To honor Emperor Naruhito’s birthday on February 23 in the current Reiwa period, we take a look at the origins of this holiday, the monarchy, and how Tokyo is involved.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn Japanese while enjoying your vacation in Tokyo. Sign up for our 5-Day Golden Week Special Course today!

They might have the same meaning, but sou そう, mitai みたい, rashii らしい and ppoiっぽい have different nuances and distinctions.  

From understanding the exam format to studying effectively, I’ll explain in detail how I passed JLPT N4, the resources I used and how I stayed motivated. 

Created as a day to honor and give thanks to the blessings of the mountains, Mountain Day (Yama no Hi) was officially announced in 2014. Here’s what the holiday is about, and how you can celebrate it in Tokyo.

Japan is the only nation to have a public holiday dedicated to the oceans. So, why is Marine Day important and how can we all celebrate it together?

Celebrated every year on March 3, Hinamatsuri goes by different names: Japan’s Doll Festival, Girl’s Day and formerly Peach Festival (Momo no Sekku).

There’s only “me”, “myself” and “I” in English, but when it comes to Japanese first-person pronouns, the options are seemingly endless.

Due to its somewhat controversial origins, National Foundation was abolished following the post-war constitution, but it subsequently bounced back 20 years later. We wonder, does it still hold the same meaning?

Similar to the language, how Japanese people celebrate New Year is different — although not entirely. There’s the usual fireworks, close-knit dinners and snuggles. But heavy in culture and hundreds of years of tradition, you’ll find families and friends making their first shrine visit of the year, buying lucky bags called fukubukuro and sending New […]