The Japanese school year The academic year at Japanese schools normally begins in April and ends the following March, and not in September like in the United States and other countries. This means that Spring season is the start of school, and not Autumn. However, many universities in Japan have started allowing for Autumn enrollment as well as Spring enrollment to increase their competitiveness...
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The Japanese school year The academic year at Japanese schools normally begins in April and ends the following March, and not in September like in the United States and other countries. This means that Spring season is the start of school, and not Autumn. However, many universities in Japan have started allowing for Autumn enrollment as well as Spring enrollment to increase their competitiveness...
Fruits in Japan Japanese fruits are famous for being expensive, but not all the fruits are. If you go to the supermarkets, there are reasonably priced fruits on sale, but it is true that there is a market for high-end fruits too. There are many fruits that are native to Japan, like the Japanese pear (or Nashi) and Japanese persimmon (or Kaki). But there are also fruits that were introduced to Ja...
Japanese proverbs There are many proverbs (or Kotowaza or Kanyoku) in the Japanese language. Some are based on 4 character Kanji, and some are idiomatic phrases. They are an interesting area of Japanese vocabulary and grammar learning. Many Japanese manga and literature make use of these phrases and there is a certain art to quoting pertinent proverbs to illustrate a point in a conversation. If ...
Roadside rest areas in Japan There are many rest areas or service stations along the highways in Japan. They are also known as Michi no Eki in Japanese. They provide places for drivers and passengers to take rest, and also promote local goods and tourism. There is a growing competition among the rest areas to provide more unique services and goods, on top of the souvenirs and local cuisine and c...
The Sengoku period Japanese history is generally separated into various periods or stages of history. These are usually named either by the current capital of the country at the time or by the ruling clan of the time. One of these periods is the period of Warring states, or Sengoku era in which there were numerous contests between clans to gain control of land and consequently unite the lands in...