Cleanliness in Japan Japan as a country is quite well-known for its cleanliness. Many visitors to its cities are impressed by the lack of garbage in the streets. In schools, children have to clean their own classrooms starting from the first grade. And the most efficient methods are learned at an early age by many students. So the roots of this practice may be in the education system. There are a...
Blogs edited and submitted by Chiho Kamioka
JOI Support staff and manager.
Cleanliness in Japan Japan as a country is quite well-known for its cleanliness. Many visitors to its cities are impressed by the lack of garbage in the streets. In schools, children have to clean their own classrooms starting from the first grade. And the most efficient methods are learned at an early age by many students. So the roots of this practice may be in the education system. There are a...
Christmas in Japan Japan has only really started celebrating Christmas on a wide scale during the last few decades. Being a largely Buddhist country, it is not celebrated as a religious holiday. But as with most nations and cultures in the world, the Japanese also have their own unique take on the holiday with something borrowed and something new. In this language learning blog from Japanese te...
Japanese children's songs When learning a new language, one great source of learning can be children's learning materials. Japanese children's songs can help you to learn Japanese vocabulary and also are a great insight into Japanese culture. There are thousands of children's songs that you can use, and many sites online that introduce a number of these. When you find yourself a little stuck in ...
Japanese Bento The story of Washoku or Japanese cuisine would not be complete without the Japanese bento or lunchboxes. It is a food culture that everyday people come across daily. Since traditional Japanese food is served individually on many small plates, inside a Japanese bento box you tend to find each food organized separately in holders or cups. You can buy cheap bento at convenience store...
Japanese coins There are 6 types of coins currently minted in Japan. The 500 yen coin, the 100 yen coin, the 50 yen coin, the 10 yen coin, the 5 yen coin, and the 1 yen coin. The name 'Yen' actually means 'round object' and the modern version of the monetary system was part of the Meiji government national reforms. In this very interesting blog from Japanese teacher Noriko Yokozuka tells the am...