Luckily, with a little bit of crash course, you’ll be able to understand the social cues of the art of saying thank you in Japanese.

This is an older post – to see our upcoming monthly events – click here Monthly Events at Coto Cooking class　料理クラス Wednesday, May 13th 12:40-13:55 in Coto Japanese Academy Oshi-zushi Did you know that there are various different ways to make sushi? These include nigiri-zushi, maki-zushi, temaki-zushi, chirashi-zushi, and oshi-zushi. In this event, we will […]

In Japan, a mysterious sickness to a foreign eye appears every year around May. Termed as the May sickness, 五月病（ごがつびょう） is not a specific disease per se, but more a disorder created by the rhythm of the Japanese year. April marks the start of a new school semester, and for most Japanese companies, this is also a popular hiring […]

Coto’s Spring Photo Contest is FINALLY here! All you have to do to take part is to post a picture of your experience during Springtime in Japan and you stand a chance to win up to 10,000yen worth of exciting prizes! Contest details Theme: Japan’s Spring in 2015 Contest Period: 27th April to 18th May […]

Coto’s Spring 春 photo contest entries! 1.九段下、千鳥が淵/ Chidorigafuchi, Kudanshita Submitted by Tunimaal, With the sakuras surrounding you, the light breeze that brushes past your face as you row the river, what a beautiful image of spring!   2.新宿、ゴールデン街/GoldenGai, Shinjuku Submitted by Alex Guevara. Golden Gai has long been a staple of nightlife in Japan, have […]

Skiing & Snowboarding Tour in Myoko Ikenotaira When one talks about winter in Japan, the topic of skiing is sure to come up! Although Hokkaido is famous for powder snow, Niigata and Nagano also have many magnificent skiing areas, located just 2 – 3 hours away from Tokyo. At Coto Japanese Academy, skiing and snowboarding […]

Have you ever seen a sumo match? On Sunday 8th February, we watched a professional sumo wrestling competition at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan sumo hall! Unlike normal, where the wrestlers tour Japan for their matches, this was a one day tournament. Other than the tournament, there was also a Children VS Wrestlers competition and a Comic […]

After leaving a position at a San Francisco-based design company that he built up impressively, Josf decided to challenge himself in Japan, a completely new environment. I talked to Josf about the miraculous start he’s made building his career as a graphic designer.

This is an older post – to see our upcoming monthly events – click here Monthly Events at Coto Japanese Cooking Event! Okonomi-yaki, yakisoba and more! Do you like Japanese cooking? Because eating out is so common in Japan, perhaps many of you have had Japanese food in restaurants but haven’t made it at home. […]

  What does “Muri Shinai De” Mean?When can I use it?In Daily Contexts… What does “Muri Shinai De” Mean? Japanese people have at heart to care for others. In Japan, you often hear the expression “muri shinai de”. Broadly speaking, the phrase means “don’t overdo it” or “take it easy”. The expression shows that you care about […]