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 […]

  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 […]

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Japan? For me, it’s definitely the Japanese hospitality! Oshibori! Imagine if you are really cold right now, what would be the thing you yearn for the most? Warmth! That’s right! Especially when you are cold and hungry, you will naturally head […]

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 […]

  The Japanese Calendar sure can be a wonder for those who enjoy learning about the Japanese culture and traditions. Every month, with the exception of June, has a holiday. and with 20th March just around the corner lies Shunbun no Hi – the Spring Equinox Day, 春分の日. What is 春分の日 (Shunbun no Hi)?Cultural Beliefs What […]

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 […]

This is an older post – to see our upcoming monthly events – click here Monthly Events at Coto We are planning the following events in April 2016. Please send your request for participation to info@cotoacademy.com Ohanami party in Kitanomaru park お花見パーティin 北の丸公園 Sunday April 3rd, 12:00-17:00  in Kitanomaru park  Let’s enjoy the beginning of Spring […]

Did you know that Japan has about 100,000 family names, and probably just as many given names? Thanks to the wonders of Japanese characters, Japanese names are quite interesting to learn. They are a door to Japanese culture, history and traditions and studying them is a very good way to steady your knowledge of kanji through […]

In February, we visited beautiful 銭湯（せんとう） (public baths) with our students. Have you ever been to one? Do you know the manners to follow when taking a bath in a Japanese sento? If you don’t want to make a ‘gaijin mess’, we recommend you reading this article! Open between from 1 PM to 2 AM Japanese public baths […]