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A Japan gateway for curious minds worldwide.

Culture, regions, people, and select opportunities beyond the surface.

With a global perspective ↓

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Japan gets more interesting once you move beyond the obvious.

Lately, some of the most unexpected conversations have started there.

Not only around travel, but around regions, culture, brands, and new connections between Japan and the world.

Let’s explore together.

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Official Tournament Magazine placement.

Estimated investment around $280K.
Deadline July 22.
If your company, client, or someone in your network may be a fit, please DM for details.

[Currently JAPAN @Currently_JAPAN]

Looking for premium Japanese and global brands that may be a fit for the US Open Official Tournament Magazine.

Not simply an advertising opportunity.

More about placing a brand inside one of the world’s most prestigious sports and lifestyle platforms.

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The US Open brings together premium audiences around sport, wellness, lifestyle, travel, and luxury.

Especially relevant for brands in food & beverage, wellness, apparel, finance, travel, premium consumer goods, and companies expanding into the U.S. market.

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What a day. Several fairly large earthquakes hit the Kanto region and 2 Typhoons on the way tonight. Epicenter was at the Fuji Five Lakes.

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Timing is tight.

The first installation location needs to be decided very soon.

If you own, operate, or can introduce the right type of facility, DM for details.

[Currently JAPAN @Currently_JAPAN]

A few interesting conversations lately around Japanese recovery and performance systems entering the U.S. market.

One current project is now looking for the right Bay Area location for an initial installation near SFO.

Already used by elite sports teams in Japan.

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Best suited for a high-end gym, wellness, recovery, performance, or executive health facility within roughly 20 minutes of SFO Airport.

Especially relevant for operators thinking beyond traditional fitness.

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Estimated reach 8M+
Estimated investment around $250K
Hard deadline in early June

Best suited for premium consumer brands, wellness, performance, lifestyle, tech, and companies thinking seriously about long-term positioning in the U.S. market.

DM if genuinely relevant.

[Currently JAPAN @Currently_JAPAN]

Some interesting conversations have been happening lately around how Japanese brands position themselves in the U.S. beyond the current Shohei Ohtani wave.

Most attention is still understandably concentrated there.

But behind the scenes, some brands are already looking beyond.

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One recent example came through a private connection tied to MLB All-Star / Championship season exposure.

Normally the kind of access handled quietly through major agencies.

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I just woke up and turned on Weathernews.
The program was already in special coverage.
Tsunami advisories are now in effect for Japan’s Pacific coast, from Hokkaido down to Kyushu and the Ogasawara Islands.
There was no shaking here in Tokyo, so it felt unexpected.
The Japan Meteorological Agency says a strong earthquake hit near the Kamchatka Peninsula at 8:25 am.
It was estimated at magnitude 8.
Tsunami waves up to 1 meter may reach coastal areas between 10:00 and 11:30 am, depending on the region.
The agency explains that a tsunami advisory is issued when waves between 0.2 and 1 meter are expected and there is a risk of damage.
If you are near the ocean, please take care.
Stay away from the shore until advisories are lifted, as fast currents can be dangerous even if the waves seem small.
#JapanWeather #Tsunami #JapanTravel #SafetyInfo

[首相官邸(災害・危機管理情報) @Kantei_Saigai]

【津波注意報】
津波注意報を発表しました。
発表日時 30日08時37分
対象地域：北海道太平洋沿岸東部、北海道太平洋沿岸中部、青森県太平洋沿岸、岩手県、宮城県、福島県、茨城県、千葉県九十九里・外房、小笠原諸島、静岡県、三重県南部、和歌山県、宮崎県

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Spotted this at a local liquor store the other day.
Totally unexpected.

A glass bottle of Hi-C.
The last one on the shelf. Had to grab it.

It’s a 20% orange juice drink,
used to be everywhere in Japan during the Showa era.
Vending machines. Cafes. Family diners.

If your parents ordered beer,
you probably got Hi-C or Baielys in a cold glass bottle.
And if your parents weren’t strict, maybe a Coca-Cola bottle.

No fizz. Just sweet, chilled juice.
And somehow, it felt like a treat.

Hi-C has pretty much disappeared now.
And finding it in this returnable bottle?
That’s rare.

Even better, if you bring it back, you get 11 yen.
Not just a refund.

It’s part of a reuse system.
The bottle gets washed and used again.
No waste. No plastic. Just cycle.

Kind of gives away my age,
but this little bottle hit me with quiet nostalgia.

While tourist spots struggle with PET bottles and takeaway cups,
this small bottle quietly reminds me.
Japan once had a better way.

#JapanCulture #RetroJapan #CircularDesign #HiCJapan #TokyoFinds

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In Japan, people eat eel in midsummer. It’s called Doyō no Ushi no Hi, based on the old lunar calendar. This year, it falls on July 19 and again on July 31.

The custom began in the Edo period. Only wild eel was available then. It was rich in winter, but too lean to enjoy in summer. To help sell it, someone proposed eating eel to stay strong during the heat. That quiet wisdom became a seasonal habit.

Cooking styles still reflect region. In Tokyo and the Kanto area, eel is steamed before grilling. The result is soft and refined. In Osaka and the Kansai area, it’s grilled without steaming. Crisp edges, smoky depth.

Some restaurants in Tokyo have served eel for over a hundred years. They begin with live eel. Each step is done by hand, from cleaning to skewering to grilling. The time it takes becomes part of the taste.

Eel is also easy to find now. Supermarkets, convenience stores, even train stations. But if you want something warm and satisfying without the wait, Naruse’s Unagi is a growing chain. Quick bowls, real flavor, quiet care.

#Unagi #TokyoEats #JapaneseSummer #CulturalJapan #HiddenJapan

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ICYM, many trains in the west part of Tokyo are suspended due to the heavy rain and congestions at train stations. It may be hard to find a cab in this situation, but if you can, I recommend taking it. Or if you’re not in a hurry, try to wait it out a few hours and go find a restaurant, cafe, or bar and enjoy the night.
#TokyoWeather #JapanTravel #RainyDays #StaySafe

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How’s everyone holding up in this Tokyo thunderstorm? 🌧️⚡️
It’s pouring hard from those rain bands. The Meguro River near Nakameguro and Shibuya River are at risky levels, so stay alert in low areas.
Eating out? Maybe try waiting out the rain at a restaurant. You guys okay?
#TokyoWeather #JapanTravel #RainyDays #StaySafe

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High school baseball season has begun in Japan.
In Kanagawa, the tournament opened yesterday with 599 student musicians playing live at Yokohama Stadium.

Each prefecture holds its own tournament.
Only one team advances to Koshien, the national stage.
Even Shohei Ohtani once stood on that path.

Some cry after a comeback win.
Some cry after a heartbreaking loss.
And some cheer for friends from the stands, trumpet in hand.

It’s not just a game.
Every student carries their own summer story.

What memory stays with you from the summer you gave your all?
#LocalJapan #Koshien #HighSchoolBaseball #Yokohama #SummerInJapan

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Tonight is Tanabata, July 7.
Colorful paper wishes (tanzaku) sway on bamboo across Japan.

Some are neat. Some are messy, written by small hands.
In a Tokyo alley, you may see them.

A mother hopes for her family’s well-being.
A child dreams of becoming a soccer player.
A young woman hopes for a kind boyfriend.
A prayer for a gentle world.

The Milky Way shines above.
Orihime and Hikoboshi meet tonight.
What’s your wish?
The stars are listening.

#Tanabata2025 #JapanTravel #HiddenJapan #SeasonalJapan

[Currently JAPAN @Currently_JAPAN]

Okay, so who parked their yacht in my usual spot in Yokohama,
right in front of my hotel?

Best access in the harbor—but I’ll let it slide if you invite me aboard.

I’ll bring a wind chime,
a folded omikuji from a shrine,
and the quiet scent of hinoki.

You already have my contact.
Until then, I’ll enjoy the view from the pier.

#Yokohama #SereneJapan #TravelWithSoul

[Currently JAPAN @Currently_JAPAN]

Anyone in Yokohama today?

I’ll be dropping by a little jazz café pop-up in Kannai.
For just one day, the street turns into a pedestrian zone.
Outdoor tables. Vintage records. Music selected by Chigusa, the oldest jazz café in Japan.

This year marks 100 years since jazz first arrived in Yokohama.
As part of the celebration, this traveling café visits different neighborhoods.
Today is the first stop.

Not a touristy area.
A place where locals gather.
If you’re nearby and curious, take a quiet walk through it.

#Yokohama #JapanTravel #LocalJapan