Tokyo Adventures Podcast

In this episode, we sat down with LaShawn Toyoda, creator of findadoc.jp, a website helping thousands in Japan gain access to life-saving Covid-19 vaccines. LaShawn originally moved to Japan in 2011 as an English teacher, but recently made the switch to software development. Shortly after landing her first dev job, she realized the foreign community here in Japan was struggling to find access to Covid-19 vaccines. Additionally, vaccines were going to waste, as many older individuals were canceling their vaccination appointments and their vaccines were being tossed out. With this in mind, she decided to create findadoc.jp for individuals to sign up for vaccine cancellation lists, which meant vaccines wouldn’t go waste and the community could find opportunities to be vaccinated. By the next morning, findadoc was being used by over 60,000 people all over Japan, and within 2 weeks the site had been used by millions. LaShawn is now working with a small group of skilled developers from industry leaders like Indeed, Amazon, Google, Mercari and many other companies to continually update and improve the site as it grows and evolves. She has since been interviewed by The Japan Times, Reuters, Tokyo Weekender and Unseen Japan. In addition, she has been invited to collaborate with universities and medical professionals as a result of incredible contribution. Findadoc.jp is an open source website, so all are welcome to contribute to the Github project! If you’re interested in donating to support the cause, send a ko-fi. You can follow LaShawn at: Twitter: theyokohamalife Her website: findadoc.jp Reach out to us with any questions, suggestions, or feedback at Tokyoadventures.com. Click the "Contact" tab to send us an email. We want to hear from you :] Follow us on the socials to be notified when new episodes are out! Instagram: @tokyoadventurespodcast Twitter: @podcasttokyo Our opening and closing music by @goodnightthesatellite - Supernova via @hellothematic

In this episode we sat down with Patrick Smith, aka The Paper Pat, to hear his story of living life abroad, teaching in Japan and China and his journey of becoming a social media influencer!   Patrick is a teacher, model and famous Tiktoker who is currently living in Tokyo, Japan. He is most known for his fun, creative and wholesome skits featuring his many adventures as an educator to young students. He also LOVES to dance and share his daily life with his 1.4 million Tiktok followers and 186k Instagram followers You can follow Patrick at: Instagram: @the.paper.pat TikTok: @thepaperpat Youtube: thepaperpat Reach out to us with any questions, suggestions, or feedback at Tokyoadventures.com. Click the "Contact" tab to send us an email. We want to hear from you :] Follow us on the socials to be notified when new episodes are out! Instagram: @tokyoadventurespodcast Twitter: @podcasttokyo Our opening and closing music by @goodnightthesatellite - Supernova via @hellothematic

🎉 We’re back, finally! 🎉  Today’s episode will be part 3 of our Starting Your Life in Japan series, The Process of Moving To Japan. This episode is a deep dive into all of the steps you will take during your relocation to Japan. We share our experience from offer letter to arrival to provide valuable tips and recommendations, so you’ll feel more prepared for the big move. **If you have pets, start on the pet relocation process at least 8-9 months before your move.** 1-3 months before your move: 1. Get job offer 2. Make sure you have a valid passport 3. Get your work visa (watch those timelines) 4. Set up your flights 5. Figure out your money. Create budgets and confirm relocation package with your company. (Keep them receipts!) 6. Figure out where you will be living until you get your permanent apartment/home. You will need this info for visa and residency paperwork. 7. Sell/get rid of everything you don't need 8. Buy essential items that are not readily available in Japan. Websites for price comparisons:Yodobashi, Bic Camera 9. Have your stuff packed and shipped to Japan 10. Consider keeping a phone number open from your home country for emergencies 11. Get an international credit card, because you can't get one for awhile in Japan (look for no international purchasing fees) 12. Close all old accounts/memberships 13. Update drivers license/passport/credit cards to avoid future issues 14. Refill prescriptions and confirm your prescriptions are ok to bring to Japan 15. Make time to visit with friends/family before you leave Before you fly: 1. Make sure you have your passport and all required documentation (at least 5 copies of all) 2. Convert your currency to yen. We recommend having a few hundred on hand 3. Relax and try to change your sleep schedule When you land: 1. Get yourself ready for your resident card photo. You'll have it for years! 2. Go through immigration 3. Get your resident card 4. Go to the customs shipment counter to declare items shipped from your country 5. Enter Japan! Woot! 6. Immediately go buy a train/Shinkansen ticket into Tokyo 7. Set up and add money to your suica or pasmo transit card 8. Travel from airport to housing 9. Drop off your stuff 10. Get food and hydrate 11. Go buy toiletries and necessities 12. Get some rest First week: 1. Go to the local ward office to register your address. Set up your My Number card, too! 2. Set up phone, internet, utilities and bank account 3. Get to know your neighborhood 4. Start looking for a permanent place if you're in a temp spot 5. Buy furniture and appliances 6. Enjoy your new life in Japan :] Still have questions about moving to Japan? Reach out to us with any questions, suggestions, or feedback at Tokyoadventures.com. Click the "Contact" tab to send us an email. We want to hear from you :] Follow us on the socials to be notified when new episodes are out! Instagram: @tokyoadventurespodcast Twitter: @podcasttokyo Our opening and closing music by @goodnightthesatellite - Supernova via @hellothematic

Today we are discussing the cost of living in Japan, part two of our mini series, Starting Your life in Japan! Money is one of the major make or breaks when deciding if moving to Japan is right for you. There are so many unknowns when it comes to gauging the cost of living in a new country, and information is not always readily available about day to day expenses. In this episode, we cover as many areas of expense as we could think of and then some. We also provide tons of time saving tips, recommendations and ways to save money each month. Sony Bank referral code (you get $10 free): R162702 - Place this code in the reception number box Revolut account referral link (campaign offers vary throughout the year): https://revolut.com/referral/philipar2r TransferWise referral link (discount on your first transfer): https://transferwise.com/invite/i/philipe184 Still have questions about the cost of living in Japan? Reach out to us with any questions, suggestions, or feedback at Tokyoadventures.com. Click the "Contact" tab to send us an email. We want to hear from you :] Follow us on the socials to be notified when new episodes are out! Instagram: @tokyoadventurespodcast Twitter: @podcasttokyo Our opening and closing music by @goodnightthesatellite - Supernova via @hellothematic

Hey everyone! This week we are sharing the first episode of our mini series, Starting Your Life in Japan. We've received lots of emails asking about moving, cost of living, and apartments. We hope to answer all of your questions with our 3 part series.  Moving to a new country is intimidating and can feel impossible, but our hopes are that you feel more informed and prepared when you begin your adventure of moving the Japan! P.S. What is your favorite type of pizza?? 🍕 ( Moving forward, random questions will appear in the episode description :] ) Reach out to us with any questions, suggestions, or feedback at Tokyoadventures.com. Click the "Contact" tab to send us an email. We want to hear from you :] Follow us on the socials to be notified when new episodes are out! Instagram: @tokyoadventurespodcast Twitter: @podcasttokyo Our opening and closing music by @goodnightthesatellite - Supernova via @hellothematic

Happy New Year, everyone! We've made it to 2021 :] Today Jenny is sharing a story that only took place a few hours ago. While taking Momo to the vet, some exciting and "crappy" things went down. Listen as Jenny shares her hilarious and harrowing adventure! If you have any fun, weird or cute pet stories please visit Tokyoadventures.com to share your story! Click on the "contact" page to send us an email and pictures. We would also love to hear how you celebrated bringing in the New year, so feel free to send those as well! We may feature your story on a future episode of Tokyo Adventures. Follow us on the socials to be notified when new episodes are out! Instagram: @tokyoadventurespodcast Twitter: @podcasttokyo Our opening and closing music by @goodnightthesatellite - Supernova via @hellothematic

Merry Christmas and Happy holidays everyone!! In this episode we share our experiences celebrating Christmas in Japan and highlight some of the differences in Christmas traditions. We also provide some recommendations on where to find beautiful Christmas lights (illuminations) and European holiday markets! We would love to hear how you celebrate Christmas or winter holiday in your country! Our social media info is listed below if you would like to share with us. We may share it on the podcast! Ramen restaurant mentioned in the podcast: Menya Shichisai (2 Chome-13-2 Hatchobori, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0032) Reach out to us with any questions, suggestions, or feedback at Tokyoadventures.com. Click the "Contact" tab to send us an email. We want to hear from you :] Follow us on the socials to be notified when new episodes are out! Instagram: @tokyoadventurespodcast Twitter: @podcasttokyo Our opening and closing music by @goodnightthesatellite - Supernova via @hellothematic

Hey guys! Long time, no see :] We've taken some time away to travel and recharge, but we're back!  This week's episode is dedicated to jobs in Japan. The prospect of landing a career in Japan can feel overwhelming at times, and it's hard to know what to expect or where to begin. We tried to address some of the more daunting issues like getting interviews, money, cultural differences, relocation, timelines and TAXES. Yep, even taxes. We tried our best to be thorough, but we are always here to help if you have additional questions or topics you would like to hear about. Just shoot us an email! A special thank you to everyone who wrote to us! We loved hearing your stories and answering questions. Please keep them coming, as we love to provide you with episodes and information that interests you. :] Japan Tax Calculator link: https://japantaxcalculator.com/ Reach out to us with any questions, suggestions, or feedback at Tokyoadventures.com. Click the "Contact" tab to send us an email. We want to hear from you :] Follow us on the socials to be notified when new episodes are out! Instagram: @tokyoadventurespodcast Twitter: @podcasttokyo Our opening and closing music by @goodnightthesatellite - Supernova via @hellothematic

Hey guys! This is a little bonus episode leftover from our interview with Norm. We share the story of how we met, dating and Phil's crazy proposal. We hope you enjoy it :] P.S. We don't have kids, it's just a fun title. You can check out our episode, "Moving to Japan the Right Way", with the Tokyo Lens podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Anchor. Reach out to us with any questions, suggestions, or feedback at Tokyoadventures.com. Click the "Contact" tab to send us an email. We want to hear from you :] Follow us on the socials to be notified when new episodes are out! Instagram: @tokyoadventurespodcast Twitter: @podcasttokyo Our opening and closing music by @goodnightthesatellite - Supernova via @hellothematic

In this episode, we share some favorite places and foods, give updates on what we've been up to and suggest places that have recently opened here in Tokyo. Whether you're a local or visiting Japan in the future, we think you guys will really enjoy these! If you have fun, new or exciting places you've been to in Japan/Tokyo, please feel free to share them with us, so we can share them everyone! Email below :) We were also interviewed by Norm of the Tokyo Lens podcast, where we shared our experience getting to Japan. We've provided a link to his Podcast below, so please check out our episode and subscribe to Tokyo Lens while you're there! You can check out our episode, "Moving to Japan the Right Way", with the Tokyo Lens podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Anchor. Our recommendations in the episode: Parks: Miyashita Park Ueno Park Hibiya Park Yoyogi Park Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park - See through restrooms Grandberry Park Plants shops: Today’s special - Hibiya Location Flower village  The Farm - Grandberry Park Location Food spots: Mapo Tofu Smokehouse BBQ - Cat Street Omotesando Location Anpan bread food truck (next to Smokehouse BBQ) Due Italian Eggslut Kith treats  Pet story in Grandberry park  Joker Store for computer parts  Tsukumo Crazy eye drops  Santa FX neo Reach out to us with any questions, suggestions, or feedback at Tokyoadventures.com. Click the "Contact" tab to send us an email. We want to hear from you :] Follow us on the socials to be notified when new episodes are out! Instagram: @tokyoadventurespodcast Twitter: @podcasttokyo Our opening and closing music by @goodnightthesatellite - Supernova via @hellothematic