Love Japan? You’ll love these posts all about life in Japan and Japanese culture.
While Japanese is spoken by the majority of people in Japan, it may come as a surprise that it’s not the official language of the country! You’re probably thinking, wait – what? Let us explain! What is an official language? An official language (known as kouyogo/公用語 in Japanese) is a language recognised by law for … Read more
Ah… those three little words ❤ Some people have called ‘I love you’ the most powerful three words in the English language. It’s also one of the most common phrases people want to learn in a foreign language. So, how do you say I love you in Japanese? It might not surprise you to know … Read more
In the world of Japanese, there are a few words for demons. Japan is famous for its mythology and countless spirit beings, both good and bad. Today we’re going to talk about the ‘bad’ ones! In Japan, demons are often portrayed as evil, dangerous beings that cause fear or harm to humans. However, there are … Read more
Ever wondered how to crack a joke in Japanese? The majority of Japanese jokes are based on wordplay (kotoba asobi / 言葉遊び) and puns (dajare / 駄洒落) – and if you’re able to say one smoothly, you’re sure to impress even the most stoic of your friends! Why are wordplay jokes so popular in Japanese? … Read more
Japan is no stranger to the cute, weird, and all things in between. With the popularity of kawaii culture, Japanese mascots or yuru-kyara (ゆるキャラ) became part of the fun and quirky side of their culture! These mascots are designed to be cute, strange, or even something straight out of a nightmare. Yuru-kyara often make appearances … Read more
“If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world.” ‒ Ludwig Wittgenstein Do you agree with this quote? I know I do. Many languages have beautiful and unique words which cannot be translated precisely. These words often represent concepts which are so unique to that culture, there is simply no equivalent … Read more
The 12 zodiac signs or juunishi (十二支) are an important element of Japanese culture, especially when a new year rolls in. It is part of the astrological system called eto (干支). The Japanese zodiac uses special kanji characters that are different from the usual characters for each animal. The Japanese zodiac is separated into 12 … Read more
Did you know that the famous saying ‘fall down seven times, stand up eight’ actually originated from Japan? Japanese quotes go way back, rooted in cultural practices and philosophy. Japanese proverbs or kotowaza (諺 / ことわざ) can be used in daily conversation or literature. There are three types of kotowaza: Though idioms are very common, … Read more