One of the most surprising things about getting a hot bowl of ramen in Japan is that you often have to order from a vending machine. Most ramen specialty stores have you select and pay for your choice of ramen at a vending machine, or rather a meal ticket machine called 食券機 (shokkenki) in Japanese. […]

Here’s everything you need to know about Japan’s increased visa fees and departure tax coming in 2026.

Japanese horror are not just cheap thrills but are some of the most influential movies ever made from Godzilla to cinematic masterpieces.

It is well-known that the Japanese language is considered one of the hardest languages to learn. According to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), which trains U.S. diplomats and government officials in languages and cultures, Japanese is classified as a “Super-Hard” language. But there’s an important caveat: FSI’s rankings are based on how long it takes […]

Anime, for many of us, holds a special place in our hearts, whether it’s because of the moving stories, the characters, or the incredible songs. The music score in anime is a big part of what makes these stories deeply moving. For instance, whenever we think of Ghibli, we inadvertently associate every work with its […]

As summer humidity fades and fireworks and matsuri festivals come to an end, Tokyo enters one of its most enchanting seasons: autumn. While spring’s cherry blossoms often steal the limelight, the city’s fall foliage, known as momiji, offers a quieter, equally mesmerizing beauty. From brilliant crimson maples to golden ginkgo trees, the changing leaves transform […]

Long before the anime craze, manga boom, or iconic games developed by Nintendo, Japanese people, like the rest of the world, enjoyed traditional games as a primary form of entertainment.

What ghosts or creatures chronicled in Japanese folklore are lurking among the shadows, or perhaps hidden in plain sight?

Check out all the ways to say “No problem!” in Japanese. Next time someone apologizes, you can say something besides the usual “Daijoubu desu”.

Learn fall-related Japanese vocabulary to prepare you for Japan’s coziest season!