Interestingly, ‘I miss you’ doesn’t have an exact counterpart in Japanese. But of course, Japanese people are not exempt from the feeling of missing someone or something, so what do they say? Although there is not a direct translation for ‘I miss you’ in Japanese, there are some phrases which convey the same sentiment. The … Read more

It is widely known that Japan has a culture of utmost courtesy and politeness. So, although your curiosity may push you to ask ‘why, why, why?’, it is important not to be overly intrusive when speaking with your Japanese acquaintances. The standard way to say ‘why’ in Japanese is naze (なぜ). In this post, we … Read more

If you go to Japan, hopefully you will experience a lot of happy times during your visit!  But how would you express this happiness in Japanese conversations? The two most common ways to say ‘happy’ in Japanese are ureshii (嬉しい / うれしい) and shiawase (幸せ / しあわせ). Generally, ureshii describes that temporary feeling of joy … Read more

Seeing as our earth revolves around the sun, it is safe to say that it is a central entity in our lives, whether it be culturally, religiously or otherwise. For many cultures, including Japanese culture, the sun represents light and energy. Japan is even known as the Land of the Rising Sun! So, let’s get … Read more

The moon is considered one of the most beautiful sights to behold from our earth. That is why it is a common depiction in various stories, artworks, songs and more. If you look to Japan, you will also find that the moon is referenced in abundance throughout its culture and mythology.  The word for moon … Read more