Planning a trip to Japan? Here are a few key terms you can use at your hotel.
Hotel staff speak an honorific form of Japanese that isn't always the first thing taught to budding language students. However, understanding it can give an insight into the culture.
I know Japanese. Why can’t I read signs in Hokkaido?
A lot of the readings for kanji on Japan's northernmost island are connected to the language and culture of the Ainu, who are indigenous to Hokkaido.
How can you fight climate change in Japan? Learn how to talk about it.
A good approach to speaking about hot-button topics in Japanese is to use so-called softeners so that your don't come off as too direct with your opinions.
What to say (and what not to say) at a Japanese funeral
With the state funeral of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe taking place in the next few days, we take a look at how the Japanese traditionally mourn the recently departed.
When breaking up in Japanese, be sure to give up the ghosting
It’s hard to break up with someone in any language, but the inclination toward “ghosting” may make one side feel even worse.
The study of Japanese slang is challenging and never stops. Luckily, it’s also a lot of fun.
Wes Robertson set out to engage with other linguists on Twitter and wound up creating a database for modern Japanese slang.
Climate talk reaches 'crisis' mode
Are you clued in to the “GX” taking place in Japan? If not, it’s time to review your environmentally focused vocabulary lists.
Body language: Know your Japanese from head to toe
Whether it’s the leg of a chair or the ears of your bread, Japanese is just as prone to assigning human body parts to inanimate objects as English is.
Take some time to refresh your emergency vocabulary on Disaster Prevention Day
It was 99 years ago that a devastating earthquake hit Tokyo. As a result, Japan marks Sept. 1 by conducting disaster-preparedness drills at schools and companies nationwide.
On Japanese Twitter, don’t LOL when you can wwww
Just as in English, Japanese web-speak has developed a few key terms that are unique to the social media landscape of this country.
Ghost of Tsushima casting prompts the question: Who is — and isn’t — Japanese?
Director Chad Stahelski says he wants a Japanese cast speaking Japanese, but pulling it off would mean navigating the murky waters of identity.
That's using your noodle: The linguistic joy of cooking
Looking to up your vocabulary in Japanese? Recipes are actually a great (and delicious) place to start.
