Meet Wa ! JOI Staff Blog

Do you know what kind of words we have in Japanese for when you catch a cold? Learn some useful Japanese vocabulary for winter!

Do you have a chance to communicate with some Japanese young people?

If yes, have you seen any new Internet Slang?

One word that is popular recently is "草".

Japanese recipes are among some of the most famous cuisines in the world.

Famous dishes include of course sushi and tempura.

But for "Soul Food" one of the perennial favorites is "肉じゃが".

Happy New Year from Japan!

We hope that you had a restful holiday season.

The word for new year in Japanese is  (正月, shōgatsu) .
But Japanese people often refer to it with the honorific prefix "O".
So they call it "Oshōgatsu".
This is because a new year, and the period leading up to and following the new year is regarded as a spiritual time.

Here are some ways in which Christmas in Japan is different.

The opening match for Japan in the Qatar World Cup was against Germany. And the hero of the match was Takuma Asano, who plays in the Bundesliga. Was this the "hidden advantage"?

November 11th has different meanings in different countries.
This blog explores some of the various ways the day is celebrated in the world.

The Japanese language has 3 writing methods. Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji.
The most difficult of these is Kanji. This is a nostalgic look back at one of Momii sensei's blogs.

The Japanese national holiday on November 3rd is known as Culture Day or Bunka no Hi 文化の日. It started as a different holiday originally.

Read more about it here.

Let's take a nostalgic look back to 2011 and re-read a blog added by Japanese teacher, Sakude sensei.

What fruits are in season during autumn in Japan?
Read this blog to find out!

Have you heard of Otsukimi (お月見) ?
It is a Japanese autumn tradition that has some roots in the Chinese lunar calendar and the mid-autumn celebrations.
This is a quick explanation of the tradition.

Have you heard of the Japanese word Mottainai (もったいない)?
Do you remember the environmental impact created by Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai?
Read more to find out.

What are the World Heritage Sites in Japan?
How many are there?
Here is a comprehensive list in order of acceptance by UNESCO