Fun with Japanese urban legends, and why do Japanese students clean their own schools?
The other day I saw an image bouncing around the Internet that showed Japanese high school students cleaning their classrooms, ...
Tag: culture
Top Gear and Japan, and my weekend in Tokyo.
Mrs. J-List is visiting Australia with a friend for a week, so I've got the house to myself, which is ...
Defining Japan’s morality, and who are those ninjas on stage?
Hello again from Japan! We're in the middle of the Golden Week holidays, so it's quiet around here. We hope ...
The 70th anniversary of the sinking of the Yamato, plus kawaii voices in Japan.
We're entering a special time in WWII-related history, when the 70th anniversary of many iconic wartime events will be arriving ...
How salaries work in Japan, plus the benefits of mixing East and West.
One of my favorite Japan-related concepts is 和洋折衷 wayoh setchu, which means "a blend of both Japanese and Western influences." ...
Exploring (delicious) cultural bridges, and being a foreigner in Japan.
It's interesting how often one of the most important cultural bridges between two countries is food. There are many "routes" ...
A day for celebrating Shrine Maidens, plus exploring Japanese culture through language.
I love to look at the ways language and culture are intertwined, allowing us to learn about one as we ...
The best stories in anime, and how do ‘gaijin’ accents work?
As I wrote in Friday's J-List post, the first anime that really called me into the welcome folds of Japanese ...
J-List’s big Touhou news, and Peter’s Favorite Anime over the Years.
I'm often asked "hey Peter, what's your favorite anime?" Since I've been an active anime fan for 35+ years (and ...
Eating Ethnic in Japan, and Things Today’s Anime Fans will Never Experience
I've been an anime fan for a long time, long enough to remember attending the monthly anime club meetings at ...
Learning about Japanese Culture through H Games, and a Trip to an Edo-era Service Area.
Last Friday several members of the J-List staff and I drove down to Tokyo Big Sight, the sprawling convention center ...
A dramatic and sad week for Japan, and the Japanese art of bowing.
One theme I write about a lot is how Japan is a peaceful country where you'll almost never encounter violence ...
All about Japanese folk spirits, plus being a foreigner in a Japanese shop.
The other day I was having lunch with my daughter, and she asked me how to say the word 妖怪 ...
Fictional dialects used by anime characters, and Butler Cafe for ladies.
Recently I started watching the latest Bakemonogatari sequel, called Tsukimonogatari, which is a great series for fans of both high ...
One of my favorite Japanese Cities (Kobe), and Japanese Desserts You Should Try.
Greetings from J-List. We're rushing to finish this post early because today is the day of the J-List New Year ...
Coming-of-Age Day in Japan, plus all about Japanese car culture.
Today is a holiday in Japan called 成人の日 Seijin-no-hi, or Coming-of-Age Day, essentially the day when Japanese who have turned ...
All about Japan’s Comic Market, and working gaijin in Japan.
We hope everyone is enjoying the rest of their holiday season. Just a reminder, J-List is still offering free shipping ...
Christmas in Japan, plus not everything we believe about Japan is true.
A very warm Makise Kurisumasu to everyone! We hope you're having a wonderful special day today, wherever you are in ...
Japanese words you already know, and why the Japanese are so risk-averse.
The holiday season continues, and even the Sailor Moon girls are snug in their beds, hoping for a present from ...
Exploring Japan’s idol culture, and some limitations of Japanese society.
The holiday season continues, and people are eager to receive wonderful gifts, including one that Hatsune Miku (?) has for ...
A dark new anime from Sunrise, plus the joy of sushi and wasabi.
I started watching another anime series recently called Cross Ange, a new offering by Sunrise. Quite a "dark" show – ...
Some firsts in Japanese history, plus not being sure if I’m in the USA or Japan.
My family has always been very cross-cultural, with my kids equally at home watching Pokemon or the films of Hayao ...
Fun with Japanese idioms, and a big treat for anime fans this season (Fate).
Without a doubt one of the best shows on this season is the new Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works, a ...
How Japanese ‘futon’ beds work, and a new anime about…making anime.
One of the more unique and interesting shows to arrive during the current anime season has been Shiro Bako, about ...
