Zoos in Japan There are over 100 zoos in Japan. Ranging from large, crowd pleasing urban sprawls like the Ueno zoo to smaller ones like the one in the blog below, Inokashira park zoo. The biggest draws are obviously the large exotic mammals like elephants, giraffe and panda but there are also reptile areas with large selections of snakes as well as areas with smaller mammals. The lack of space...

Japanese proverbs or Kotowaza Japanese proverbs or kotowaza are often expressed in short form within 4 Kanji characters (or yojijukugo) or 5 Kanji characters. These can sometimes be further shortened to just two characters when the other person understands the meaning or context, thus making them a profound and succinct method of expression in spoken Japanese. Japonin(JOI) teacher, Chiharu...

Japanese horticulture The Japanese are flower-lovers and enjoy gardening during all seasons. Different flowers bloom at different times of year. One of the most popular flowers is Ipomoea nil or Japanese morning Glory which is also know by the name Japanese Asagao. Please read this interesting blog by Someya sensei, and find out more about the culture behind this beautiful flower in Japan. 朝顔...

Japanese word games One good way to learn Japanese pronunciation is practising Japanese word games. One of these are Tongue Twisters which are a great way to practice vocabulary as well. Below is a blog which is about a child's game which is similar to tongue twisters but has a quirky psychological twist to it. It's fun ! Yokozuka sensei, one of the Japanese teachers at Japonin(JOI) online...

Limited time goods in Japan There are many seasonal goods and goods available for a limited time only on sale in Japan. Especially sweets and drinks. Some tourists to Japan really enjoy looking for some rare “only in Japan” souvenir goods to take home and can find them almost anywhere now. Convenience stores, supermarkets and various shops try to increase sales by making certain goods available...

Japanese pentatonic scale There are many traditional intruments and songs in Japanese music history. Many of these are folk songs that have been passed down through the ages and are still popular today. In Japanese schools, school children often learn many of the traditional tunes and songs. In this blog by Oosawa sensei, a Japanese language teacher at Japonin(JOI) online school, she introduces...

Japanese field excursions and school trips In Japan the schools often organize school trips or field excursions usually for a whole grade which travels en masse to various destinations. In this blog for Japanese learners', Sakude sensei – one of the Japanese language teachers at Japonin(JOI), explains her experiences of this educational event in her life and her children's lives. Read this...

Public Transport in Japan Public transport in Japan varies from area to area. Some areas have modern and developed transportation systems whereas some rural areas have quaint slow train and bus systems that service the lesser populated parts of the country. In this Japanese learners' blog by Japonin(JOI) online school, Yatabe sensei has written a touching story, which is typical in Japan....

Japan Rice The staple diet of Japanese food or Washoku is rice. The Japonica rice is a short-grain, white rice strain of rice that is cultivated all over the country. Most of the crops are cultivated using small-farm farming methods and a few pesticides and fertilizers are used. Selective breeding also allows for larger harvests and improved cultivation results. In this blog by Japanese teacher...

Japanese crafts and handicrafts Japan is proud of its long history of producing fine crafts and handicrafts. Many of these are officially protected by the government and various local and national history organizations. Murahara sensei lives in Kagoshima prefecture in the south of Japan which, like many areas of the country, has some well-known crafts, and here she tells her personal...