Disasters in Japan Japan with its floods, landslides, typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions is one of the countries most affected by natural disasters. There are many innovative designs and ideas to prevent devastation and loss of life in the country, yet there are always some casualties in this nation whenever nature strikes. In this thoughtful blog by Japanese teacher Murahara sensei,...

Japanese Origami The word Origami (折り紙) comes from the Japanese word ori meaning folding, and kami meaning paper. This pastime became popular during the Edo period, and in modern times the term Origami has come to include styles from a lot of different countries other than Japan. In this Japanese language blog, Ueno sensei introduces her favorite Origami. See if you can make it ! Watch the video...

Japanese old sayings and proverbs There are countless Japanese proverbs. Some come originally from Chinese ancient texts, and others are translations of universal proverbs that have origins in Europe or Shakesperean wisdom. Yet, some other Japanese proverbs are derived from the unique Japanese culture, Zen Buddhism and just old adages that ring true even over the stretch of time. Many Japanese...

Japanese stationary Japanese design and innovation is well known in various fields from vehicles to robotics. But you can also enjoy some cute and interesting designs closer to home. Stationary is another area in which there are some unique products and advanced technology. The mechanical pencil is one such innovation but in this blog for Japanese learners, we explore the world of erasers. Young...

Japanese manga and anime dialogue Manga and Anime originate from a distinctly Japanese style of art. This art form has grown and expanded abroad, sprouting many homage styles and events. One of the most loved parts of Manga and Anime is not just the art but the characters and in particular, the dialogues spoken by each character. In this useful Japanese learning blog by the Japanese teachers at...

Flower Parks in Japan In Japan, with its four distinct seasons, offers a wide variety of flowers which bloom at different times during the seasons. All over Japan, you can find many beautiful and popular flower gardens which are often filled with local tourists as well as foreign visitors. The flowers that can be seen are often native Japanese blossoms, but there are some parks that plant...

Japanese fruit trees Japan is country with a great tradition of farming. The quality of their fruits is really astounding and one really has to come to Japan to taste their flavours. Although it has limited arable land (only 12% of its land is used for farming), the intensity of the farming and the focus on the quality rather than the quantity in many farms, is perhaps why the competitive world...

The 7-5-3 Ceremony Shichi-Go-San or the 7-5-3 Ceremony is a traditional festival day in Japan for three- and seven-year-old girls and three- and five-year-old boys. The ceremony dates back to a traditional rite of passage from Samurai times and is still continued today by people from all walks of life. In this weekly blog for students who are learning the Japanese language, one of the Japanese...

Japanese modern musicians The Japanese music scene is a vibrant one with many young up-and-coming musicians and respected veterans in many fields and genres. Live music in Japan is also very popular. There are many livehouses, small venues, concert halls and large stadiums in which musicians of many different levels of skill and fame can connect with their fan bases in acoustically unique...