Japanese seasonal beautiful words ~Spring~
As a lover of spring, I feel my heart leaping with excitement when spring arrives. Plants and trees sprout new shoots, and flowers bloom. It is the season that warm …
Knowledge
Two Sakura Mochi Named After Temples
Sakura-mochi is a popular Japanese sweet that can be considered a symbol of spring. It is sold in various shops including traditional Japanese confectionery stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores. “Sakura” …
Why conbinis are really called conbinis?
Most of you reading this probably know what “conbini” is. Yes, it is a convenience store. Nowadays, a lot of people recognize the word globally. Surely a lot of you …
Hi! I’m an owl!
“Hoot, hoot…!” Hi! I’m an owl. I live in Japan. I have a lot of relatives all around the world. Did you know that owls are believed to bring luck …
Ozoni: A mochi soup bowl filled with family history and local Japanese culture.
Ozoni is a mochi soup eaten on New Year’s Day in Japan. Japanese New Year’s events and food originated in Shintoism, and various customs were born from the idea of …
The difference in perception as expressed in Japanese
When you ask Japanese people, “How many fingers do you have?” most people will answer 10 or, after some thought, proudly 20. This is surprising for English-speaking people, isn’t it? …
The birth of “Anpan,” a sweet bun with red bean paste
Generally speaking, “anpan” is a small bun filled with red bean paste which has been quite popular as a sweets amongst Japanese people. “An” means the filling inside the bread, …
Circles in Japan
“I’ve got a lot of circles!!” If you hear a Japanese kid saying something like this with a big smile, can you guess what the circles are? Circles play an …
What is “My Number Card”?
Have you heard the words “My number” and “My Number Card”? It may sound more like “my-none-bar” and “my-none-bar-car-dough.” What is “My Number”? “My number” is an individual number given …
Nengajo – New Year’s postcards in Japan
One of the traditional Japanese New Year’s customs is sending New Year’s greeting postcards called nengajo (年賀状). Many people write and send nengajo to their friends, relatives, and coworkers in …