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November 22, 2024
 

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VOCABULARY

Whether you see it as ceremonious or a “way” of living in the moment, the tea ceremony offers a chance to relax and think about the moment you are in.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 13, 2023
The linguistic influence of tea in Japan is more than ceremonial
The way of tea is one of inner peace and enjoying the moment. And it's good for understanding idioms, too.
The Nakamise shopping street running up to Senso-ji temple in Tokyo's Asakusa area was crowded with tourists this past summer.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 6, 2023
A year after borders fully opened, tourism vocab is also back
After tourists fully returned to Japan last October, so did a term we hadn't heard since before the pandemic: overtourism.
Take a moment to look up at the sky tonight, see if you can spot some lunar rabbits.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 29, 2023
An autumnal custom teaches Japan to appreciate the season
While not as popular as its springtime cherry blossom cousin, moon-viewing season still has its own specific customs.
Does a person have a duty to alert others when they see wrongdoing in a company? Or is it better to leave the gods untouched lest you be cursed?
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 21, 2023
A culture of silence vs. a culture of speaking up
The scandal at talent agency Johnny & Associates was made worse by a culture of “keeping the lid on a stinky thing.”
With more and more young people entering the workforce, terms that were once popular in the so-called bubble era are falling out of fashion.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 15, 2023
Outdated business jargon strikes out with Japan's Gen Z
Around 70% of survey respondents say jargon leads to misunderstandings that end up wasting time.
The typical priority seat section on a Japanese train will be well marked in numerous languages.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 8, 2023
The priority seats: Are they fair game on an empty train?
Japan is a society with many unspoken rules. Are you aware of the norms that govern your place of business?
A Japanese junior high school student stares off into space while in the classroom. If your child is distracted or preoccupied during lessons, it may be time to speak with their teacher.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 3, 2023
School is back. Is it time to have a word with the teacher?
It’s important to know how to speak to your child’s homeroom teacher at school so you can keep an eye on how they are doing.
A Japanese doctor helps a non-Japanese patient check in at the front desk of a hospital.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 25, 2023
Let’s get clinical: Navigating a trip to a Japanese hospital
You don't need to be stressed out about your linguistic ability when you check into a Japanese hospital, so brush up on some terms beforehand.
Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, attends an open dialogue with students at Keio University in June.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 17, 2023
AI, ChatGPT and the ‘creation’ of work with a human touch
Get to know the terminology involved with new artificial intelligence technology.
The "furoshiki" style of wrapping gifts takes advantage of a fabric that can be used more than once.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 10, 2023
Eco-friendly eating with a healthy helping of Japanese
Sustainability-related vocabulary isn't the only way to get your thoughts across on sustainable food practices in Japanese.
You may hear words like "kanshin" used when talking about baseball player Shohei Ohtani, but are people talking about "interest" or "admiration"?
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 3, 2023
Step on a rhyme to better understand Japanese homophones
Spending time to learn the Japanese language's many homophones can result in a better understanding of definitions — and it's fun.
Like other martial arts, aikido takes the concept of 気 (ki, spirit/mind) and incorporates it into the philosophy of the sport.  
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jul 28, 2023
Physically, spiritually and linguistically speaking, 'ki' is all around us
Often used to mean energy or spirit, the Japanese word "ki" can be seen in many different types of idioms and phrases.
Fast fashion concept. Woman chooses jeans in a store. Lots of clothes in the store. Fast Fashion Destroying Planet
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jul 21, 2023
Fashion, fast and slow: Discussing shopping ethics in Japanese
Whether it’s a trendy top from a chain store in Shibuya or a vintage piece from the backstreets of Kichijoji, know how to shop with a mind to sustainability in Japanese.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jul 14, 2023
Long story short, cont’d: Brevity rules in Japanese grammar
The Japanese don't just abbreviate their vocabulary, when you're short on time even grammatical structures can get the chop.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jul 7, 2023
Summer festivals like Tanabata are back in full force (yay!), and so is heatstroke (boo!)
Get to know the vocabulary surrounding symptoms of heatstroke, heat exhaustion and how to ask someone if they need help.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 30, 2023
Frugal phrases: Finding money-saving tips in Japanese
Cost-conscious Japanese shoppers know various tricks to try and save money. By beefing up on your economic terms, maybe you can get in on the deals.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 23, 2023
Politically speaking, how should Japan talk about gender?
When trying to pass legislation on topics dealing with the LGBTQ+ community, lawmakers found themselves using a katakana term as a compromise.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 15, 2023
Making a case for Japan’s right to brag about its four seasons
Sure, there are four seasons everywhere in the world. However, Japanese culture tends to treat them with a reverence that isn't observed elsewhere.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 9, 2023
Za grammar notes: How to properly handle the 'the' in Japanese
The Japanese have stripped 'the' down to one or two of a greater number of tasks that the word normally does in English. We know this process as semantic narrowing.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 2, 2023
Sorry to say, apologizing in Japanese isn't always such a big deal
From bumping into a stranger to making amends for a past wrong, it's important to know how to apologize in Japanese.
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Russia fired experimental ballistic missile at Ukraine, Putin says
Ukrainian firefighters work on a spot following an airstrike in Dnipro on Thursday.
Ishiba aggravates his own political failures with diplomatic faux pas
Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba is greeted at the APEC summit in Lima by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. The Japanese leader was criticized for remaining seated while meeting several world leaders at the event.
Japan's 3.31 million visitors in October set monthly record
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in December 2023. Famous autumn leaf colors contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe and North America, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
The slow-burn success of ‘A Samurai in Time’
A 19th-century warrior gets struck by lightning and wakes to find himself in 21st-century Kyoto in Junichi Yasuda’s surprise hit “A Samurai in Time.”
Around a quarter of Japan married couples in their 20s met through dating apps
A survey released by an organization promoting “Good Couples Day” shows that 24% of couples in their 20s met their marriage partner through a dating app.
'Tokyo Swindlers': Get deep into the minds of real estate con artists
In Ko Shinjo's "Tokyo Swindlers," a group of con artists manipulates real estate giants into falsified deals within the highly competitive, quick market.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world
mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world

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