Here are December’s Hacks from the Past:

1. How to find a Christmas Tree in Japan Part 1 – Name says it all. Are you celebrating Christmas? Want to know where to get a tree? Read here.
2. How to find a Christmas Tree in Japan Part 2 – Same as above, but more options.
3. Poor Man’s Tea: Mugicha – Don’t buy big tea jugs from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Buy from the tea bag aisle and save lots of yen

That’s all. Last December was a bit slow! Next year won’t be though. I’m working hard this time! If you have any December Holiday Hacks, please don’t hesitate to send them in!

Related posts:

1. September Hacks From The Past Roundup
2. November Hacks from the Past roundup
3. October Hacks From The Past Roundup

Here are November’s Hacks from the Past:

1. Learn Kanji with your Nintendo DS – Here is a review of a Kanji learning Nintendo DS game I did. It’s addictive and it’s still on the shelves. Check it out!
2. Find Cheese in Japan #2 – several more options for finding cheese in Japan. Must read for cheese lovers.
3. Learn Japanese with Google – How to use google search to help you with Japanese. Google images can give you 100s of pictures of your unknown words, and you can use plain old search to find millions of example sentences.
4. Faster Miso Soup Trick – a little trick to dissolve that miso faster. With pictures!
5. How to win at UFO Catcher – Learn how to win stuffed animals at UFO Catcher. Actually, this is just a link to a great tofugu article. Check it out from the original source.

That’s it! If you have any tips, send them in and you could appear in next year’s November Hacks from the Past.

Related posts:

1. September Hacks From The Past Roundup
2. December Hacks from the Past roundup
3. October Hacks From The Past Roundup

1. Shinmai – rice fresh from the harvest. It looks, smells and tastes better. Read how to find it in the store.
2. House brand cleaning products – Find out how to spot which house brands are good, and which ones to avoid.
3. 300 yen steaks – Learn how to get steaks and other perishable food on the cheap.
4. Akebi part 2 – I weigh in again on the crazy purple Japanese fruit.
5. Reverse zousui – zousui isn’t just for saving old rice
6. Plan your train trip online #1- for those of you who ride JR West
7. Plan your train trip online #2 – for the rest of you

If you have any tips, send them in. I have a few reader-submitted tips on the way, so stay tuned.

Related posts:

1. September Hacks From The Past Roundup
2. November Hacks from the Past roundup
3. December Hacks from the Past roundup

Since not everyone was here at the beginning, I thought I’d start a new series of posts where I go over past hacks.  I’ll do these once a month, and they will basically be links to past hacks for the given month.  It’s September now, so here is your September Hacks From The Past Roundup:

• How to Never Waste Rice Again – Ever come home to find a rice cooker full of old, stale rice? This hack will tell you what to do with it.”
• Save On Cleaning Products By Buying Refills – Explains how to identify refill packages, which are cheaper than buying a new bottle.
• Homemade Tofu Soap Dish – Make your own soap dish from a tofu box. Step by step instructions. The best soap dish you’ll ever own!”
• How To Find Cheese In Japan – Do you like cheese? Good luck finding it in the grocery store! This hack will help you find a great selection of cheese that can be shipped right to your door.
• Mystery Fruit: The Akebi (part 1) – Japan has some unique fruit you may not be familiar with. One of them is the Akebi.

Enjoy! If you have any hacks you’d like to share, please send them in!

Related posts:

1. October Hacks From The Past Roundup
2. November Hacks from the Past roundup
3. December Hacks from the Past roundup