Japanese Culture, One Topic at a Time
Culture and language are the same lesson in Japan: every tradition comes with its own vocabulary. Each guide below teaches the story and the words — with kanji links, readings, romaji and tap-to-speak audio, so you learn to say what you learn to love.
Seasons & Nature
The Four Seasons in Japanese
Japan's calendar, conversation and food all revolve around the four seasons. Learn the words for spring, summe…
Sakura and Hanami
Why a two-week bloom stops the whole country: the vocabulary of sakura, hanami parties, the blossom forecast, …
Tsuyu
The “plum rain” month between spring and summer: why it's written with the plum kanji, hydrangeas and teru-ter…
Kōyō and Momijigari
Autumn's answer to hanami: leaf-hunting, the red-leaf front, maple tempura, and why autumn is the season of ap…
The 72 Microseasons of the Old Japanese Calendar
The old calendar split the year into 72 five-day seasons with names like “East wind melts the ice” — a beautif…
Food & Drink
Japanese Food Words You Already Know
Sushi, ramen, bento, wasabi… you already speak food-Japanese. See what the words literally mean, how they're w…
Wagashi
Sweets designed to be eaten with the eyes first: mochi, anko, dango and the seasonal artistry of Japanese conf…
Itadakimasu
What itadakimasu and gochisōsama actually mean, chopstick taboos with dark origins, and the phrases that make …
Ocha
Matcha, sencha, hōjicha and friends: how to read a tea shelf, what the tea ceremony is really about, and why “…
History & Tradition
Reiwa, Shōwa, Meiji
Japan runs on two calendars at once. Learn how era names (gengō) work, what Reiwa means, and how to convert ye…
Sun, Moon and Five Elements
Monday is the moon, Tuesday is fire, Wednesday is water: the days of the week are a pocket lesson in kanji and…
The Twelve Zodiac Animals (Eto)
New Year's cards, birth-year charms and the tactful way to guess someone's age: how the 12-animal zodiac quiet…
Japanese History in Ten Periods
Samurai, shōguns and the world's oldest pottery: the ten-period skeleton of Japanese history that anime, drama…