News and resources

10 Japanese Dad Jokes to Learn

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 […]

How to Say “I Understand” in Japanese (And When Wakarimasu is Wrong)

The easiest way to say “I understand” in Japanese is わかります (wakarimasu, meaning “to understand”), but it doesn’t always capture every nuance. Similar to English, the phrases “I know,” “I understand,” and “I comprehend” carry subtly different meanings despite their similarity. In Japanese, this complexity runs even deeper, since certain phrases can sound more polite […]

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Coto Academy Course Price Update for 2026

Coto Academy has always been committed to providing the highest-quality Japanese lessons at the fairest price possible. That commitment hasn’t changed since 2000, and it’s thanks to our students, staff, and teachers that we’ve grown so much over the years. To maintain the level of lesson quality you deserve, we’ve made the decision to adjust […]

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