Summer (夏) Photo Contest 2016! Coto Japanese Academy’s Summer Photo Contest is here! Win up to  10,000 yen worth of exciting prizes by uploading the best photo you have taken in this Summer! How to Participate? Post your photo on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #cotoacademy Contest Duration: 3rd August 2016 – 22nd August 2016 Photo Requirements: Theme: […]

In this blog, we will tell you everything you need to know about taboos to avoid while using chopsticks! We know very well that using Japanese chopsticks is quite a challenge at first. However, with a bit of practice, you will soon be a natural! Did you know? The size of your hands matters when it comes to finding the […]

This is an older post – to see our upcoming monthly events – click here Monthly Events at Coto Coto events in August are so exciting! Lunch Tour, a Beer Garden Party, two Japanese cooking classes, Calligraphy class and… a Sumie class for you to discover Japanese culture.  Go for Lunch! Kagurazaka area ランチツアー！ 神楽坂 Thursday, […]

David Ishikawa restarted his career as a UI/UX designer in Japan exactly where he wanted after completing a six-month Japanese language course. David first came to Japan in 2004. He stayed in Tokyo and Osaka for business and sightseeing and immediately fell under the country’s spell. I’m not alone in this thought, but I’m interested in […]

IntroductionItadakimasu (いただきます)Gochisousamadesu (ごちそうさまです) Eating in Japan: Using Itadakimasu and Gochisousamadesu Ever wondered about the meaning of the most important Japanese expressions for meal? Clapping hands together. “Itadakimasu!” This is an aspect of the Japanese culture which is well-known and loved by many. Simply ask any of our students for the reason of coming to Japan, […]

Japanese Summer is finally around the corner and despite the heat in this season, there are many things to enjoy. Time for you to boost your conversation with 20 perfect Japanese seasonal words for summer! This time of year, festivals are held continuously which hyped up the summer spirit. What is summer without dressing up in […]

We like to think some constants are with no doubt universal and shared by everyone. For instance, sounds that animals make. They don’t have change from one country to another. But here you are in Japan, learning that dogs say “wan wan” instead of “woof, woof”. Welcome to the world of Japanese animal onomatopoeia! Animal-related OnomatopoeiaOther […]

This is an older post – to see our upcoming monthly events – click here Monthly Events at Coto Coto events in July are so promising! Lunch Tour, Calligraphy Class, a Special Kyushu Night and… a Japanese Sword Experience! Lunch Tour in Kagurazaka ランチツアー in 神楽坂 Thursday, July 7th 12:30-13:50 It’s the time of the […]

This summer marks the 16th anniversary of Coto Japanese Academy, from its early foundation as the Iidabashi Language School in 2000. Started by 4 staff in a small apartment, we have grown to a fully staffed school, caring to provide the best services to our students. I am so delighted to be able to celebrate […]

Japanese calligraphy is not only an important part of Japanese culture but also a relaxing and fun way to practice your Kanji! If you are troubled by Kanji studies, why don’t you take a break with some brushes and ink?   Japanese Calligraphy’s History & PhilosophyMore than Holding a Brush and Drawing StrokesTools commonly used […]