Ganbare (頑張れ) or ganbatte (頑張って) is a Japanese phrase that means “Come on!” “Let’s go!” or “Go for it!” in English.

If you’ve ever lived in Japan and handled paperwork in the city hall, you might have stumbled across a date that made you pause. Instead of 2025, you see something like 令和7年 (Reiwa 7). This isn’t a typo. It’s Japan’s unique calendar system (和暦, wareki), where years are tied to the reign of each emperor. […]

Want to learn some of Japan’s no-no words? We’ll be going over some of Japan’s Swear Words that you probably should not be using. They can range from kind of insulting to you’ll get punched if you say this. Read on to learn more!

What is your name in Japanese? Use this Japanese name generator to find out how to say your name in Japanese.

Saying ‘no’ in Japan is a tricky subject. The Japanese will rarely give a direct no to an answer, preferring instead to give an indirect answer that conveys the message of no.

The bonodori is a spiritual dance to welcome the spirits. Every region has a local dance and a different music.

We’ll introduce each day of the week with its Japanese name, pronunciation, and useful tips to help you remember them quickly. Let’s get started!

Learning the Japanese days of the week and months of the year is one of the easiest lessons that you will have. Let’s start with the days of the week.

In Japanese, the word “どうも” (doumo) is a very versatile and frequently used word that can mean a few different things depending on the context.  どうも, pronounced “dou-mo,” is a phrase you’d come across when you’re eating in at an izakaya or a restaurant. You can also use it to thank someone. You can also […]

Kanji can be beautiful, but some of them can also be downright intimidating. While most learners start with simple characters like 日 (day) or 木 (tree), Japanese writing also hides a few monsters: characters so complex and rare that even native speakers may pause before reading or writing them. So what are the most difficult […]