What they teach in a Japanese “morals” class, smart tricks for studying a foreign language, and Japan’s newest otaku boom
It's always interesting to observe the large and small differences between schools here and back in the States. Both my ...
Tag: culture
Politicial life after Koizumi, being at peace with taking your shoes off, and why Taro can’t code
The post-Koizumi era will soon be on us, now that Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe has officially been elected leader ...
Thuoghts on “car culture” in Japan, the basics of how kanji work, and autumn = school sports day
Although Japan is a lot smaller than the U.S. -- it's about the same land area as Nebraska, but spread ...
A new social problem for Japanese, famous English phrases including “Boys, Be Ambitious,” and the Japanese obsession with design
Among the many problems modern Japan faces is katsuji-banare (ka-TSU-jee bah-NAH-ray), or a growing detachment from printed characters. Japan publishes ...
Seeing Japan through iced coffee goggles, relieving stress through coloring books, and how we gaijin can save Japan from its falling birthrate!
Whenever my wife and I try a new restaurant we order aisu kohi, which we use to judge the dedication ...
A happy day in Japan, forgetting which kind of English you speak, and feeling “natsukashii” with my old Japanese textbook
It's a boy! All Japan is currently cheering the news that Princess Kiko has given birth to a boy. The ...
The hierarchy of language in Japan, trouble for “unhurried education” and, is my wife a Desperate Housewife?
Hello again from Japan, where, when two people say the same thing at the same time, they're then supposed to ...
Stereotypes of foreigners by Japanese including Girls from Ipanema, Japan’s “other” staple food, and more
Living outside my home country as I do, the subject of stereotypes has always interested me. Everyone has certain preconceived ...
Understanding how perceptions of foreigners affects us, learning culture through anime, and time to study some Japanese!
All countries are affected to a certain extent by the views of foreigners. I've read that the Chinese never really ...
August and Yasukuni Shrine, a very Buddhist holiday, and small drinks and Japanese girls’ butts
Well, I've made my little hop across the Pacific, and am once again in hot, humid, kawaii Japan. When people ...
Differences between Japanese and English, how to say “like” in Japanese, and what’s up with that wax food?
When you start studying Japanese, one of the first things you learn is that sentence structure will not be anything ...
Understanding Japan through job resumes, reflections on the word “otaku” and Obi-Wan on our “point of view”
One way to compare Japan's more structured society with the U.S. and Europe is to look at the standardized Japanese ...
Thoughts on raising kids bilingual, the origin of the name “Atari” and Our RV Trip
Well, our RV trip to the Grand Canyon is finally over. We had great fun and the kids were amazed ...
Culture shock related to cars, subtleties of language, and all about Japanese pocket tissue
When I first got to Japan, I had plenty of culture shock related to auto- mobiles. Cars are very important ...
The end of Comicon again, thoughts on math and the abacus, and strategies for communication
It's that time of year again: the crowds have gone home, the D.C. Comics banners have been pulled down, and ...
Comparing cars in Japan and America, culture shock I get in my home country, and Americans don’t like to say “goodbye”
Japan and the U.S. are very different places, and the cars that people choose to drive are different, too. In ...
The value of spending a year abroad, various definitions of “bilingual,” and observations on Japanese females
If you ever find yourself in the position of giving guidance to a young person, try to turn them onto ...
Notes from Anime Expo, culture shock and toilets, all about MOS Burger, and fun in Graceland
Hello again from an extremely enjoyable Anime Expo, which is still going on here in "Animeheim, CA." We're having lots ...
Japan’s relationship to China and “Kampo” medicine, skills a foreigner in Japan needs, and all about tipping
Roughly speaking, Japan's historical relationship to China is similar to that of the West and ancient Rome and Greece: the ...
Benefits from Japan’s homogeneous culture, drawbacks to living in Japan, and the Japanese futon defined
Japan is, by and large, quite a homogeneous place. I've travelled from Sapporo to Hiroshima and have seen much of ...
Back in Japan with culture shock, all about Japanese dialects, perceptions between countries and A-Kon wrap up
Well, I'm back in Japan now, the land of sushi and small cars and very cute things. No matter how ...
A-Kon 17 wrap up, Peter’s musings on anime cons in general, and who to watch in the World Cup
Well, A-Kon 17 is over and done, and all the fans have gone home. Tomorrow the J-List San Diego staff, ...
Japan’s education and going to school on Saturdays, the Protestant Work Ethic in Japan, and all about Japanese dentists
I've always been impressed with Japan's dedication to education, the great amount of national resources that are put into teaching ...
The first Japanese person to visit the USA, new tragedy of Japan’s society, and all about Japanese culture shock
The first Japanese person to visit America was Manjiro Nakahama, a 14-year-old fisherman who was rescued in 1841 by an ...
