Recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new Japanese slang term has been coined called “自粛警察 (じしゅくけいさつ, jishuku keisatsu)”, which literally means “self-restraint police”. This post explains what it exactly means and also what 自粛 (jishuku) refers to during the pandemic in Japan.Read More
How to Memorise Japanese Kanji Efficiently with Radicals
This article explains with examples how radicals of Japanese kanji characters can help you memorise their meanings and pronunciations efficiently!Read More
Success Journey of イチロー (Ichiro), Japanese Baseball Superstar
For many Japanese people, including myself, Ichiro is more than just an athlete — he is admired as a paragon of perseverance and charisma, as a man who always strives to unflinchingly pursue what most people deem impossible.Read More
“The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
月が綺麗ですね (tsukiga kirei desune) literarily means ‘The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?’ in Japanese. Surprisingly, however, it could also contain the hidden meaning — ‘I love you’.Read More
Meaning and Origin of Reiwa, Heisei and Shōwa, Japan’s Imperial Eras
This post explains Japan’s imperial era (gengō) and also briefly describes the origins, meanings and zeitgeists of the latest eras ‘Reiwa’, ‘Heisei’ and ‘Shōwa’. What’s 元号 (Gengō)? Japan’s imperial era is called 元号 (gengō). It is used alongside the Western calendar in official documents such as drivers’ licenses and health insurance cards. Usually, the era ends upon the death of each emperor and followed by the enthronement of his successor, but the current era ‘令和’ has started following the abdication of Emperor Akihito. How the name of gengō is coined Japan’s era name is determined after a great number of discussions among scholars, experts and cabinet members. There are also…Read More