Japanese wordsWhat Does “Okagesama (おかげさま) ” Mean?
Understanding “Okagesama”: A Unique Japanese Word of GratitudeWhat Makes “Okagesama” a Unique Word?Japanese has many wor...
Japanese words
Traditional Culture & FestivalsTaisho Era（大正時代） Values in Demon Slayer: Inheritance and Tradition
Exploring Family Bonds and Tradition with Demon SlayerFamily, Gratitude, and What We InheritI grew up in Japan.For me, w...
Learn JapaneseDo I Really Have to Learn Kanji?
Do You Really Need to Learn Kanji?Friendly, Fluent, and Frustrated with KanjiWhen I was teaching a particular internatio...
Learn JapaneseWhat Is This in Japanese?
Ask naturally: “What is 〇〇 in Japanese?”Summer Means “Sunflower”When we think of summer, sunflowers come to mind as a sy...
Learn Japanese“How to Ask ‘What is this?’ in Japanese — Basic Sentence Pattern 〜は〜です”
Using the Basic Sentence Pattern 〜は〜ですWhat is this? – これはなんですか？ (Kore wa nan desu ka?)When you're traveling in Japan, yo...
Japan & CultureChopstick(はし) Etiquette in Japan: Simple Rules to Dine with Respect
Understand Japanese Table Etiquette Through Chopstick UseWhy Proper Chopstick Use MattersIn Japan, children learn how to...
Travel & SightseeingKyū Kaichi School (旧開智学校) : Historic Meiji-Era School
Kyū Kaichi School Near Matsumoto Castle: One of Japan’s Oldest Meiji-Era School BuildingsJust a short walk from Matsumot...
Travel & SightseeingMatsumoto Castle（松本城）: A National Treasure with Timeless Beauty
Matsumoto Castle – Beauty in Black and WhiteToday, I’m writing about my favorite Japanese castle, Matsumoto Castle. It i...
Learn JapaneseMastering Japanese Counting（日本語の数え方）: Essential Counters and Traditional Numbers
4 Essential Counters + Traditional NumbersWhy Does Japanese Have So Many Counters?In Japanese, the way you count things ...