Explore various aspects of Japanese culture, including traditional manners, customs, weddings, funerals, cross-cultural exchanges, history, recycling and reuse, sustainability, and cultural classes that shape life in Japan.
This page contains affiliate links. Kendo, or the "Way of the Sword," is a Japanese sport descended from the samurai swordsman style. A contest consists of two individuals armed with bamboo swords cal…
This page contains affiliate links. Japanese cleanliness is one of the country's defining characteristics that is often remarked upon by tourists and new residents. Everywhere you go, whether it be an…
This page contains affiliate links. When talking about Japanese cuisine, it is inevitable that noodles will enter the discussion at some point. As one of the staple foods of Japan, noodles have been s…
Taking care of garbage is an everyday part of life that we often do without thinking too much about it, but when living in a different country like Japan, it becomes necessary to learn a new system fo…
When it comes to business, Japan has a vastly different way of communicating compared to many Western countries; and those who fail to account for that difference often find themselves lost in the dis…
Noh is to modern Japanese theatre what Shakespeare is to English theatre, and then some. It is the oldest form of masked theatre (like Kabuki, Noh opts for the “theatre” spelling of the word) in the w…
This page contains affiliate links. Every year in late December the Japanese postal system is inundated with colorful post cards crisscrossing the country. These are 年賀状 (Nengajo) or New Year’s cards.…
This page contains affiliate links. Ninjas (also known as shinobi) have gained international fame over the centuries, both within Japan and abroad. Ironically, the very traits of secrecy and stealth t…
So, what is Kabuki theatre, really? To the first timer, it is oftentimes remembered as a jumble of color, fast action and archaic language few can understand. Plots are mysterious and centered largely…
Japan is one of the world's leading countries in food loss. Expressing "equivalent to every citizen throwing away one bowl of rice every day" is an effective way to convey the magnitude of the problem…
Like many other countries, Japan faces a severe problem with food waste. This issue occurs throughout the entire process of food production and consumption, leading to economic losses, environmental i…
The geisha is a world-famous Japanese symbol that is seldom understood outside of Japan. The geisha arts, a 250-year-old legacy, are fast fading, yet there are still sites in Japan where one may have…
In Japan, there are rules of etiquette suitable for interactions between acquaintances, between customers and shop assistants in shops and in all other social situations. These rules and customs are a…
This page contains affiliate links. For Western expats living in Japan, the frequency and occasions for giving and receiving gifts may be surprising. Not only are gifts given between loved ones and fr…
This page contains affiliate links. The following article is contributed by Tokyo Central Japanese Language School. Nice to meet you all! My name is Eri, and I'm a Japanese teacher at a Japanese langu…
This page contains affiliate links. There are quite many occasions where Japanese people give gifts, it can be a gift giving season or a specific occasion. In this articles, you can learn about typica…
Are you on the hunt for some good reading material but wondering where to find something in your native language in the middle of Tokyo? Have you ever stepped into a Japanese bookstore and been overwh…
In Japanese food labeling, there are two types of dates: "消費期限" (Use By) and "賞味期限" (Best Before). These two are significantly different and determine whether food can or cannot be consumed after the…
Here is a list of organizations in Japan that engage in volunteer activities to collect food items and ingredients that are nearing their expiration dates or are difficult to sell through regular chan…
This article is contributed by COMMU忍(NIN)CATION. In our previous columns, we explained that ninja were more like secret agents than combatants, that they used disguises to gather information, and tha…
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