In the Golden Week, many people spend their time staying in their hometowns or taking a trip, but this year most people will stay at home because of the effect of the novel coronavirus.
So this year, you may want to know how you can spend your time at home. In this article, we will introduce some ways to enjoy your Golden Week without going out.
1. Watch Movies and Dramas
As a classic home-pastime, why not watch a lot of movies and dramas? Many VOD (video on demand) services such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Hulu are available in Japan.
All of the following are available in English, so it doesn’t matter if you are not good at Japanese.
Using the consecutive holidays, you can watch the movie or drama series until the end. Also, it is a good idea to share good movies with friends who spend Golden Week at home as well.
How about trying a shark movie or a zombie movie which you haven’t watched? Or, how about playing blockbuster movies that everyone can enjoy? Also, you can choose anime movies which all your family members may like. There are many options to try.
2. Take Online Learning Lessons
If you want to use Golden Week to improve yourself, you can take some learning courses online.
Looking at Udemy, an online education platform, there are courses in various fields. You can develop your area of expertise, or you can enjoy learning other areas of interest.
For example, there are courses in the following fields:
- Business
- IT & Software
- Design
- Marketing
- Lifestyle
- Health & Fitness
- Music
Another option is to take an online Japanese lesson service.
If you are a foreigner in Japan, learning Japanese can be a real benefit. After the holidays, you may surprise your colleagues.
If you want to spend a meaningful Golden Week, please consider it.
3. Join Online Drinking Parties
If you’re over 20, it’s a good idea to have a drinking party online with your friends.
With the refraining from going out due to the influence of the novel coronavirus, more and more people are using online conference tools such as Zoom to hold online drinking parties.
You can prepare alcohol drinks and snacks by yourself, so it costs less than ordering at a bar or a restaurant. Another advantage is that you can take a rest immediately after the drinking party.
If you don’t want anyone to see your room, you can use background images distributed by many companies.
See below for how to set the virtual background at the Zoom meeting.
It’s one of the few ways you can have a good time with your friends even when you’re at home, so if you’re interested, invite a friend and try it.
4. Play Games
Games are a standard way to spend time at home. You can enjoy it yourself, or you can connect online and enjoy it with someone.
If you don’t have a game to play, how about trying out the Animal Crossing, which is now extremely popular. Although it is in the game, you can enjoy a comfortable life on an uninhabited island.
We also recommend taking this opportunity to enjoy analog games with your family. Playing cards is great because you can play in various ways, and it’s also fun to try out famous board games such as Catan and Blokus.
5. Clean and Rearrange Your House
Spending a long holiday at home is rare, so it’s a good idea to use this period for cleaning and rearranging your house or room.
You can clean exhaust fans and air conditioners, which we usually don’t have enough time to clean. And if you decide to clean them, how about cleaning windows and balconies as well?
Also, changing the layout of the sofa or table may be refreshing. If you have too many things in your house, try to sort and discard unnecessary things.
6. Make Elaborate Dishes and Sweets
One way to enjoy a long holiday at home is to make dishes and sweets that take a long time and effort.
Below are some examples of dishes and sweets that will make you excited when prepared at home.
Temaki-sushi (Hand-rolled sushi)
We recommend Temaki-sushi to families with small children and foreigners. Choosing your favorite ingredients and making your sushi is like a little party.
The time and effort depends on how many kinds of ingredients you prepare, but it’s a long holiday, so why don’t you prepare a lot? The table will be very luxurious.
Roast Beef
It’s also fun to try roast beef, which is a classic dish of elaborate cooking. When you cut it and find the inside being a beautiful pink color, it makes you feel happy.
The following recipes introduce how to cook Japanese-style roast beef.
Ichigo Daifuku (Strawberry and Sweet Red Bean Mochi)
You can try to make Japanese sweets that you rarely make yourself. Why not try hand-making a typical Japanese sweet, Ichigo daifuku?
Just careful about burns, and even children can enjoy making it.
Conclusion
Here are the 6 ways to enjoy your Golden Week at home. Even if you can’t go out, there are many ways to have a good time.
As for an online drinking party, the Golden Week should be the easiest time to hold this event because everyone is at home. If you are over 20, why not try it.
We hope you can find an idea to enjoy your Golden Week from this article.