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July 12, 2026
 

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GRAMMAR

A fortune teller in Tokyo's Yanaka district reads a client's palms.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 18, 2026
Predicting the future, one Japanese grammar point at a time
From fortune tellers to weather forecasts and prediction markets, learn how Japanese expresses uncertainty.
A mock poster uses the verb “hataraku” in its “tai” form to tell potential applicants “we want to work with you.”
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 22, 2026
In Japanese, saying what you want can be complicated
From softening requests to reading others’ intentions, expressions of desire in Japanese are rarely straightforward.
Even a slight brush with the law can be enough to cause reputational damage for public figures.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 15, 2026
How Japanese grammar captures the gap between legal outcomes and public judgment
Using “monono” and “ni mo kakawarazu” to explore contradictions between expectations and outcomes in Japanese.
Sun hats, hoodies with built-in UV protection and parasols are on the must-have lists of Japanese moms this summer.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 8, 2026
When it comes to their kids, Japanese mothers look beyond pink and blue
A look at how evolving vocabulary around fashion signals changing attitudes toward gender and function.
Under the new blue ticket system, cyclists will have one week in which to pay fines for minor traffic violations.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 24, 2026
The language around Japan’s new bike rules leaves no room for ‘maybe’
Blue tickets are now being issued for minor traffic offenses, but you have to watch you don’t get scammed.
Riku Miura (left) and Ryuichi Kihara celebrate in Milan after winning gold in the pair skating event.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 19, 2026
No one else will do: What a pair of figure skaters can teach us about familiarity in Japanese
An Olympic duo illustrates how honorifics and in-group dynamics can signal closeness across different contexts.
People admire the Kajimoto Family wisteria trellis during the Shindachijuku Wisteria Festival in Sennan, Osaka.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 16, 2026
After Japan’s cherry blossoms fade, spring keeps blooming
The fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms gives way to a rolling season of color, vocabulary and new ways to describe change.
A mother and daughter take part in a buffet of sweets and desserts — a perfect way for many to spend Valentine’s Day this year.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Feb 13, 2026
In Japan, Valentine’s Day has become a personal luxury
Valentine’s Day in Japan is shifting from obligation to indulgence, as people embrace life’s small luxuries for themselves.
Japanese trains are usually full of advertisements that all fight for your attention.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Feb 2, 2026
How Japanese advertising breaks grammar to get your attention
Japanese advertising may look chaotic, but the strange grammar, puns and omissions are carefully engineered to grab your attention.
The English “I” has gendered equivalents in Japanese that give the listener hints as to how the speaker identifies.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 23, 2026
Just between you and me: Gender and Japanese pronouns
Japanese pronouns reveal gender in unexpected ways, complicating how speakers express identity compared with current English.
True improvement comes from a long-term strategy to change unhealthy habits. Don’t worry if you slip from time to time, just keep up your initial efforts.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 15, 2026
Just because you broke your resolution doesn’t mean you failed
Breaking a New Year’s resolution doesn’t equal failure. Japanese grammar offers a gentler way to rethink goals and progress.
While making it to 100 is cause for a celebration, there are a few other ages that get you an extra piece of cake in Japan.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 28, 2025
Japan’s milestone birthdays: Why 60, 77, 80, 88 and 99 matter so much
A look at Japan’s milestone birthdays, the traditions behind them and how the grammar pattern “ni totte” expresses their personal meaning.
People in Japan are increasingly opting for digital New Year greetings as postage prices rise.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 5, 2025
Are new year postcards becoming a thing of the past in Japan?
Japan’s new year postcard tradition is fading as more people opt for digital holiday greetings.
Sit or stand? A gender-specific question is being discussed in the bathrooms of the nation.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Nov 26, 2025
As bathroom behavior changes, these Japanese expressions can help explain why
A subtle shift seems to be happening in the bathrooms of the nation. Learn how to describe it using structures that indicate tendencies.
The reference text A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar recently underwent a revision for the first time in nearly four decades.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Nov 19, 2025
A dictionary revision illustrates how Japanese keeps on evolving
The newly revised Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar updates example sentences and grammar notes to reflect language shifts since 1989.
While Kyoto's Kiyomizu Temple is a famous spot for viewing the autumn foliage, Japan has no shortage of colorful forests.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 16, 2025
The what, where and when of Japan’s autumn leaves
Autumn in Japan is a lesson in color and language — learn how to ask the right questions when it comes to hunting fall foliage.
Ed Sheeran's marketing team has taken over a shop in Tokyo's Ichigaya Station.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 26, 2025
Oh, Ed(o)! Where have all the vowels gone?
Japan’s playful “Magica spellings” drop vowels and swap consonants, blending Japanese and English into crafty puns.
The promise of autumn is one of relaxation and just being cozy overall.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 18, 2025
How Japanese captures the subtle shift into autumn
From the equinox to cooler mornings, Japanese grammar and expressions reflect how the season gradually deepens into autumn.
A lot of Japanese workers join online group texts to communicate with their coworkers, but at what point do those chats threaten a healthy work-life balance?
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 22, 2025
Expressing annoyance with work group chats in Japanese
Some employees value the convenience; others feel trapped by after-hours texts and social expectations embedded in office messaging culture.
A man takes part in Tokyo’s Sanja Matsuri by helping to carry a "mikoshi" (portable shrine). Many Japanese festivals are open to foreign residents and tourists to participate in.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jul 19, 2025
Dancers, festivals and one very useful Japanese grammar point
From Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri to Tokyo’s Sumida fireworks, Japan’s summer festivals offer history, spectacle — and a chance to learn some vocabulary.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

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One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
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