Ever wondered about different ways to respond to “Thank you” in Japanese? In this article, we cover the various ways to say “You’re Welcome” in Japanese.

Ready to take intensive Japanese lessons in 2026? Check out the course calendar for Coto Academy and get started.

Discover the best of Tokyo this winter with dazzling illuminations, festive Christmas markets, seasonal events, and cozy spots to enjoy the holiday magic.

Whether you’re living in Japan or visiting short term, getting a haircut here can be an exciting experience to try out new hairstyles popular in this country. However, how do you communicate your haircut preferences in Japanese? Now, you may feel that trying out an exciting new hairstyle can turn out to be your worst […]

Japan celebrates its own Labor Thanksgiving Day earlier than American Thanksgiving, but if you’re craving an American-style feast, the biggest challenge often comes before the cooking even begins: finding a turkey. This hefty North American bird, roughly three times the size of a typical chicken, isn’t exactly a supermarket regular in Japan, which can make […]

If vocabulary and grammar make up the crux of the Japanese language, Japanese conjunctions are the glue that holds them together. Also called 接続詞 (setsuzokushi), these small but powerful words help you connect ideas, express contrast, show cause and effect, and make your sentences flow naturally. Of course, there are the basic conjunctions like “and” […]

Want to learn Japanese hiragana? In this blog, we share our own PDF learning Hiragana practice sheets and links to some popular apps for learning Japanese. Just started learning Japanese? Head to our main article about the Japanese writing system for a more comprehensive guide! Apps for Learning Hiragana If you are just getting started […]

While China and Japan may be relatively close geographically and both shape today’s cultural, economic, business, and pop culture landscapes, the Chinese and Japanese languages have clear distinctions. The Chinese language is estimated to be spoken by more than one-fifth of the world’s population. Japanese, on the other hand, is primarily spoken in Japan. And […]

As the year comes to a close, Coto Academy is bringing the holiday cheer early! From November 1 until December, new and continuing students can enjoy up to 10% off on select course packages when they make a purchase within the campaign period, regardless of when they start their classes. Whether you’re just beginning or […]

Apples and oranges. Walking and running. Swiftly and slowly. In English, connecting ideas is usually as simple as inserting the word “and” between two items. But in Japanese, expressing “and” is a bit more nuanced.  In fact, the language offers multiple ways to connect words, phrases, and even full sentences. This depends on what you’re […]