Tama Tax Tokyo Official Blog

Certified Tax Accountant Advice available in English for foreign residents in Japan

Gonoi Liquor Shop in Aizu, Fukushima

If you visit Aizu City, how about Japanese local sake for souvenir? 

Gonoi Liquor store is very near Hiroki Shuzo, which makes famous Japanese sake "Hiroki."

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Gonoi Liquor store

You must be overwhelmed by the large number of sake variation! 

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Japanese Sake corner

Aizu is the most active sake production area in Fukushima.
The shop mainly deals local sake, and some ORIGINAL brand sake 「央」"Ou," which are elegant, fruity, and tasty.

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Tasting sample

If you want to find your favorite taste among many kinds of sake, I recommend checking the kind of “rice," such as "500 man-goku," "Omachi," etc.

 

https://aizuumazake.com/

Soba-dokoro Wada/Aizu soba restaurant in Fukushima

Aizu area, westside of Fukushima prefecture is one of the most famous "Japanese soba" (not ramen and udon) area in Japan. 

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Aizu downtown Nanokamachi Soba Map

 Especially, Soba-dokoro Wada has its own 25ha(5 times as Tokyo-Dome) buckwheat field. 

The shop is a little far from central area, so to rent a car is recommended.

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 The restaurant has been reported many times in soba guidebooks.  

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By the way, soba flour is high price and rare now, and common Edo soba consists of 80% soba and 20% wheat flour.

However, Wada serves delicious soba made from 100% buckwheat flower.
Soba noodles look like transparent, and it makes imagine us the fresh air, water, and large field.

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Soba-dokoro Wada

2 Chome-2-9 Wada, Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima 965-0811

http://www.wada-soba.net/

 

Morning/Yogurt shop and restaurant at Koriyama, Fukushima

How about healthy breakfast at Yogurt shop Morning, when you visit Koriyama, Fukushima?

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Yogurt assort

Morning main store is located 10 minutes from Koriyama Station by car.

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It looks like a big house.

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You can eat yogurt assort such as strawberry, blueberry, in elegant atmosphere.

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Morning plate is reasonable price, which is set bread, soup, coffee, salad, and yogurt.

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You can buy various kinds of desserts  "To Go."

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Morning Yogurt House

http://mng.co.jp/mng_shop_info/shop_info.html

NHK English "Business Communication in Action"

I have started listening to NHK-radio's new English program "Business Communication in Action" since this April.

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Business Communication in Action textbook

I learned that conversation at meeting is not always more difficult than idle talk when it comes to English.


Two Jazz-men told me,
"Jazz improvisation is same as English conversation."

"Ad lib is not something which comes up with suddenly.
It is just a result on practicing hard, which emerges at solo performance."


In my view, English and music are quite similar.
Listening a lot of high quality phrases and practicing many times should lead us to improvement.

Nortre-Dame Fire, Furusato-nozei Hometown tax deduction revised

I was greatly shocked to hear the breaking news of Notre-Dame Cathedral fire.

 

In my view, many donation sites will come up in front of you.

Never give your money to fraud foundations.

 

The revised law will be enforced regarding to deductions for contributions to local municipalities, called "Furusato-nozei" in Japan.

 

Following June 1st, qualified donation is required

 ・Refund rate is 30% or less

 ・Thanks gift is local specialty

 

One of the best refund rate cities has already gone from "Furusato-choice" portal  web site.

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"Furusato Choice" portal website

If we really had charity mind, it would not concern whether deductible or not.

However, there is no denying that tax is an important issue for us.

 

By the way, non-residents can also apply the deduction for donations in Japanese Income Tax Return.

Price raising by Amazon JP, Excessive quote in Tax accounting industry

On April 12, 2019, the annual fee for Amazon Prime membership has been raised JPY1,000.

In my case, next payment will be changed from 3,900yen to 4,900yen.

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I know Japan's prime membership fee is still lower than those of the other countries.
However, it was pretty shock for me that Amazon can easily change the price just by sending one email.


Nowadays, price slashing permeates all over the world.

The other hand, many small business owners are struggling with what they should do in order to be accepted their value to the customers.

 

By the way, if your tax accountant shows you the quote in an excessive price, it might mean to “refuse” the work indirectly.

Why the tax accountant would not like to contract even if the taxpayer allows to pay enough money?

For example
・ Labor shortage
・ Time-consuming issue
・ Complicated human relationship, the tax accountant who previously involved is his or her acquaintance etc.
・Big risks, irresponsible people etc.


In any case, either expensive or cheap price has something reason.

MAJI CURRY (Jimbocho, Japanese style curry)

Jimbocho, my office town is a mecca for curry fans in Tokyo.
Everyone can enjoy a huge variety there, such as Indian, European, or original styles, and many famous curry restaurants compete with each other for business in this area.


If you'd like to take on the challenge of a Japanese style curry, which is like stew...

How about a visit to "MAJI-curry,"  won the Grand Prix in just 7 months since opened in April 2018?

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Kanda Curry Grand Prix 2018 winner

"MAJI" means "seriously” or being committed to doing something.
The restaurant boasts that its tasty curry is carefully made over a period of 100 hours!

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"Tonkatsu" (crispy fried pork cutlet) is also a Japanese speciality dish that is on the menu.
I thoroughly recommend that you take a visit to Jinbocho and try some "Katsu-curry.”

 

You can tune up the hotness as you like by adding the spice placed on the table.

Last time, I was not very hungry, so ordered "Hamburg curry."

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Hamburg curry

 Side dish is surprisingly cheap.

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Side dish potato salad 80yen

Handmade pickles "Kami-fuku duke" is used many kinds of vegetables, for free.

Kami-fuku means "God" and "lucky."

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Handmade Japanese pickles "Kamifuku-duke"

 

MAJI CURRY

3-10-7, Kanda-Ogawamachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

http://majicurry.com/