Click Here to join our 30 day challenge to learn Hiragana Origins of Japanese Written AlphabetsExamples of Change Differences between Hiragana and Katakana Origin of the Japanese Alphabets Originally, the Japanese language did not have a phoenetic writing system. Around the fifth century, they starting using kanji, ideograms that were adopted from China and Korea. […]
In January, our students went on a Special Sentô Tour to discover the wonders of the traditional Japanese public baths and their artworks. The communal baths appeared in Japanese temple during Nara Era (710) but it is around the 13th century that commercial bathhouses opened across the country. The Showa Era (1926 – 1989) was the golden […]
Do you know how to apologize in Japanese correctly? Apologizing is an important part of the Japanese culture, and it’s something that our students always notice and ask about when they come to Japan. You will often see Japanese people saying sumimasen and bowing repeatedly, and you’ll hear it many times throughout your time […]
Every language has its jokes and word games, delightful and refreshing for the minds. Japanese people are particularly fond of what they call “oyaji gag”, a type of joke very popular in the 80’s, made by combining same or similar sounding words. Literally the father’s gag, “親父ギャグ”, it would be more accurate to translate it […]
Did you know that in Japan, not so long after the New Year’s celebrations, Japanese people celebrate the festival of the Little New Year? Historically, the “koshougatsu” took place around mid-February, celebrating the first full moon of the year, but nowadays the festival takes place on the 15th of January. The rites and customs are celebrated […]
Who doesn’t like to learn more about slangs? We believe that when you are learning a foreign language, studying slang is a nice and fun way to widen your vocabulary. Not only will you speak more fluently but you will sound more like a native speaker. Bibiru is a funny word to pronounce, and an interesting point […]
You can learn a lot about Japan just by looking at its calendar. Full of surprises and very interesting facts, the Japanese calendar is a door to the traditions and culture of Japan. For example, did you know that the 7th of January is called “nanakusa no sekku”? Written “七草の節句”, nanakusa no sekku means the […]
Did you know that until the Meiji era, the Japanese New Year calendar was similar to the Chinese calendar? It was only until 1873 that the Japanese New Year changed for the Gregorian calendar, however, all the traditional customs were maintained. January is a great time to discover Japan! The Japanese New Year culture is also great occasion […]
Learn more about Japanese tradition and culture and discover the wonders of the New Year traditional dishes called “osechi ryouri” (おせち料理).
December and January are the busiest times for the Japanese post offices and it all come to one reason: the tradition of New Year‘s postcards (nengajo). And yes, it’s probably the biggest item on the calendar of annual events! New Year wishes postcard: 年賀状 年賀状 is composed of year 年, congratulations 賀 and 状, meaning circumstances. With the […]
