If you have ever read Japanese manga or novels, you might have noticed that the text is arranged vertically instead of horizontally. Even more unusual, you read from right to left instead of left to right. This is the Japanese vertical writing system, or 縦書き (Tategaki, “vertical writing”). It’s still the standard in novels, manga, […]

Some phrases work in so many situations, especially when you don’t need or want to be specific, and that’s exactly what makes やつ (yatsu) so useful. やつ is a phrase you don’t really learn from textbooks, but it’s something you use almost all the time, especially when you’re a bit uncertain. “Yatsu” is great go-to […]

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

Be warned: you are about to read the most groan-worthy Japanese dad jokes ever! 親父ギャグ (Oyaji gyagu), literally meaning “old man gags,” is the Japanese equivalent of “dad jokes.” They are characterized by cheesy puns, or ダジャレ in Japanese. Similar to English, Japanese puns are built on homophones, or words that sound the same but […]

You may have seen a movie or TV show set in Japan where characters greet each other by bowing. However, when doing it yourself, you might feel a bit awkward and think, “Am I doing something wrong?” You don’t want to be disrespectful while trying to be respectful, after all. So, how should you correctly […]

Ever wondered what real-life people inspired our favorite and most memorable anime characters? Every great character takes inspiration from somewhere, and often that inspiration comes from real-life icons we may have heard of. Writers frequently design their characters based on the image, life story, or even personality of real-life people, since sometimes facts can be […]

Vernal Equinox Day, also known as Shunbun no Hi (春分の日), is one of two Japanese public holidays that mark the times of the year when day and night are approximately equal in length. Shunbun no Hi is the first of two and typically falls between March 19 and March 22, hence it is often referred […]

Have you heard of yoji jukugo? Piece of cake, break the ice, and cut corners – these are all short idioms we use all the time, and in Japan, they have something similar called 四字熟語 (yojijukugo). A yojijukugo is a Japanese phrase consisting of four kanji. Just like in English, yojijukugo are very popular since […]