A foreigner’s guide to Japanese honorific, humble and polite forms.

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.

If you have heard san, sama, kun and chan before, then you know that in Japan, you just simply do not call people by their names! Or you would be very rude. Indeed, to address someone or speak about someone, you need to use the “Japanese honorific title”. To navigate Japanese society smoothly, you should […]

Half Spanish and Russian, Marina grew up in a creative and multicultural environment between Switzerland, Spain and Russia. She studied in an Haute Couture School in Paris, focused on Fashion Design. With foreign cultures as a strong inspiration, she particularly admired Japan and she decided to focus her new collection on Japanese culture. What inspires […]

How to Use: お先に失礼します! (Osaki ni Shitsureishimasu!) Ended Work…?Meaning of お先に失礼します(Osaki ni Shitsureishimasu)…Replying to Osaki ni Shitsureishimasu…Leaving for a Short Trip/Errand… Ended Work…? Finally you’re done with your tasks of the day. The clock is ticking the end of your shift. Among the lucky ones, you are working in a good company. You don’t have to […]

Otsukaresama desu is a key phrase that you will need to master if you plan to work in a Japanese office.

Preparing for your Japanese Job Interview? If you’ve been dreaming of working in Japan, and you’ve finally received a job interview proposition, then now is the time to learn how to prepare for a Japanese job interview.If you are not familiar with how you can work in Japan, check out our guide for working in […]

  Japanese Etiquette & MannersPlease go ahead…Going the extra mile to be even more Polite Japanese Etiquette & Manners Travelling abroad forces us to reconsider our manners and to think about the other culture’s rules. For many expatriates in Japan adapting to the local culture is not always an easy change! Behaviors, rules, manners can […]

  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 […]

Sending something abroad… Sample Dialogue Vocabulary & Useful Phrases   Sending something abroad… Many challenges await expatriates in Japan. The small actions of daily life may become mountains to cross, and one of them is dealing with the Japanese post office. Sending a letter might not be difficult, but sending a package can prove to be […]