Nozomi Oka, a Tokyo native, has been helping expats seamlessly adapt to life in Japan for many years! Whether it is finding a place to live, setting up government accounts, or translation services, she has them covered from start to finish.

If you’re looking for a fun, heartwarming, and unforgettable cultural experience in Japan this spring, make sure to mark your calendar for Sunday, May 18, 2025. That’s when the Kobe Festival, the city’s biggest annual event, will light up the streets with music, dance, parades, and community spirit!

Have you ever wondered what it was like to try MICHELIN-star ramen? Now you can! Japanese Soba Noodles TSUTA is the first-ever MICHELIN-star ramen located in the heart of Tokyo.. Opened in 2012, Yuki Onishi had a simple dream. Go Beyond Yesterday’s Star. To keep striving and keep working harder each and every day. His hard work and efforts paid off when he received his first MICHELIN star in 2015. Today, Yuki’s ramen is loved around the world.

Every spring, Japan bursts into color with its iconic cherry blossoms—but have you ever heard of fuji? Known in English as wisteria, this cascading bloom is one of Japan’s most cherished flowers, both for its beauty and the deep cultural meaning behind it.

From student to teacher to an entrepreneur changing the world, one child at a time. Sasha Lee Seals, a Jamaican native, has been working and living in Japan for over twenty years! We here at Giving Tuesday Japan got the exclusive opportunity to interview her about her experience living in Japan, teaching and raising children here, and what her goals for the future are.

Mothers and mother figures are an important part of most of our journeys. Whether a birth mother, stepmother, or someone who you view in a maternal light, today is a perfect day to honor them. Today, in Japan, America, Canada, and other countries, we celebrate Mother’s Day. While we are all familiar with Mother’s Day, worldwide, we don’t celebrate it on the same day. Some countries celebrate it in March, while others, like us, celebrate it on the 2nd Sunday in May.

Giving people the courage to step out of their comfort zone. Medhi Fliss, a Tunisia native, has been interested in bridging the gap of social impact and travel experiences from a young age! We here at Giving Tuesday Japan got the exclusive opportunity to interview him about his experience coming to Japan, how the pandemic encouraged him to make a life here in Japan, and what his goals for the future are.

Blood is essential for all life.  It helps deliver oxygen and important nutrients to our cells, removes waste from our bodies, helps fight infections, and many more things that would drastically decrease your quality of life.  More than bodily functions, it connects families.  It saves lives.  Today, we celebrate World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, the birth anniversary of Henry Dunant.