If you’ve been dreaming about buying a property in Tokyo, Yen Loans is pioneering mortgage loans for non-residents of Japan.

This is a huge deal as it’s not something that’s been done before. While non-residents can purchase property in Japan, they normally have to pay the entire price upfront.

Yen Loans is making it way easier for foreigners to finance property in Tokyo, creating the opportunity for you to purchase a vacation home, investment, or both.

In addition to opening doors for international buyers, Yen Loans is a friend of Japan or Die. Please check them out!

Colive Fukuoka

Due to a variety of factors including the current low price of the yen, Japan’s growing interest in collaborating with foreign entrepreneurs, and the ever expanding landscape of co-working spaces and longer term rentals, Japan has been evolving as a popular destination for working travelers, digital nomads, and proponents of slow travel.

If you want to make some connections with other working travelers and open-minded Japanese people looking to meet foreigners and show off their city, Colive Fukuoka may be just right for you. I haven’t been to Colive Fukuoka, I’ve been to normal everyday Fukuoka and it’s great. Any excuse to go to Fukuoka is good in my book.

If you’re interested in exploring the remote work scene in Japan this is an interesting option. I often tell people there’s some kind of crazy magic in Japan. Opportunities that never would occur in your home country seem to materialize out of nowhere here in Japan.

Here’s the link for Colive Fukuoka: https://colivefukuoka.com/

It’s in October, and if you go, I’d love to hear about your experiences.

Guuzen ぐうぜん

In Japanese, guuzen means something that happens by chance. For me, Japan is one of those places that guuzen seems to be everywhere.

I went to my new favorite izakaya in Tokyo and crashed a high-school reunion party. It wasn’t my intention, but that’s how it went down.

After having some black sesame gelato, my favorite ice cream flavor, I grabbed an omiyage (gift) from a nice cookie shop at the mall with the intention of delivering it to the owners of this izakaya, having a quick bite, a few drinks, and being on my way.

When I arrived, I was informed that it was closed due to a private party. This didn’t phase me as I’d seen my best buddy in Nagoya do the same at his izakaya. So I handed the omiyage to the wonderful lady who is part of the couple that run this izakaya and walked back out the door.

Seconds after I stepped outside, she was there beckoning me to come in. This was slightly confusing as she’d just let me know I couldn’t come in due to the private party. I guess in those moments, she told the guests a few kind words about me and they said, “let him in.”

So, I went back in. What was intended to be a short visit ended up being a three-hour hangout with my eight new friends. We laughed a lot, and I learned plenty of new Japanese words that I wouldn’t have come across otherwise. Perhaps, I should mention this was a private party. I was not a paying customer; I was a guest. So, the drinks and the food were all complimentary. Of course, I’d have been happy to pay, but that’s just not how these things work.

This was only my third visit to this izakaya, so this type of experience is not something that is out of reach for someone traveling for a few weeks or more. It’s also why I’m a huge proponent of going to small places, and going multiple times to the same place, even if I’m only visiting for a brief period.

8 Japanese Aesthetics

This video features Japanese architect and designer Masayuki Kurokawa’s insights into Japanese views on beauty. He identifies eight aesthetic consciousnesses that illustrate the essence of Japanese beauty and aesthetics.

The most clicked link from the previous issue was for a Japanese alternative to tipping.

The 2nd most clicked link from the previous issue was for how to spend mornings in Japan when most shops are closed.

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