Make the Most of Your Free Time!

Posted on 08/30/2022 Last updated on 08/30/2022

So you made it to Japan and you want to find a fun way to kill your free time, or perhaps you want to find a way to immerse yourself in Japanese culture further. Well, here are some unique hobbies you can try out while you’re in Japan.

When I first came to Japan, it was quite a change. I no longer had my elaborate PC setup to spend most of my day on, and I of course couldn’t bring all my friends from home with me (even though I and they wish I could). The bottom line is, I wasn’t sure how to spend my free time here and I wanted to take advantage of the fact that I am in Japan and I discovered there are many unique activities you can get involved in here.

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first:

Japanese Entertainment

Photo credit: beauty-boxさん on PhotoAC

From anime/manga to Japanese game shows or TV and movies, Japanese media is inescapable here and probably quite a unique experience in comparison to your country’s media back home. This may not even be something you choose to spend your time on, but instead is something that might consume you without warning.

Next thing you know, you’re waking up in Akihabara wondering where the last few weeks have gone, and your wallet feeling suspiciously more light and slim than what it was like before you decided to see what all the hype around the hit anime Demon Slayer was all about. Jokes aside, there’s something available for everyone to enjoy and you’ll even find salarymen stopping by the konbini just to catch up on the latest issue of One Piece.

Consuming Japanese media in the form of books, TV, music, etc. is also a great way to brush up on your Japanese, whether that be through reading, or perhaps learning new vocabulary from a word you pick up from song lyrics. It can be so easy to just go home at the end of the day and turn Japanese off completely but Japanese media can be a great way to continue to immerse yourself throughout your day, and I have always found that learning a language through something you genuinely enjoy will give you a nice push to learn more.

Model Kit Building

Photo credit: sumito0108さん on PhotoAC

Model kit building in Japan is kind of like Lego for adults. Generally speaking, there is no glue, screws, etc necessary to put these kits together besides a pair of nippers. They’re called snap build kits and this is thanks to the detailed planning and engineering that goes into the design of these kits, which is something to admire on its own. This can make it quite a zen experience because the building process itself can be just as jaw dropping and plain fun as marveling in the final product itself.

The most popular model kits are made by Bandai which come from the Gundam series, dubbed “Gunpla” for “Gundam” and “Plastic Model”. Bandai also makes tons of kits for other media and there are plenty of model kits out there for other interests from cars to Star Wars, and more. With Bandai’s new “Entry Grade” lineup, you can try it out for under 1500 yen for a kit and an affordable pair of nippers. If you’re at all interested, there’s little reason not to give it a shot. Be warned though, when you put that first kit together, your wallet might begin to hunger for more.

Photography

Photo credit: 木漏れ日さん on PhotoAC

Photography certainly isn’t unique to Japan but it’s hard not to think of it as a unique experience here because of how photogenic Japan is. Whether you are in the country side, mountains, or a more urban area, it’s hard not to want to capture the sights and share them with others. Also, if you’re looking to get into the hobby and hunting for new gear, there are no better cameras in the world than Japanese cameras. From Sony, to Canon, to Fujifilm, to Nikon, you really are spoiled for choice if you’re jumping into the hobby and looking to buy new or used gear here.

Tea Ceremony

Photo credit: クロトトスさん on PhotoAC

Something more on the traditional side that anyone could get involved in, is Japanese tea ceremony. It’s more than just a ceremonial way to prepare tea. Yes, at it’s basis, it is a traditional way to prepare and drink tea. However, it is practiced as a hobby and can be a gateway into a deeper understanding of Japanese culture, aesthetics, history, and really good tea and snacks.

It is difficult to describe because it is such a unique experience but some of the things you can learn about are the proper way to prepare matcha, about Japanese tea and traditional sweets, how to sit in seiza, wearing traditional Japanese clothes like kimono and yukata, experiencing what a Japanese tea room is like, about calligraphy, about Japanese pottery, and more. The list could go on and on.

I first experienced it myself in Canada for my Japanese Aesthetics class I took in University. We were taught about Japanese Aesthetics throughout the semester all through Japanese tea ceremony, which made me realize how many fascinating parts of Japanese culture you can experience and learn about just from this single practice, and I can’t recommend going and having that experience for yourself enough.

Conclusion

Regardless of how you choose to spend your time in Japan, make sure to make it memorable and take advantage of your time here. There are so many things you can experience here that you might not have a chance to experience when you return to your home country. We’ve covered only four here and there are certainly tons more.

If you found something interesting and perhaps you tried one of these hobbies out because of it, let us know! And if you would like to hear more recommendations, perhaps I will write a part 2 to this article in the future!

Take care, and enjoy!

Photo Credits:

Top photo: マサキチ_00さん on PhotoAC

1 – beauty-boxさん on PhotoAC

2 – sumito0108さん on PhotoAC

3 – 木漏れ日さん on PhotoAC

4 – クロトトスさん on PhotoAC