Nengajo: Japan’s Beautiful New Year’s Card Tradition
Do you know about “Nengajo (年賀状)”? It’s New Year’s greeting cards in Japan. It is safe to say that it’s one of the biggest headaches at the end of the …
Roadside Station (Michi-no Eki ) Hota Elementary School and Hota Kindergarten
Have you ever heard of “Roadside Station (Michi-no Eki)?”It was first established in 1990 in Un-nan City, Shimane Prefecture, as a rest area for drivers. The site was originally used …
Beyond the Surface: Honne and Tatemae in Japanese Communication
It is said that there is honne(本音) and tatemae(建前) in Japan, and it can confuse foreigners in conversation. One day, I was wondering if it was only in Japanese culture? …
Japanese Proverbs and Expressions
Imagine attending a class reunion and spotting someone you recognize, but you just can’t recall his name. Who is he? It’s on the tip of my tongue! This expression is …
Sekigahara（関ケ原）
Do you know Sekigahara (関ケ原)? If you are Japanese, I think the answer would be “Yes” because the biggest battle in Japanese history took place here, and we learn about …
How to Slurp Food in Japan!
When you hear a slurping sound, how do you feel? Is it rude or uneducated? Or do you feel uncomfortable? When you visit ramen or soba restaurants in Japan for …
What messages will the EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan leave us with? Part 2
The EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Kansai, Japan, has concluded with great success.This is a continuation of Part 1. I wrote about the highlights of the EXPO 2025 in my previous …
Let’s Purikura!
Have you ever tried Purikura in Japan? If you haven’t, you’re missing one of the perks of visiting Japan! What is Purikura? And how to enjoy it? No worries! Let’s …
My Go-to Onigiri in Japan
When it comes to Japanese food, onigiri is a very Japanese thing, I’d say. According to Wikipedia, it is called onigiri (おにぎり), omusubi (お結び), or nigirimeshi (握り飯). I usually call …
From Kaomoji to Emoji: Japan’s Emotional Text Culture
These days, emojis are used all over the world as if they’ve always been around.But did you know that they actually originated in Japan?And before emojis were born, Japan had …