Wildlife in Hokkaido The island of Hokkaido in the north of Japan is home to a variety of indigenous wildlife. There are unique species of bear, deer and fox as well as a number of plants that cannot be found anywhere else. In this blog by Japanese teacher Sayuri Itaya, the teacher introduces a very cute animal that can be found in Hokkaido prefecture. Please read the blog in Japanese, study the...

Bread in Japan Bread first arrived in Japan with the Portuguese in the 16th Century. After that Japan became closed to trade for 400 years, until the end of the Edo period, so it was not until the last few centuries that bread eating became popular in Japan. There are many bakeries all over Japan and many types of bread that are unique to Japan. In this blog for Japanese learners, Japanese teach...

Kimono in Japan The traditional dress of Japan is the kimono (着物). In the past, it was worn as everyday wear by women but recently Japanese people wear it for special occasions such as weddings, funerals and some traditional events. The style and color of the kimono can depend on the occasion and also the person's age and whether a woman is married or not. Many students wear kimonos and hakama f...

Pets in Japan Japan is often seen as a crammed country with little space for people to live, let alone with pets.But pets are extremely popular here and pet owners and animal services are some of the most caring in the world. There were an estimated 8.49 million dogs and 9.64 million cats being kept by owners in the country. And the pandemic has also seen a dramatic rise in pet ownership in Japa...

Traditional Japanese New Year The New Year is one of the most celebrated season in Japan. Japanese people decorate the fronts of their houses and businesses and sometimes even cars with New Year decorations. There are many TV specials and special food to mark the different days. People also visit shrines and pray for the coming year. In this blog for Japanese learners, explains one of the last c...