Rebecca Shiraishi-Miles 
October in Japan is crisp, colourful and busy! Beautiful red and yellow autumn leaves begin to appear on the trees, and hundreds of autumn shrine festivals take place across the country. It’s one of the most comfortable months for travel weather-wise, and one of the best times to experience seasonal traditions. Whether you are visiting … Read more
September in Japan sits between summer and autumn. The heat starts to ease off (although much of the country is still hot and humid!) and children are back at school. There is a sense of a change in season, although it’s not yet fully autumn. September traditions focus on reflection, harvest and respect. One of … Read more
August in Japan is hot, humid, busy and full of summer traditions! School holidays are underway and it’s peak festival season. Many people travel this month to see family or attend seasonal events. Alongside the heat and fireworks, August is also shaped by Obon, a time focused on family and community. Whether you are travelling … Read more
July in Japan marks the real start of summer. The rainy season comes to an end, temperatures rise, and the country goes into festival mode! Look out for local fireworks festivals and people dressing in yukata. Whether you’re travelling or enjoying Japanese culture from home, July is full of colour and tradition! Here are some … Read more
June in Japan marks a clear shift into early summer. It’s starting to get hot and humid in most of Japan, and delicious summer foods are coming into season. June is most known for being the rainy season! The rain brings lush green landscapes, blooming hydrangeas and newly planted rice seedlings. While June doesn’t have … Read more
Welcome to May in Japan! Spring is in full swing and the country enjoys Golden Week – one of its longest holiday periods. It’s a lively month for festivals, traditions and outdoor activities. Whether you’re visiting Japan or enjoying Japanese culture from home this month, here’s what May looks like in Japan: Festivals and events … Read more
If you’re interested in learning Japanese, you’ve probably heard of both JapanesePod101 and Duolingo. They are two of the most popular ways to learn Japanese by self-studying at home. Both are free to get started, and both are suitable for complete beginners, as well as more advanced learners. But they work in completely different ways … Read more
Guys, if you’ve read my site before you know I’m a big fan of JapanesePod101. I have used their Premium membership for a long time and definitely credit it with a LOT of my progress in Japanese! Recently I have been testing out the Premium Plus plan for the first time, so I wanted to … Read more