Learn Japanese Blog

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 […]

When leaving the office for your well-deserved winter holidays, don’t forget to wish your Japanese colleagues a Happy New Year with the correct expression! You may have learned the phrase 明けましておめでとうございます which translates Happy New Year. However, you can only use this greetings from first of January! If you have the unfortunate idea to greet your […]

Time passed quickly and here we are, already in December! It’s the perfect time to introduce a Japanese custom called “bounenkai”. Written “忘年会” in kanji, the phrase literally means “to forget the year party”. Composed of the kanji for “to forget (忘), the year (年) and gathering (会), a 忘年会 is a gathering of friends or coworkers, forgetting the unpleasant […]

This is an older post – to see our upcoming monthly events – click here Monthly Events at Coto Go for Lunch!　Kagurazaka area ランチツアー！ 神楽坂 Thursday, December 3rd  12:30-13:50 in Kagurazaka Let’s go for lunch together and explore Iidabashi-Kagurazaka district! We will advise you some of the top restaurants of the area. Discover the delicious […]

What so special about the kotatsu table? Foreigners traveling around Japan during the winter are often very surprised by how cold Japanese homes can be. They wonder why such an advanced country is incapable of heating houses. Indeed, whether traditional or western, most Japanese homes don’t provide any type of isolation from the cold. One might […]

Are you currently studying Japanese? If so, then you might be interested in knowing more about the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, in short, the JLPT!  Launched in 1984 as a biannual testing service by the Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges & Services, the JLPT is a tool to evaluate and certify the Japanese proficiency of […]

Momiji and KouyouWhen do I get to see these?What can I do in Autumn?   If you’re planning on visiting Japan, you should make the trip twice! Once in the spring to experience the cherry blossoms, and again in autumn to witness the beautiful sight of the tree leaves turning red (Momiji)! Momiji and Kouyou […]

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 also sound more like a native speaker and surprise your Japanese friends! It also provides an insight into the Japanese culture. Let’s learn the expression “mazakon”. […]

If you are interested in the Japanese marketing culture, you might have come across the expression “arasaa market”. As one can guess, arasaa is not originally a Japanese word, but a Japanese – English made expression, short for “araundo sati”, the Japanese pronunciation of “around thirty”. “Arasaa market” refers to the market of around 30 years old people. The […]

Finally, you are living the dream here in Tokyo! Do you enjoy discovering Japanese culture and traditional food? If so, you will have a great time discovering this wonderful city and most probably be taken by a shopping fever. If you lack clothes or are in need for a wardrobe change, it is time for you to explore one of the many […]

When you are learning a foreign language, studying slangs 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. Moreover, slang gives you an interesting point of view on society. Let’s learn more about the expression “moto kare“【元カレ】 and “moto […]

This is an older post – to see our upcoming monthly events – click here Monthly Events at Coto Go for Lunch!　Kagurazaka area ランチツアー！ 神楽坂 Wednesday, November 4th  12:30-13:50 in Kagurazaka Kagurazaka is beloved for its lingering Edo period atmosphere. Each month, there are lunch tours to places in immediate walking distance from Coto. In November, […]