Meet Wa ! JOI Staff Blog

If you talk about tomorrow, a demon laughs. 「明日の事を言えば鬼が笑う」

What does that mean?

Today's idiom is great to use in a business setting.

What phrases do Japanese people use to say something is simple?

Japanese has some interesting idioms that can be used to make your spoken language sound even more impressive.

Did you know that some words that are originally English words have a different meaning in Japanese?

Ever had a hangover? What phrases do Japanese people use to express their feelings?

Do you know what kind of words we have in Japanese for when you catch a cold? Learn some useful Japanese vocabulary for winter!

Do you have a chance to communicate with some Japanese young people?

If yes, have you seen any new Internet Slang?

One word that is popular recently is "草".

Japanese recipes are among some of the most famous cuisines in the world.

Famous dishes include of course sushi and tempura.

But for "Soul Food" one of the perennial favorites is "肉じゃが".

Happy New Year from Japan!

We hope that you had a restful holiday season.

The word for new year in Japanese is  (正月, shōgatsu) .
But Japanese people often refer to it with the honorific prefix "O".
So they call it "Oshōgatsu".
This is because a new year, and the period leading up to and following the new year is regarded as a spiritual time.

Here are some ways in which Christmas in Japan is different.

The opening match for Japan in the Qatar World Cup was against Germany. And the hero of the match was Takuma Asano, who plays in the Bundesliga. Was this the "hidden advantage"?

November 11th has different meanings in different countries.
This blog explores some of the various ways the day is celebrated in the world.

The Japanese language has 3 writing methods. Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji.
The most difficult of these is Kanji. This is a nostalgic look back at one of Momii sensei's blogs.