Packed Like Sardines – In Japanese –
“I hate this train line! We’re packed like sardines!!” My British coworker grumbled in the jam-packed train. Unfortunately, it happens a lot for us to become like sardines when we …
Language
道 – The Japanese spirit of “Dō”
Do you like karate (空手、空手道) or judō (柔道)? Are you familiar with sadō (茶道), the tea ceremony, or kadō (華道), the art of flower arrangement? Many people have seen matches …
Japanese Writing System
Learning a foreign language is a challenge for anyone. Japanese, in particular, has its own unique writing system, and the associated pronunciation and grammar rules can be a headache for …
♪Japanese phrase having a good ring♪ 〜Eh〜
Welcome to the 5th edition of “Japanese language fun time!” Today, I will introduce the very short word, “Eh(え).” 1. Picture When you pronounce it briefly without intonating, it has …
Welcoming the New Year: Japanese Greetings
It’s Already the Last Month of 2024! In no time, we’ve arrived at the final month of 2024. In English-speaking countries, people often say “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!” …
♪Japanese phrase having a good ring♪～Yoshi～
Are you interested in an easy Japanese expression that fills you with positive vibes? I’m here for you! Welcome to “Japanese language fun time!” Yoshi! All right. Let’s get started! …
Unique Way to Count Things in JapanPart Ⅱ ～ Vehicles～
In my last article, I told you that there are more than 500 counter words, and about 100 of them are actually used in everyday life. However, I could only …
What does “おつかれさま(Otsukaresama)” mean?
In the previous article, I explained the phrase “よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu)” . This time, I would like to talk about another frequently used term among Japanese people, one that you …
Wafugetsumei 和風月名 ～Japanese names of months～
I’ve previously highlighted the beauty of the Japanese language in a few “How To Japan” articles. Yet, you can feel its richness everywhere in Japan. Though I hear less and …
Wonderful FudePen 筆ペン (Brush Pens)
When I was thinking about another cultural item to introduce to the world, one thing came to my mind! It is fudepen 筆ペン, a Japanese brush pen! Of course, Japanese …