You know those notices you see in National AJET email updates advertising intensive Japanese courses offered by AMICA in Tokyo? For 30,000 yen? Who does that sort of thing anyway? That would be Fish. He gives us the lowdown.

The new football season in Japan is just around the corner, and Sanfrecce have already set their sights on the crown of Asian football. The Asian Champions League is the pinnacle of club football in this region, with 32 teams competing from 10 leagues, from Saudi Arabia to Australia. The winner will represent Asia at the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup, held in the United Arab Emirates in December.

The Japanese medical system has a bit of a mixed reputation, especially with foreigners. The medical technology and know-how here are certainly among the best in the world, and the social welfare system makes it relatively affordable for everyone. But issues of privacy, medicines that can be weaker than Western ones, inexperienced young doctors, and the occasional questionable diagnosis make a trip to the hospital/clinic a generally frustrating affair. I recently had a rather serious, in-depth experience with the Japanese medical system, which included surgery and a five-day hospitalization.

Traveling around Japan, but don’t yet know Japanese? If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, there are plenty of solutions to all your language needs.

Attention all JETs! National AJET is currently holding elections for new block leaders to represent regions around Japan. There are three candidates campaigning to be the National AJET representative for Block 9, which includes Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi prefectures. The three candidates are Jonathan Fisher of Hiroshima Prefecture, Erin McBride of Shimane Prefecture, and Kholofelo Nkoe of Yamaguchi Prefecture. Votes can be cast now through Feb. 26.

Tired of missing your favorite movies and TV shows because you’re living in Japan? If you have a fast Internet connection, you don’t have to. Here’s what you need to do to catch back up on all your favorite shows.

We all love the convenience of the konbini. But you pay for convenience, and those higher prices may be hitting your wallet harder than you realized. See a breakdown on just how much more expensive many everyday items are in the konbini compared to the supermarket.

Finland. Escape to a place where the pure white snow crunches beneath your feet and the breathtaking Northern Lights dance in the skies above; where exquisite cathedrals nurture the soul and steaming hot saunas cleanse the body; and where, after you’ve worked up an appetite with some cross-country skiing or snowmobiling, you can fill your belly with a hearty moose steak.

If you love to study Japanese, yet hate having to carry around a bag full of study materials, you might want to think about trading all that in for an iPad.

Tokyo has the lights. Kyoto has the history. Sapporo has the snow. Often in the light of these illustrious brothers the wayward cousin of Kyushu rarely seems to make an appearance on travel itineraries, except occasionally for its largest city, Fukuoka. The question then remains, why should you visit the less-traveled areas of the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands? While the lights may be a bit dimmer, the history less well-known, and the snow decidedly unimpressive, the Mt. Aso and Kumamoto areas of Kyushu more than make up for these shortcomings with their beautiful scenery and slower-paced charm.