When you speak casual English to friends, you don’t use perfect grammar and full sentences like you would when writing a paper, correct? Japanese is the same way. When speaking conversational Japanese, people rarely use the exact words and long phrases that you’d find in a textbook. Here is a 5-minute mini lesson to help you speak Casual Japanese.
Pictograms in Japan: Toilets, Tourism, and More!
Have you ever seen a Japanese toilet? With the newer toilets, there are so many buttons and symbols that it can be quite confusing for anyone who doesn’t speak Japanese. Not to mention the fact that depending on where you are in Japan, the pictures on the buttons are completely different! Because the 2020 Olympics are being held in Tokyo, … Read More
10 Japanese Festivals You Can’t Miss This October
It’s officially autumn in Japan! The month of October is one of the most fun months to be in Japan, for there are multiple festivals happening every single weekend. From manly “fighting” festivals to jaw-dropping lantern displays, you can’t miss these 10 festivals going on in Japan this October 2018.
What Happens During a Japanese Wedding Ceremony
What Happens During a Japanese Wedding Ceremony Have you ever been to a wedding in Japan? Do you imagine a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony to date back thousands of years? You may be surprised to learn that Shinto weddings, known in Japanese as shinzen kekkon (神前結婚), “Marriage before the gods”, did not actually begin in Japan until the early 20th century. … Read More
The “Silver Week” Holidays in Japan
You may have heard of Golden Week in Japan, but how exactly is Silver Week different?
10 Incredible Things to Do in Japan This September
When you think of September in Japan, what do you think of? Hot weather? The start of fall? I bet you don’t think of a nationwide sumo wrestling tournament, or a massive EDM music festival that features A-list DJs like The Chainsmokers and Steve Aoki. But these events are happening in September, among several others! You can’t miss these 10 … Read More
All About Japanese MONEY
Everything you need to know about Japanese bills, coins, currency exchange, and money etiquette!
5 FACTS ABOUT OBON FESITIVAL IN JAPAN
It is this time of the year when Japan suddenly turns tranquil, trains get empty and cemeteries start blooming with flowers. It’s Obon (お盆) — the Japanese summer festival of welcoming back ancestors’ spirits and returning to one’s family roots.
ABENO HARUKAS: TO THE SKIES 300 METERS ABOVE THE GROUND
Standing at 300 meters, Abeno Harukas (あべのハルカス) in Osaka is the tallest skyscraper in Japan. The building stands on top of the Kintetsu Osaka Abenobashi Station and is conveniently located across from JR Tennoji Station. It houses a department store, an art museum, a hotel and an observation deck. Origin of the Name -名前の由来 “Harukas” is an old Japanese expression meaning “to brighten, … Read More
OCHUGEN お中元: The Gift of Summer
What is Ochugen お中元? Japanese custom calls for the giving of gifts twice a year to someone who is taking care of you. This duty is performed once in the summertime, called ochugen and once at the end of the year, called oseibo. The custom started at