The Japanese phrases しょうがない (shou ga nai) and 仕方がない (shikata ga nai) express your graceful resilience in situations out of our control. They communicate something that doesn’t translate neatly into English, and yet they are used all the time in Japanese.  So, let’s learn these uniquely Japanese expressions, how they express a Japanese cultural sentiment, […]

There are four basic Japanese greetings, or aisatsu (挨拶), that can be used at different times of the day. If you’re starting to learn Japanese, this will be the first thing you’re introduced to. After all, you don’t want to accidentally claim “Good morning” in the middle of the night or say “Have a good […]

With a history of almost 1300 years in Japan, we explore the origins of Children’s Day, its connections to China, and some of its most revered traditions.

Celebrated annually on 4th May, this relatively young is linked to one of Japan’s youngest colours.

On 3rd May 1947 the Constitution of Japan, also known as the “Peace Constitution” was signed, and this date has been a national holiday ever since.

The intention of Showa Day is to encourage reflection upon the years 1929-1989, otherwise known as the Showa Era – an intense time in Japan.

Japanese honorifics are suffixes or prefixes used to show respect or familiarity when addressing other people. How do you use them?

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.