In Japanese, you can say Happy New Year with various expressions, so let’s get familiar with a few phrases.

Have you ever wanted to ask someone you are romantically interested in out on a date in Japan? The most straightforward way to do so in Japanese is デートしませんか (Deeto shimasen ka), which means “Would you like to go on a date?” While this is technically correct, you might notice that not a lot of […]

Have you heard of yoji jukugo? Piece of cake, break the ice, and cut corners – these are all short idioms we use all the time, and in Japan, they have something similar called 四字熟語 (yojijukugo). A yojijukugo is a Japanese phrase consisting of four kanji. Just like in English, yojijukugo are very popular since […]

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.

How do you say “I love you” in Japanese while hitting all the right nuances and intentions? In Japanese, romantic is often viewed through two distinct lenses: 恋 (koi) and 愛 (ai). 恋 (koi) refers to romantic love or the initial spark of attraction. Interestingly, Japanese uses the same figure of speech as English when […]

Japanese proverbs, or ことわざ (kotowaza), are a great way to spice up and improve your language skills with more figurative speech. Exploring outside the typical methods of memorizing kanji and vocabulary, kotowaza can teach you how to use more nuanced phrases.  Plus, they can help you dive deeper into Japanese culture. Kotowaza paint a picture […]

From traditional martial arts rooted in its culture like Judo and Karate to modern sports like kickboxing, Japan is one of the best places to train in combat sports.

Are you going to live in Japan? Better prepare yourself with a Japanese self-introduction, or a jikoshoukai. Early in your Japanese study, this language knowledge will help you establish yourself among Japanese friends and colleagues. You will need to introduce yourself in Japanese in various contexts (such as school, work, parties, etc.). What should you […]