Linguistic foibles in Japanese, “made-in-Japan” English words for people who like mayonnaise, and questions about inflation
The other day my wife asked me what a "window-breaker" was. I assumed she was asking about a type of ...
Tag: Japan
Thoughts on how the Japanese define “family,” confusion over English lyrics in Japanese songs, and how to tell a Korean from a Japanese
We've got a bit of a running joke in our family. South Korean television dramas are popular in Japan, and ...
Learning about Japan through late-night TV, update on international marriage in Japan, and learning Chinese “for free”
I watch more than a little late-night Japanese TV, and I enjoy its light- hearted goofiness. The other night I ...
The possibility of Japan’s first “otaku” Prime Minister, various thoughts on bilingualism, and all about Japanese health drinks (and other potions)
The rush is on to choose a successor to Prime Minister Abe after his sudden resignation on Wednesday. I saw ...
More about “standing out in a crowd,” what Steven Spielberg has to do with learning Japanese, and ways that Japanese people save space
I talked last time about how the dynamic of "standing out in a crowd" can work a little differently when ...
A trip to a Japanese doctor’s office, insights into Japanese home remodeling, and differences between Gaijin and Japanese
I was feeling a little under the weather the other day so I went for a visit to our local ...
Learning about Japan through traditional calligraphy, interesting trends on Japanese television, and all about the word “Domo”
One way to learn about Japan is through its traditional calligraphy, which uses a writing brush called a fude (FOO-day) ...
My weekend trip to Akiba, times when Japanese do or don’t apologize, and the history of the stapler in Japan
I took the train into Tokyo on Sunday to meet a friend in Akihabara, the area of Tokyo famous as ...
Interesting foods Japanese eat in the summer, a Japanese gadget that washes your butt for you, and why Japan might need more lawyers
Japan is a country that's definitely in touch with its seasons, and they celebrate each time of year with many ...
Understanding Japan’s people through “Karaoke manners,” comparing cultures and “chicken scratches,” and an update at our Comicon booth
Karaoke (pronounced kah-rah-OH-kay) is the famous Japanese tradition of getting up and singing in front of others. The word literally ...
More thoughts on Hiro from Heroes (yuk yuk), comparing Maryland with Japan, and all about a great remapping in Japan’s history
I'm enjoying my time here in Annapolis, as we get ready for Otakon, the wildest anime convention on the East ...
Observations on the Japanese and music culture, things you learn as an ESL teacher, and comparing San Diego to Japan
One observation I've made about Japan in the 15+ years I've spent there is, they pay a little more attention ...
On reverse culture shock, phases kids go through in Japan, and all about Japanese TV
It's always fun being back in the U.S., because I get to experience that rarest of sensations, reverse culture shock, ...
Japan’s latest “boom” is Tae Bo, all about the Three Great Unifiers of Japan, and managing by studying Japanese history
Japan is the land of the boom, and you never know what will be popular next. Right now the country ...
The Japanese fascination with movies about New York and Audrey Hepburn, thoughts on home-owning in Japan, and the Japanese take on “Kamikaze”
The Japanese are fascinated with the enigma of New York City, and there are hundreds of books written about the ...
More fun at Star Wars Celebration IV, all about Japanese bathing, and some interesting ways you can study Japanese (or anything)
The Star Wars Celebration IV convention continues, and we're having lots of fun. Highlights have included Carrie Fisher coming by ...
Star Wars group geekout update, the linguistic roots of Japanese, and psychology through TV commercials
The Star Wars Celebration IV convention is in full swing, and here in Los Angeles tens of thousands of fans ...
All about the Japanese attention to “kakko” (style), feelings about Japanese who make the country look good (and bad), and “Vegas, baby, Vegas.”
Hello again from J-List. This time I've hopped over to sunny Las Vegas for a few days of much-needed relaxation ...
Thinking about “conformity” some more, making English easier for students to learn, and the Brazil you can visit from Tokyo for 1000 yen
I've written about conformity in one form or another a lot recently. The word isn't one that Americans probably have ...
Gaijin battling to be the “King of Akihabara,” silly thoughts on Japanese company names, and life sometimes being fair in your favor
One Japanese TV show that never fails to please is TV Champion, which pits exceptional people against each other in ...
Living in Japan and changes in your native language, of Golden Week and flying carp, and a “Gaijin Battle” on Japanese TV
Living in Japan means adapting to many things, not the least of which is modifying your native language. When I ...
Japan’s amazing adaptions of “black culture,” all about gestures used by the Japanese, and what’s the currency of Japan?
The Japanese are very good at taking outside culture and adapting it to fit their own needs, and they have ...
Chinese New Year and Japan, what Japanese drivers’ put on their cars, and our faithful dog
Chinese New Year is going on right now, and throughout Asia people are celebrating the cultural holiday. Although Japan switched ...
Frustrations common in Japan, and the current state of Pachinko, the national gambling game of Japan
Anyone who's ever worked in a Japanese organization for any length of time probably knows the frustration of having a ...
