Japanese new words In many languages including English, there is a growing number of words as modern vocabulary increases. Technology and trends change, and create an addition to the jargon used in every day speech. In Japanese too, there are always new words added to the vocabulary. Some are imported into the language and use the Katakana alphabet to write them. Some are new uses of old words...

Japanese national TV station NHK apan, like almost every other nation, has a national broadcasting corporation which began as a radio broadcasting network in the 1930s and began TV broadcasts in 1950. There are now several NHK channels including satellite and digital channels. Users are required to purchase a license fee (although this is continually a point of contention among many citizens)....

Japanese traditions and superstitions Japan is a country with various traditions and superstitions. There are many traditions surrounding food and superstitions surrounding death and making a mistake can be a big taboo in the country. Learning the best way to navigate the world of Japanese cuisine and traditions can be difficult. I would advise eating out with Japanese people and finding out...

Japanese winter cuisine Japanese cuisine or Washoku has seasonal dishes that are popular all over the country. Some dishes feature ingredients that are particular to a certain region of the country like crab dishes from Hokkaido. And yet others are ubiquitous around Japan with the ingredients changing not only from area to area, but from family to family too. Ueno sensei introduces one of these...

Advanced level Japanese The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test or JLPT, is an internationally recognized test to evaluate Japanese language ability for non-native speakers, covering language knowledge, reading ability, and listening ability. The highest level of the test is the JLPT N1 level. This test level's curriculum is covered at Japonin(JOI) online school in the Advanced level classes....

Japanese literature Japan is a treasure trove for bookstores and literature. There are Nobel prize winning authors, and a large number of domestic book competitions and prizes that create a buzz in the local media like the Akutagawa Prize and the Naoki Prize, both awarded to new, up and coming artists. Bookstores in Japan feature a large selection of genres. And although the number of brick and...

Winter goods in Japan There are many great and fun winter goods sold in Japan. The recent proliferation of USB powered products means there are some very unique little designs to be found all over the country. Tourists from China, Korea and Taiwan seem to find the cheaper products in the Daiso 100 yen shops, the quirky fun goods in the Don Quixote shops and the unique and well-designed products...

Examinations in Japan The Japanese education system is dominated by examinations and a test-taking culture. As is common in East Asian and South East Asian societies, the competition of getting into higher education creates a “exam hell” that starts in the middle school years and continues into high school. The culmination is the university entrance challenge. There are a number of frightening...

Green Tea in Japan In England when we say, “I'd like a cuppa...” we mean a cup of black tea, with milk and or sugar added, but in Japan when someone says they'd like some tea, they usually mean a cup of green tea. Green tea is the most popular hot drink in Japan and is used in ceremonies (especially the tea ceremony) and is commonly paired with Washoku Japanese cuisine. The most well-known areas...

Apples in Japan Apple cultivation in Japan started in the pre-war Meiji period. The fruit has become one of the most popular fruits in the country and Japan has developed some of its own varieties. Many of these are exported and eaten all over the world. In this blog, Oosawa sensei, one of the Japanese teachers at Japonin(JOI) online school, explains about one of the most famous of these types...