Tama Tax Tokyo Official Blog

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

Hawaii Update 2025.06-— Even Paradise Has Its Price

Aloha from rainy, humid Tokyo!
While Japan is deep in the gloomy grip of the rainy season, Tama-baba just got a fresh update on Hawaii from a kind visitor from the Bank of Hawaii Japan Office, who stopped by our Tama Tax Tokyo office yesterday. Naturally, I dove into the materials like a seagull on a spam musubi.

Here are the highlights that caught my eye — and yes, reality bites, even in paradise.


1. American Tourists Are Back. Japanese Visitors? Still Half.

One stat jumped out right away:
32,000 American tourists per day are now flying into Hawaii — that’s more than the 30,000 daily back in pre-pandemic March 2019. In other words, the Americans are back in full swing.

But what about us Japanese?

  • 2019 Golden Week: 7,000 daily visitors

  • 2025 Golden Week: 3,500

Yup. Exactly half.
Maybe it’s the weak yen, maybe the loss of LCC routes — but whatever the reason, the streets of Honolulu don’t echo with as much Japanese as they used to. It’s something you can feel just walking around.


2. Hotels: Fewer Guests, But No Discount in Sight

Here’s a paradox for you:
Occupancy rates have dipped slightly — from 78% in April 2019 to 73% in April 2025. But hotel prices?

  • $272 per night → $366 per night

That’s a 34% jump!

It’s like that girl at a group dinner who says, “You’re not really my type, but if you’re paying, I’ll tag along.”
Just because there's space doesn't mean you're getting a deal, honey.


3. The Real Cost of Udon in Paradise

Hawaii’s always been pricey, but inflation is real — even at our beloved Marugame Udon in Honolulu (rumor has it it’s the top-grossing location worldwide!).

  • April 2021: $6.25 for curry udon

  • December 2024: $8.95

That’s a whopping 43% increase.

So much for cheap eats in Waikiki. Now even a bowl of noodles breaks the 1,200-yen mark.
No wonder more travelers are grabbing spam musubi from the supermarket and calling it dinner.
(P.S. My rec? “Iyasume” is always good, but even 7-Eleven gets praise these days.)


4. Real Estate Woes: High Prices, High Rates, Slow Sales

And then there’s the real estate market.
During COVID, demand for spacious single-family homes skyrocketed, and so did prices.

But now?
Mortgage rates jumped from 2–3% → to 6–7%! 😱

In May 2022, a home would sell in about 10 days.
Now it takes about 20 days for houses, and 30 days for condos.

High prices + high interest = no buyers.
It’s like a handsome guy with a terrible personality — looks good, but nobody wants to marry him. 😂


Final Thoughts

Japan may be stuck in an economic slump, but Hawaii is also facing its own post-COVID shifts.
The land is still limited (thanks to the federal Fort DeRussy park), so prices rarely fall dramatically — yet the market does feel slower than before.

Still, even with all these changes, Hawaii remains Hawaii.
The charm is timeless. The breeze, the ocean, the vibe — they remind you that some places are simply built to stay magical.

Mahalo for reading,

Tama

Solomiya Kai and Ukraine: A Story of Connection and Gratitude

Welcoming a New Colleague from Ukraine

In the second half of 2024, two new team members joined Tama Tax Tokyo.

Today, I’d like to share the story of one of them — someone quite special.
To our surprise, she is from Ukraine.

It all began when Ms. Chiaki Deguchi, a certified administrative scrivener, suddenly reached out to me and said,
“Ms. Tama, could you consider hiring a Ukrainian evacuee?”

At the time, we weren't actively looking to hire anyone. But when I saw the resume and CV of the candidate, one line stood out:

“Left previous job due to the Russian invasion.”

She had graduated from a university in Ukraine and held a diploma in accounting. But the war had forced her to flee her country and take refuge in Japan.

Despite her qualifications, finding employment here was extremely difficult due to the language barrier. She was on the verge of applying for a part-time job at a restaurant.

That’s when I thought —
At Tama Tax Tokyo, we handle many international cases. Wouldn’t it be possible to have her assist with tasks that require English?
Creating an environment where she could use English daily might be a win-win.

When she came in for an interview, I was struck by her kind and sincere demeanor. That settled it — she joined us as part of our team.


Participating in “Solomiya Kai” with Oksana

On May 23rd, I had the honor of participating in the second Solomiya Kai, a cultural exchange event held at Shinjuku Island Tower, alongside Oksana — the Ukrainian staff member who joined us.

(In the photo: the woman speaking on the right is Ms. Solomiya, the man in front is House of Representatives member Mr. Kiichiro Hatoyama from the Democratic Party for the People, and to his right is Ms. Hiroko Kado from the Liberal Democratic Party.)

This event was created to serve as a bridge between Japan and Ukraine. Together with Oksana, I took part in both a calligraphy performance and a speech session.


The Word We Chose: “Gratitude”

Our contribution to the calligraphy segment began with a joint performance with the attending politicians and Mr. Daisuke Mori, a certified public accountant and event board member. It was in a “message wall” style.

The word I chose was “Gratitude.”

It had been decades since I last picked up a calligraphy brush — I mostly remember it getting my hands messy!
So I worried, “Is it really okay if I’m this rusty?” But I focused, and gave it my all.

From a chance encounter with Oksana to standing side by side delivering a message — I was deeply moved.
I poured my heartfelt thanks into that single word — gratitude toward Oksana, toward everyone brought together by the event, and toward the serendipity that allowed it all to happen.

(Confession: I messed up writing the "A あ" in front of everyone… oh well.)

 

Oksana, on the other hand, wrote in Japanese:
「感謝申し上げます」(We offer our heartfelt thanks)

She must have practiced an incredible amount. Her earnest effort and determination brought tears to my eyes. She truly is a remarkable person.


What a Clock Taught Me About Ownership

My original speech was going to be something like:
“At our firm, we handle many international tax cases!” — a typical self-introduction.

But just days before the event, I changed it entirely.

The event theme was “Timepieces.”

Over lunch, Oksana shared something with me that completely shifted my perspective.
She said:

“Even if we buy something like a watch, there’s always a fear that it could be taken away.
We can’t truly believe something will stay ours forever.”

That comment hit me hard.
People in Ukraine have endured crisis after crisis — their relationship with material possessions is vastly different from ours in Japan.


Ownership Isn’t About Assets — It’s About Dignity

As professionals in tax and law, we constantly talk about ownership and asset value.

But that day, I felt we had tapped into something deeper — a more fundamental truth:
The desire for peace of mind. The pride of simply living as a human being.

Words and calligraphy can transcend borders and legal systems.
That day, I truly felt their power.


Culture, Cuisine, and Connection

We were also treated to beautiful Ukrainian cuisine, paired with local spirits.

The dish was curated by none other than Ukraine’s most renowned chef, Yevhen Klopotenko.

And what’s more — we received a live message from Chef Klopotenko himself via Zoom!

It’s amazing how we can now hear voices from across the globe in real time. What a world we live in.


English Isn’t Just About Words

I’ve been encouraging our staff to speak more with Oksana in English, in hopes that they’ll build confidence and skill.

But I understand it’s not easy — some feel they've “given up on English,” others are just shy.

The thing is, English isn’t Oksana’s native language either. It’s her second language, which she learned and mastered to the point of working in Japan.

And through conversations with her, we’ve been able to glimpse her worldview and Ukrainian culture.

Oksana has shown us something important:
That language isn’t just words — it’s heart to heart.


In Closing

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in Solomiya Kai for giving me the opportunity to speak and share.

I’m honored that Tama Tax Tokyo could be one of the first firms to successfully employ a Ukrainian evacuee — a small but meaningful step in contributing to society.

As a cross-border tax professional, I felt that my role could go beyond numbers and filings — into something more human.

And above all, I continue to pray for peace and dignity to return to Ukraine as soon as possible.

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.