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August 30, 2025
 

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VOCABULARY

LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Oct 7, 2019
LGBTQ welcoming space opens in Tokyo as Rugby World Cup starts
A Japanese news report focuses on the opening of Pride House Tokyo in Harajuku.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 30, 2019
Sing your way to fluency in Japanese
Some people will tell you to watch TV to improve your Japanese, but the real classroom is a karaoke box.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Sep 30, 2019
Figuring out how to count objects in Japanese? There are numerous ways
There's no one way to count in Japanese, it just depends on what you're counting. The most standard comes with a 'tsu' on the end.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Sep 30, 2019
Pope Francis to visit Japan in November
For the first time in 38 years a pope is visiting Japan. Read about his plans in Japanese.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 23, 2019
Ramen is the way to go for your post-pub grub
Looking for a bite to eat after celebrating your team's rugby win? Ramen is worth a try.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Sep 23, 2019
Vary your way of emphasis with 'totemo' and its cousins
The word 'totemo' is a very handy word as it means 'very.' But it's not the only word that can help you emphasize what you're talking about.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 16, 2019
Listening for the subtle sounds of autumn
Everyone's talking about the weather. While it's great to know the vocabulary needed to express seasons and temperature, there are also a few adverbs that will come in handy.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Sep 16, 2019
Just once I'd like to use 'ichido' correctly
The word 'ichido' can mean 'one time,' but the nuance changes depending on the particle you pair it with.
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Sep 16, 2019
'Weathering With You' is selected as Japan's best bet at the Oscars
Makoto Shinkai is taking a run at an Oscar with his animated film 'Weathering With You,' his much-talked about followup to his 2016 blockbuster 'Your Name.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 9, 2019
Would you mind filling out this form in Japanese?
Filling in forms in Japan can be a minefield, a task sent to test your fluency and patience. Knowing what to expect at your local clinic, bank and post office can prove the difference between confusion and comprehension.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Sep 9, 2019
Learning how to use the volitional form of a verb in Japanese
Whether you want to express your willingness to participate or explain that you're about to do something, the volitional form is a useful tool for speaking good Japanese
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Sep 9, 2019
Set of rare Japanese whiskies fetches record HK$7.19 mil. at auction
We look at the high prices commanded by premium Japanese whiskies, with a set of 54 bottles having recently been sold at auction for more than HK$7 million
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Sep 2, 2019
How to address the 'sisters' we've never met
When meeting new people in Japan, it's essential to address them in the correct way, so be sure not to confuse your obasans with your o-nu0113sans.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Sep 2, 2019
Learning how to express speed, haste and simply being in a rush
By using 'mamonaku' and 'sugu,' you can learn how to express a feeling of time moving quickly, be it on the train or in the office.
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Sep 2, 2019
The first highway capsule hotel opens in Osaka
We look at Japan's first highway capsule hotel, which has opened in Osaka Prefecture's Izumiotsu City.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 26, 2019
Focus, breathe and learn some Japanese
With modern life getting ever more hectic, yoga and meditation are popular ways to unwind, and knowing the terminology will help you de-stress.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Aug 26, 2019
A great way to describe exceptions and surprising happenings
Using 'ni shite' can help describe someone or something who stands out from the norm or can be used to highlight a surprising fact.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Aug 26, 2019
Japan's jobless rate improves as women enter the market
We look at rising numbers of female workers in Japan and the country's unemployment rate.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 19, 2019
Schedule some time to learn the uses of 'yotei'
The word 'yotei' can translate as 'schedule' in English, but it also means 'plans.' That makes it very useful in and out of the office.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Aug 19, 2019
Don't sweat phrases that use the word 'ase'
'Asedaku,' 'ase-kkaki,' 'asebamu' ... all of these words indicate that you're working up a sweat. Just how much sweat depends on the temperature and your nerves.
Toyoko Kids: The lonely street children of Tokyo
Many young people who feel neglected at home flock to the Toyoko area to find a community where they can fit in.
Japan unveils new overtourism countermeasures
The majority of tourists in Japan tend to stay in Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto, resulting in overcrowding in popular tourist spots and a strain on transportation systems.
South Korea couple beat same-sex barriers to parenthood
South Korean lesbian couple Kim Kyu-jin (left) and her wife, Kim Sae-yeon, pose with a "pregnant woman" badge during an interview in Seoul last month.
Rising sex tourism exposes loopholes in Japan's anti-prostitution law
While financial misfortunes during the COVID-19 pandemic may have driven some women to work the streets, others simply want more money to spend — or want to pay off their debts — at host clubs.
Opportunities await the bold in the Year of the Wood Dragon
2024 marks the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac, with the year predicted to be a good time for fresh starts.
Mitsubishi’s wind-power retreat a blow to Japan's alternative-energy goals
Wind turbines in the town of Happo in Akita prefecture. Wind power is a key part of Japan's alternative energy drive.
Virtual singer Kaf's music becomes magic in 'Kamitsubaki City Under Construction'
Virtual singer Kaf got her start in 2018 by posting songs and covers to YouTube. Now, after having performed live shows at major venues including Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan, she is turning to voice acting and starring in the new anime series “Kamitsubaki City Under Construction.”
Can anime carry the memories of World War II?
Many schools in Japan show "Grave of the Fireflies" as educational material to tell the emotionally grueling story of a boy who has no means to prevent his sister from starving to death.
In pictures: Koenji Awa Odori 2025
Japan Times
Koshien’s dark summer forces reckoning for high school baseball
Koryo High School players greet their cheering section after beating Hokkaido’s Asahikawa Shiho in the first round of Summer Koshien on Aug. 7. The school withdrew three days later as a bullying scandal enveloped the team.

Podcast

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

Longform

Tetsuzo Shiraishi, speaking at The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage, uses a thermos to explain how he experienced the U.S. firebombing of March 1945, when he was just 7 years old.
From ashes to high-rises: A survivor’s account of Tokyo’s postwar past
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 6th annual Sustainable Japan Award.
We are pleased to announce the winners of the 6th annual Sustainable Japan Award.

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