https://retty.me/area/PRE26/ARE108/SUB10801/100001080437/photos/?kind=1 A while ago, I wrote in an article that traditionally Japan has many days on which we are set…
海の日(うみのひ)
浄土ヶ浜 2005 Today is the first day of a long weekend in Japan because Monday is a public holiday called…
七夕(たなばた)
https://irotoridori.biz/how-to-make-a-fashionable-tanabata-ornament 七夕(たなばた) is translated as “Star Festival” and is observed on 7 July in many parts of Asia. It is…
Gion Festival 祇園祭(ぎおんまつり)
https://www.kyokanko.or.jp/gion/gyoji.html コンコンチキチン、コンチキチン This is the sound of Kyoto in July. The Gion Festival starts on the 1st of July and…
水無月
https://www.mizuha-kitagawa.com/?p=278 On 1 June, I talked about the word 水無月(みなづき)but today I’m talking about the confectionery in Kyoto called 水無月.…
5-yen coin
5-yen coins These are 5 yen coins. A 5 yen coin is the only Japanese coin which does not carry…
Japanese children clean their own classroom every day.
After the game in which Japan beat Colombia at the world cup, footage of Japanese soccer fans collecting their own…
六月二十日(ろくがつはつか)
My students tell me remembering dates in Japanese is a nightmare. Yes, I understand. But don’t worry, even if you…
蹴鞠(けまり) – Ancient soccer game in Japan!
The World Cup soccer is on. I wonder how far Australia and Japan can go? Did you know that the…
梅干し(うめぼし, umeboshi) – pickled plums
Last week I talked about 梅雨(つゆ、the rainy season). Some of you may have wondered why 梅雨 has the character 梅…
When to use "-san" after somebody’s name and when not
In Japan it is considered extremely rude to call somebody’s name, first name or last name without an honorific title (suffix) afterwards. So what should you do?
Aren’t you making a mistake of believing that this is the correct way of bowing in Japan?
The image below is the cover photo of a CD from a famous actor in Japan. Aren’t you making a…