Friendship Friday: Surviving in Japan (without much Japanese)

This week's FF is Surviving in Japan (without much Japanese)! Full disclosure: I have written a guest post for this one, but beyond that have no affiliation.

What?

Ashley's Surviving in Japan (without much Japanese), henceforth "Surviving," is an aptly named blog that compiles resources and how-to guides aimed at helping foreign residents in Japan. From the about page:

"This is not a blog about etiquette, where to find a job or apartment, or a list of how to prepare for life here (though, there are some ideas concerning that scattered throughout these pages - see the how-to archives for more). Most of that information can be found on the internet, or in books about living in Japan (which I've highlighted in the "resources" section and various posts). I had to learn how to do a lot of things on my own during my first years here - things that weren't reiterated in the various websites and books I read before arriving. And now I'm compiling the knowledge that has helped me "survive" in Japan in this blog for you."

Surviving has been around for well over a year now and has a large amount of guides and information to peruse.

Why I like it

Quite simply, Ashley manages to deliver on her blog's description. While I've become pretty able at handling most tasks I need to accomplish here, Surviving's advice and guides are especially newbie friendly and designed to help both veterans and newcomers alike, with minimal Japanese ability required. I've discovered some useful resources through her site.

Here are some sample posts:

8 ways to winterize your Japanese apartment (or house)
How to get a library card
What to do if your alien registration card is lost or stolen
How to find ibuprofen
Words to know when ordering online

Anything pique your interest? You can find these and many more guides and how-to's here.

Once again, I heartily recommend having a look, especially if you're new to living in Japan: Surviving in Japan. Happy Friendship Friday!