Self-isolating and in quarantine? Play games, watch movies together, sing karaoke and admire cherry blossoms with your pals online
Let’s face it, we’re stuck at home. Covid-19 coronavirus is making its scary rounds and the one thing we can do to help flatten the curve is stay inside. By no means are we bored, though – we’re busy stimulating our minds by learning Japanese and ticking books off our never-ending reading list.
Admittedly, being in quarantine can be lonely without our coworkers, friends and family to talk to. That's where the internet comes in to help – these are some of the best ways to hang out with your favourite people without having to leave your house.
RECOMMENDED: Pamper yourself at home with these Japanese drugstore beauty products
Remember those uni days when you’d drink out of a red solo cup, play Cards Against Humanity and think you’re the coolest person in the room? Well, it’s time to relive your glory days with this open source, unlicensed online version of the racy card game. Gather your funniest, least sensitive pals and be glad you don’t have to see each other’s faces when you accidentally offend someone.
Who doesn’t love a good old fashioned board game? Board Game Arena offers digital versions of board games, from classics like chess and checkers to party games like Sushi Go and advanced medieval world-building games like Carcassonne. The site has over 20 language options, creating an account is free and the games don’t require a download, you just play from your browser. To play with your friends, make sure they have an account and then click ‘play with friend’ at the top of the lobby page. We’re intrigued by the Japan-inspired game Tokaido, which lets you eat, sightsee and travel through Japan.
Missing movie night with your fave folks? Netflix Party is a web browser extension that lets you group chat while you and your pals watch the same movie or TV show in sync. Perhaps the best part is socialising without any of the physical effort – curl up on the couch in your pyjamas while you watch and chat. Here are some of our favourite English-subtitled Japanese shows and movies on Netflix.
Missing your weekend karaoke nights? Thanks to the beauty of video chat and the internet, you can have your own virtual karaoke night. Any video chat app will do, but with Skype or Zoom, you can share your computer screen, so everyone can see the lyrics and song queue. Best of all, Spotify and YouTube aren’t just limited to the random assortment of songs offered on karaoke machines.
Hanami, or flower viewing, is a big part of Japanese culture, especially in sakura season, when hanami is synonymous with having a boozy picnic party under the cherry blossom trees. We have to stay indoors this spring, but that’s no reason to miss out on the gorgeous blooms. Put on one of these 360 degree cherry blossom videos, grab your favorite drinks, and video chat your friends – now you’ve got yourself a proper on-nomi party (that’s Japanese for drinking online) with a beautiful floral backdrop.
Looking for grocery delivery? Stay home and let the supermarket come to you
Enjoy your favourite restaurant meal from the comfort of your home – eating in has never tasted so good
These English-language university-level courses cover everything from Japanese literature and history to architecture and business. Best of all, they’re free
Stay home and take a trip through Tokyo's past with these impressively restored films showing what Tokyo was like over 100 years ago
Discover Time Out original video
