Mechanisms Behind the Harmonious Life in Japan
I write often about how harmonious Japan appears to foreigners living here. Seen from our special position as outsiders (which ...
Tag: Life in Japan
Japan’s Newest Internet Trend
Like most countries, the keitai (mobile phone) has become a huge part of life in Japan, and for the younger ...
My First Impressions on Japan, Incl. “Fancy Shop” and “Viking”
You never forget your first impressions of something. Although it was seventeen years ago, I still vividly remember my arrival ...
One Way of Understanding Japan’s Culture: Kata (Form)
One way of approaching an understanding of Japan is through the word kata, which means "form" and describes the many ...
One Small Problem with Japan: Concrete and Asphalt
Japan is a great place, and I love living here. The country is beautiful, the culture always new and fascinating, ...
Thoughts on Japan and group culture in anime, hard and difficult areas of Japanese, English etc., and various mysteries of life in Japan
Japan is famous for its cooperative group culture, and you can see this in many places, from clubs in schools ...
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 ...
About Japan’s most famous (only?) charity, all about the word “genki,” and my kids re-adjusting to life in Japan
This past weekend saw the broadcast of "24 Hour TV," an annual charity drive broadcast by the Nippon TV network ...
Friday the 13th and superstitions from Japan, thoughts on how to approach learning, and my take on Heroes and Japanese actors
Hello and happy Friday the 13th, often considered to be a day of good luck in Japan, since many festivals ...
All about “castle towns,” the use of euphsmisms in daily life in Japan, and funny English you can try at home
As with Europe, Japan has had a long history which has left its mark on cities and towns today. Most ...
Back in Japan again, thoughts on social uses of alcohol in Japan (and “nomunication”), and all about sumo wrestling
Hello again from J-List. Once again I've made the journey from California to Japan and am back home with the ...
Learning about how your brain works through Japanese, looking back on Japan since 1991, and services gaijin render to Japan
One thing I like about learning another language is the understanding you get of how your own brain works, not ...
Confusingly noble business practices in Japan, ideas on gift-giving in Japanese society, and how cotton masks made $4 billion for AFLAC
Japan is always ready to surprise you in one way or another, and some of the business practices employed here ...
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 ...
American uniqueness vs. Japanese uniformity, a new debate on “beautiful Japan” and the little joys of living in Japan
Just as Americans are accustomed to thinking of our country as a union of semi-soverign states, each with its own ...
Commomorating Karaoke Culture Day, a cruel joke on the population front, and all about mixed bathing in Japan
Japan is a big fan of naming special days to create awareness about things we take for granted, like Sweet ...
My Narita Reconsideration, a very useful Japanese mantra, and an important virtue for Japanese to have
Like Tokyo Disneyland, the New Tokyo International Airport is not located in Tokyo, being situated in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture, ...
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 ...
All about weddings and wedding capitalism in Japan, and what it is to be “good head”
One interesting area of life in Japan is weddings, and Japanese really take the subject of getting married seriously. One ...
All about coffee in Japan, where cheap “low mileage” engines come from, and the psyches of students of Japanese
Have you ever strolled into a coffee shop an ordered an "American"? Although green tea seems as popular a drink ...
The Fall season in Japan, touching Japanese TV commercials, and a cosmic rule about pickles
Hello again from Japan. We're very sorry with the problems with the site after the last update -- we had ...
J-List drink party, funny phrases you can try at home, and thoughts on Japanese English
Japanese students study a total of six years of English, even more if they go on to college, and even ...
How Japan and America are different from each other, and Japanese government employees
My mother and nephew have gone back to San Diego after a nice visit. It was fun having them here, ...
Manga Cafes in Japan, and the Green Tea Belt
Oopsie -- once again I see I've forgotten to post my after doing the J-List update. Sorry!Today's J-List post is ...
