All about our bath in Japan, the concept of Japanese-style “trust,” and what’s up with Vermont Curry?
Bathing is very important in Japan, and almost all Japanese take time to enjoy a slow bath at the end ...
Tag: kids
Learning your own language by teaching ESL, funny English used in Japan, and all about chopsticks
One of the cool things about teaching ESL in Japan was learning my own language and its grammar. Language is ...
Happy New Year from J-List, and some information about the Year of the Pig and something with the cool name of “Sexegenary Cycle”
Happy New Year from J-List! In Japanese, the phrase is akemashite omedeto gozaimasu (ah-kay-mah-shtay oh-meh-deh-TOH go-ZA-EE-mahs), literally "congratulations on opening ...
The start of Japan’s important Holiday Season, a local battle over a Ferris Wheel, and understanding Japanese humility through baseball players
Now that Christmas is past, Japan is getting ready for its own big season, Oshogatsu or New Year's Day, by ...
Extremely warm Christmas greetings from Guam, comparisons of Christmas, and using a “contrite attitude” to get government documents
The warmest Christmas Greetings from J-List! We hope that everyone is having an great holiday wherever you are, surrounded by ...
Thoughts on raising bilingual kids, comparing of names between Japan and the West, and what Carl Sagan has taught me
It's hard raising bilingual children in a country where English isn't used on a daily basis, except on signs that ...
On the magical blending of features in “haafu,” a Japan cell phone update, and some Japanese words I am passionate about
Somewhere between the staid features of futsu (normal) Japanese and the dizzying varieties of face, hair and body types seen ...
Thoughts on my father and Buddhism, the Mac-PC connection with being bilingual, and our cute American, Japanese daughter
Sunday was my father's meinichi, the anniversary of the day he died nine years ago (although Japanese are always puzzled ...
Good things and bad about living in Japan, more ways Japanese look to the West, and social benefits of love hotels
There are a lot of good things about living in Japan. Good food, from sushi to sashimi to Indian curry. ...
The role of trains in Japan, funny observations on society here, and Christmas comes early
Japan is a very rail-centric place compared to the U.S., and trains are a much larger part of society than ...
Multiple meaning of “wa,” raising bilingual kids, and what cute culture has to do with the rock band KISS.
Many English speakers know the Japanese word wa (和） which means harmony and peace, and in some cases additionally refers ...
Being an American in Japan during Thanksgiving, subtleties of Japanese pronunciation, and a cultural lesson for PSP owners
By and large, an American expat living in Japan has two choices when it comes to celebrating Thanksgiving: completely forget ...
Interesting careers open to gaijin in Japan, getting used to strange words, and do you know what year it is?
I get a lot of mail from people who'd like to live in Japan someday, and I do my best ...
A delicious food that brings people together, naughty words in Japanese, and the tragedy of “ijime” in Japan
Last night we went to a friend's house to have one of my favorite dishes, nabe (NAH-beh), a word that ...
Foreign accents and how they work in Japan, daylight savings time in Japan, and the joy of root beer
A recent commercial featured a voice saying, nihon-jin wa urusai! which means that Japanese are loud and obnoxious and fussy. ...
Checking one’s cultural preconceptions at the door, all about Tokyo and surrounding areas, and J-Drama update
When you come to a place like Japan, it's always best to check your cultural preconceptions at the door and ...
The social problems of “hikikomori,” a Japan population update, and budding awareness of a scary holiday
One social problem that's being talked about more and more in Japan is hikikomori (hee-kee-KOH-MOH-ree, 引きこもり), a Japanese term that ...
Lessons we could learn from Japan about “safety driving,” pointing with the middle finger, and trivia on Japanese toilets
I've often thought that there are some really good ideas in Japan that the rest of the world could learn ...
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 ...
Language learning and the “Han Solo Factor,” example of silly English in product names, and more
As a student of a foreign language, I know that there's no "magic" way to learn, and even if you ...
Peter tastes local politics, the Joba horse-riding machine, and more info on blood types
Today I took a couple of hours off work to participate in local politics, heading down to sit in on ...
Broken stereotypes of the Japanese, Japan’s love affair with “overseas dramas,” and Autumn, season of healthy appetites
Stereotypes are really not good, since they cause us to make assumptions about people from other countries before we've gotten ...
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 ...
