Dentists in Japan There are a very very large number of dentists in Japan. Some people joke that there are more dentists than convenience stores or hair-dressers. Although this is obviously an exaggeration, there are a surprising number of private clinics in most cities in Japan. The quality of dental care can vary from clinic to clinic and for complicated or invasive surgery, many Japanese...

Hokkaido cuisine and food In Japan there are many places well know for their food, but the most popular one is probably Hokkaido. Hokkaido is famous for its fresh fish and dairy products. And in each local area, there are other special farming products and specialty cuisines. In this fascinating blog by a Japanese language teacher, Sayuri Itaya sensei explains one of the highlights of the...

Bugs in Japan Japan is a country with various seasons and between the spring and fall seasons, you have the rainy season and the sweltering hot summer. It is these seasons that bring out the bugs and insects in Japan. From mosquitos to caterpillars and from dragonflies to centipedes, you will find a host of harmless and slightly harmful bugs all over the country. In this really charming and...

in Japan There has been a fad in recent years in Japan involving manhole covers. And if you see the various designs that can be found all over the country, it is easy to see why this fad has taken so much traction and how it continues to hold more and more people's interests. In this blog by Japanese teacher Yuki Kamiyama, you can read about how this new fad is being used by local...

Summer in Japan Japanese summer season is hot and can be very humid. The humidity is one of the most difficult things to overcome of you have never experienced anything like it. If you travel in Japan between June and September, prepare for the weather by packing a number of t-shirts so that you can change out of one when you get sweaty and also carry a fan to help with the heat. In this...

Enjoying Tokyo Tokyo has some impressive urban tourist spots that attract a lot of visitors every year. But there are also some green pockets of beauty and nature that can be enjoyed within the metropolis too. In this interesting blog by Japanese teacher Izumi Yanaka, she explores one of these beautiful locations. You can listen to Yanaka sensei read the blog herself, and learn how to pronounce...

The Japanese National High School Baseball Championship The Japanese National High School Baseball Championship is organized by the Japan High School Baseball Federation and the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. It is one of the most-watched and loved sporting events in the Japanese sporting calendar. It usually takes place in August during the summer school vacation period. Teams from all over Japan...

Houses in Japan The Japanese are very house-proud people. There are often two distinct patterns of residences in Japan: the single-family detached house and the multiple-unit building. Old Japanese houses can be very quaint and it is enjoyable to drive out of the cities into rural Japan to see some beautiful examples of well-designed architecture and meticulously kept gardens. The constant...

Japanese cars The Japanese car industry is one of the top three car manufacturing industries in the world. Toyota holds the position for the leading manufacturer in the world and Japanese car makers are among the most trusted makers internationally. The Toyota Prius made headlines as one of the first hybrid cars and is leading the field in more eco-friendly car brands. In this Japanese learners...

Japanese traditional fermentation Traditional Japanese food and drink culture is considered one of the healthiest in the world, and the process of fermentation has a heavy influence on this from sake to soy sauce. These processes, although they have some overlap, are very individual crafts that create tastes and flavours that are distinct to each area and each maker. The history of these...