Understand Better Keigo: Japanese Honorific Prefixes お and ご

Introduction Rules of Japanese Honorific Prefixes Frequent Expressions Japanese Polite Prefixes When learning the Japanese respectful speech called Keigo, the attention is often focused on verbs construction and the social relations between a speaker and a listener. However, Keigo covers more than set expressions and situational examples, and in particular Japanese uses Honorific Prefixes. Most of […]

Coto’s events in May, 2016

This is an older post – to see our upcoming monthly events – click here Monthly Events at Coto We are planning the following events in May 2016. Please send your request for participation to info@cotoacademy.com Lunch Tour in Kagurazaka ランチツアー in 神楽坂 Friday, May 6th 12:30-13:50 Each month, there are lunch tours to places […]

Spring (春) Photo Contest 2016!

Spring (春) Photo Contest 2016! Coto’s Spring Photo Contest is HERE! Win up to  10,000 yen worth of exciting prizes by uploading the best photo you have taken in this Spring! How to Participate? Simply upload your photo and share with us why this photo is so special to you on either of the following social media […]

Sushi in Japanese: How to go about ordering in a restaurant

Eating Sushi is a must when coming to Japan, but can you order Sushi in Japanese? We don’t want you to have that problem during this wonderful experience   Origins of SushiWalking into a Sushi RestaurantAppreciating your SushiTypes of Sushi MealsFrequently Asked Questions regarding eating SushiConclusion  Origins of Sushi Sushi embarked its journey around the […]

Learning to say Good Morning in Japanese: Ohayougozaimasu, Ohayou

Greeting in the Morning Be the first to say it! Other Morning Greetings In a Working Environment… Greeting in the Morning Ohayou gozaimasu! おはようございます! Good morning! Having a good command of Japanese greetings is the first step towards building smooth relationships in Japan. Whether you are coming for a short trip or for a few […]

Interview with Marina, Fashion designer in Japan

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 […]

Japanese “Kira Kira” Names – A New Trend In Japanese Culture

  IntroductionWhat exactly are the “Kira Kira” Names (キラキラネーム)?Why the “Kira Kira” Names?“Kira Kira” Names 2015 Ranking! What Are Japanese Kira Kira Names? Lately, trending Japanese baby names are shifting towards a new unknown level of weirdness. Ever heard of “Kira Kira” names? Literally meaning “sparkly” or “shiny”, those are bizarre names sounding completely different from […]