Love Japan? You’ll love these posts all about life in Japan and Japanese culture.
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
Are you new to anime? Maybe you’re reminiscing about some of your favorite childhood series? Whether you came from classics like Naruto or One Piece, or newer favorites like Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen, there are a lot of Japanese words you commonly hear in anime episodes. Some famous anime words can be used as … Read more
We can’t think of Japan without associating it with the word kawaii! Not only is kawaii (かわいい) an adjective to describe something that is ‘cute’, ‘lovely’, or ‘adorable’, but it is also part of a bigger culture in Japan. Kawaii culture encompasses the cute and quirky, from Harajuku fashion to anime and manga, mascots, games, … Read more
Do you have someone in your life who’s obsessed with Japan? (It’s ok if that person is you… I won’t tell anyone 😉 ) Are you looking for cool Japanese gift ideas for Christmas or a birthday? Start by checking out my list of dream Japanese themed gifts! I’ve put together this gift guide of … Read more
Ah, New Year! It’s the best time to gather and celebrate all around the world. Japan values the importance of New Year or shōgatsu (正月 / しょうがつ) as much as other countries do. In fact, Japanese new year celebrations are rich in tradition and festivities! Families and individuals begin their preparations as early as December, … Read more
Can you hear the jingle bells coming this way? Like most places around the world, Japan also celebrates Christmas, although there may be huge differences in their beliefs and traditions during the holidays. Roughly 1% of Japan’s population associate themselves with Christianity, but even so, Japanese from all over the country celebrate Christmas as a … Read more
Ever wondered what to do when celebrating your birthday in Japan? Or how the Japanese celebrate birthdays? Or most importantly – how to say ‘happy birthday’ in Japanese? We’ve got you covered! Up until the 1950s, celebrating birthdays in Japan was not customary. In fact, they considered every new year a common birthday for everyone! … Read more
The leaves are changing colour, the days are getting shorter, there’s a nip in the air… Autumn is here! (Or fall, depending on where you’re from ? ) Perhaps you already know that the seasons are very important in Japan. In Japanese culture, people honour the changes in the seasons with foods, drinks, customs, festivals … Read more