there is even a whole floor dedicated to them. You can choose themes ranging from model style photos, to cute photos, to gothic photos and so on. But what do the machines do then? Well, they don't just change the theme colour, like we are used too. They actually change your whole appearance. How they change you depends on the theme, but the main things are that they create huge anime-like eyes and silky-smooth skin.

When choosing a machinge, you put in 200-400 yen, depending on the theme, you go in alone or with friends and some pictures are taken. The real fun comes afterwards when you have about 15 minutes to edit the photos. Usually two people can edit at the same time and different photos. Backgrounds can be changed, make-up can be added, extra icons, text, eyes can be made bigger or smaller, it really is disturbingly funny. However, do take some time to do this since finding your way through all the options (which are shown in Japanese) can be quite a challenge as well. In the end you can pick a sheet type and the photo's will come out of the machine. 

BUT, THERE IS MORE! Sometimes, in certain arcades, you can even borrow clothes to wear in the purikura, like pokemon onesies, school-girl outfits, or proper anime clothes. Often it is free, but sometimes you have to pay for it. They provide dressingrooms and there are sometimes even mirrors to sit in front of so you can really make the most out of it. I don't understand why though, since you can add all the make-up afterwards. One thing to keep in mind however, is that if you are only boys, you can't enter. You need to have a girl with you, I have no idea why. 

3. Go to an arcade and play some games (or watch people play)
Similar to number 2, I would suggest to go to an arcade. Japan is known for its gaming industry, which is also illustrated by the high amount of game-addicted people. While it is rather a problem, I would still suggest to go to an arcade an try out as many games as you want. The prices are quite fair; last time I paid 100yen and played left4dead on a huge screen for 40 minutes. But it's also just really fun to try out all the amazing games they have. Taiko no Tatsujin for example, is one of the most popular games in Japan, and people are even waiting in line to play it sometimes. You can choose all kinds of songs and drum on the beat, so a kind of guitar hero for the drums. Here you can see a video of an amazingly good Japanese person playing it (watch from around 1:00): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6ujTE_GbB4

Don't worry, there are always different levels, so everyone can play :)

4. Join a tea ceremony
One of the more traditional cultural things is experiencing a tea ceremony. This tea ceremony is all about the preparing of matcha, a japanese type of green tea and is often accompanied with food. In Japan these ceremonies were first performed in buddhist monastries. Nowadays they also take place in people's houses on special occassions and in formal and informal settings. Experiencing such a ceremony, however, is hard since you will often have to be invited by someone. What you can do if you're just visiting Japan briefly, is join a more touristy type of tea ceremony. A woman dresses in Kimono can explain you everything about the ritual and about the making of the tea, you can try it yourself, drink it and eat some sweets on the side. It is really fun to experience and learn about it. One of the best cities to join a tea ceremony is Kyoto, where they often happen.

5. Visit a second hand store 
 Japan really really is amazing for their second hand shops. They have so many and also so many types. You can find second hand electronics stores, second hand clothes stores, second hand book stores, second hand home appliance stores, second hand CD stores and so on. There are really so many that you just have to look around a bit, or google and you can find one. However, I want to tell you about my favorite, the -OFF chain. The most famous one is BOOK-OFF where you can find many great books for great prices, sometimes they also have CD's, clothes and other things, but this one is mainly about books. For hardware they have HARD-OFF. I bought my IPod here for around 35 euro's and it still works great. They also have camera's, CD's and many other things. Nowadays they also have a special name for the clothes shops, called MODE-OFF. I have bought many great clothes here, like shirts, dresses, skirts, all for around 100-200 yen (make sure you find the 100yen corner where the amazing treasures are often found). And then there is HOBBY-OFF, GARAGE-OFF and HOUSE-OFF. Well, these are my favorites but there are many more so just google and check it out! 

6. Visit at least one of these three: Izakaya, Maid Cafe or a Cat Cafe
I would suggest you to visit all of them, but if you don't have a lot of time, at least visit one. Izakaya's are amazing places to visit with friends and again, they come in all types and shapes. They are kind of pubs where you can go drinking and have some nice small dishes for a good price. Sometimes they even offer all you can drink I believe. In the modern ones you get a kind of booth with your friends and you can press a button so the waiter comes to get your order. You can order typical japanese dishes and drinks, which are truly great. In a more traditional izakaya you either get a booth with tamatim where you sit on the ground or on small pillows, or you just sit at a bar or table in a bar. These are also really fun, but often don't have a menu except for on the wall and it is always in Japanese writing, which makes it hard to order if you don't speak Japanese or don't have a Japanese person with you. Izakayas are a great option for a night out if you like your late-night snacks or if you want to try some small dishes :). 

Maid Cafes are quite a special thing. As the name already suggests, they are cafes in which girls dressed at maids are at your service. Throughout the time you are there, they serve you your special drinks and food (usually ice-cream). However, they don't do this in a normal way. The cafes are often themed which means that you can order and do all kinds of funny things. In the cafe I went to with a group of guy friends, we had to make the noise of a cat when we wanted to order. When we got our drinks the girl would perform somekind of special love-spell on the drinks so it would be ready for the person. We were also able to take a picture with the girls for a certain price. Well, it's a weird concept, but if you want to find out about the weirder side of Japan, this is a good way to go. I have seen all types of people in these cafes, even business men. However, do pay attention that you go to one where the woman seem to be treated nicely. This is hard to find out but there might be some info available on the internet about it. 

Cat cafes also speak for themselves. Here you pay a price to enter which often includes a drink and then you can sit with the cats for a certain amount of time. You can pet them, play with them and feed them sweets. They are really popular in Japan and therefore easy to find. Make sure that if you find one, you check whether the cats are treated well and have enough space before you decide to put money into the business.. 

7. Do KARAOKE with JAPANESE FRIEND!
Also something Japan is known for; karaoke. This especially is amazing with Japanese friends. Some love it, some don't, but if they do you'll have an amazing night. You'll get a booth with your friends and often this is accompanied with unlimited drinks for around 3500 yen, and then....... it's just another great night of singing! Make sure you try your hardest, since your Japanese friends probably will :). 

8. Last, but DEFINITELY not least, visit a SUMO MATCH!
This is truly one of the best best best ways to experience the local sports culture. Sumo competitions are super interesting and fun to watch. However, it can be hard to get tickets. There are only several big competitions a year and the best tickets can sell out really fast. Don't let this discourage you though, it's really possible to visit these matches, just make sure you check in advance when to be where and where to buy the tickets. 

Well, if you have any more off-the-beaten-track recommendations, let me know! I'm really curious :). And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! 

Sayonaraaaaa,
Hannah

Heyy all!

I had never heard of the Japanese giant flying squirrel before I went to Picchio Wildlife Research Center in Japan. But when I heard about them, I immediately looked up some pictures and of course...... they are just as cute as everything in Japan. 

The Japanese flying squirrel is one of the biggest (not THE biggest though) flying squirrels in the world and is native only to Japan. Therefore when you visit Japan and are looking for some wildlife to spot, this is definitely one of the animals you should try to find! They occur in Honshu, Kyushi and Shikoku, so quite a large area, and next to that they mostly live in the forest. Conditions that make it really hard to find one by yourself. So what to do? Well, like I mentioned in one of my latest blogs, I went to Picchio Wildlife Research Center and was able to go on one of their amazing flying squirrel tours and it was... AWESOME.

I don't want to spoil too much for you, so I won't mention everything, but I will tell you a little bit about how it was so you know what to expect. 

The tours start in the afternoon with an amazingly fun and interactive lecture about the giant flying squirrel. It's truely amazing with how much enthusiasm the guide can talk about these animals, and as he admits himself, he's very passionate. After this lecture it's time to go out. Picchio has helped to accommodate some of the squirrels in the inhabited areas through putting up nest boxes. In this way the squirrels have a place to stay even in areas where many trees were cut down. The staff keeps track of where the animals go, so they know exactly which nest box to visit, and, due to their experience to know quite well when the squirrels fly out to look for food. Therefore the success rate of seeing a flying squirrel when going on a tour with Picchio is quite high. 

So after the lecture you go out with the group to look for some flying squirrels. Sometimes they are really close, sometimes a bit further away, but it's always a nice walk in that area anyway :). When you arrive at one of the locations where a squirrel is, the thing you do is wait. However, you get binoculars from the staff, so you will be able to check the nest to see if they are coming out. Also, there is another little surprise so that even if it takes long for them to come out, you can see them in the mean time. Then, when they suddenly come out, you immediately put away the binoculars so you don't miss any of the action. The squirrel looks around, climbs up a tree and then.. IT FLIES! So cool :D sometimes you even get the chance to see it fly twice, or even to see two of them (rarely happens I think). But it's really amazing. They are so big, cute, fluffy and cool... I have done the tour twice and enjoyed it so much both times. I would recommend it to everyone. It's also great for kids, really exciting and the lecture is entertaining for people of all ages. However, don't expect to take some amazing pictures (I was kind of hoping to take some haha, what was I thinking), since they use a red flashlight and camera flash is not allowed so that the animals aren't disturbed. This was my best picture: 

So, I can say it has been one of the cooles wildlife encounters in Japan so far (in the list of suddenly seeing a big kamoshika walking slowly in the woods, seeing the onsen monkeys, and seeing some snakes here and there). The tour costs about 3300 yen for adults and 2500 yen for children (however, check the website for current prices. The money is well spent since Picchio has an amazing bear conservation project (without them the bears in the area wouldn't have survived) and the staff work day and night to make their conservation work worthwile. 

I would love to hear your experience with wildlife in Japan, or tips and recommendations if you have some. Please tell me about it in the comments! And if you have any questions (also about the other animal encounters) don't hesitate to ask! 

Cheerssssss, 
Hannah

When looking for volunteering opportunities you can find an overload on the web, from free to paid. In this blog I will try to give an overview of free volunteering opportunities in Japan. Of course there might be many other opportunities, but this blog can be a first step in finding the best options for you and you can use it as a starting point for further research. 

1. WWOOF
WWOOF offers worldwide opportunities for organic farming, so as well in Japan. The farmers can list the opportunities themselves so it can be really small-scale, but farms can also be huge. You have to pay around 55 euros to join the community for a year, but then you can apply for all the opportunities on there. Often you will get free accommodation and food, sometimes you even get paid (probably not in Japan though). I have never done it myself, but I have heard many good stories. It's a great way to get to know the local culture, lands and food! So if you're into farming, definitely try it out!

Website: https://www.wwoofjapan.com/main/index.php?lang=en

2. WorkAway
WorkAway is something similar to WWOOF, however, it is a platform not just for farming, but for all kinds of work. Offers range from working in a hostel to teaching English to children of just one family. The range of job types is huge, which can make it really fun. However, it can be important to check reviews since some jobs or environments might not suit you. Sometimes you get free accommodation, sometimes free food, but getting paid never really happens I think. I have found some great opportunities in Japan so I would definitely recommend you to check it :). You have to pay a fee of 32 euros a year for a single person and 42 euros a year as a couple. You can even buy workaway as a gift for someone going to japan and wanting to volunteer. 

Website: https://www.workaway.info/

3. Volunteering at an animal shelter
The first time I went to Japan, I was looking for cheap volunteering opportunities. Since I love animals I decided to look for animal shelters in Japan and ask them whether volunteering there was possible. I ended up volunteering for a week at Animal Refuge Kansai (ARK). It was an amazing, rewarding experience. Animal care is not that big in Japan. While many Japanese people love (dressing up) animals, especially when they are young, when the animals get bigger, they often are abandoned since they don't fit in the house anymore, are not cute anymore or are too dirty. Of course, this only counts for a part of japanese people (I also know many Japanese that would never ever do this), it does happen and the couple of animal shelters present have to take care of all these abandoned animals. ARK animal shelter is owned by an English lady who has a passion for animals and who works together with an almost all Japanese staff. When I was there (7 years ago already) she lived in the middle of the shelter and I stayed with her. However, usually you will stay at the volunteering house for free if you work every day. The work consists of walking the dogs, cleaning and socialising the animals. I truely enjoyed it! This is also a good opportunity if you just want to volunteer for one day! They won't let you stay, but if you have a car you can visit them in the morning and walk the dogs or play with the cats I believe. They also have an office in Tokyo, but I think they won't offer you free accommodation if you volunteer there. Sometimes they also need volunteers for translating, social media promotion etc. 

p.s. they have some beautiful animals in the shelter and they are up for adoption, even if you live on the other side of the world. 

Website: http://www.arkbark.net/en/

Another place where you can volunteer is Japan Cat Network. They need help at their two animal shelters, with the events in Japan and you can even help out from home through social media. Even though their name suggests that they only have cats, they also have dogs at their shelter that need help. The animals are truely beautiful and working with them would certainly be fun. 

Website: https://japancatnetwork.org/volunteer

4. Disaster relief volunteering
I don't know so much about this topic. What I did read is that giving money to local organisations working on disaster relief is still one of the most important things. But if you do want to help out on the ground I would like to refer you to this blog: https://disasterjapan.wordpress.com/volunteering-in-japan/
They know a lot more about this topic and the website is regularly updated I believe. So check it out if you're interested in this type of volunteering. 

Well, I hope you have enough options now to start with! Volunteering in Japan is a unique experience. However, do keep in mind the behavioural code and politeness a bit to make sure that you have the best volunteering opportunity! 

Any questions? Let me know!