Japan’s Ekiben culture
At Japanese train stations, you can find lunch boxes on sale which are meant to be eaten during your train journey.
Some train stations have become famous for their ekiben lunch boxes which are made from local specialties.
In this blog by a Japanese teacher at JOI, Miki Oosawa, you can read about her memory of one special and nostalgic Ekiben lunchbox.
You can also learn...
Heat packs or ‘warmers’ in Japan
Heat packs or ‘warmers’ as they are known in Japan, are a great way to stay warm in winter. They are disposable and can keep you warm for over 8 hours. Some are sticky and you can stick them on your undergarments to keep your back or belly warm, and some can be put inside your shoes to keep your toes warm.
But there is something that not many people know about th...
Wildlife in Hokkaido
The island of Hokkaido in the north of Japan is home to a variety of indigenous wildlife. There are unique species of bear, deer and fox as well as a number of plants that cannot be found anywhere else.
In this blog by Japanese teacher Sayuri Itaya, the teacher introduces a very cute animal that can be found in Hokkaido prefecture. Please read the blog in Japanese, study the...
Bread in Japan
Bread first arrived in Japan with the Portuguese in the 16th Century. After that Japan became closed to trade for 400 years, until the end of the Edo period, so it was not until the last few centuries that bread eating became popular in Japan.
There are many bakeries all over Japan and many types of bread that are unique to Japan. In this blog for Japanese learners, Japanese teach...
Kimono in Japan
The traditional dress of Japan is the kimono (着物). In the past, it was worn as everyday wear by women but recently Japanese people wear it for special occasions such as weddings, funerals and some traditional events.
The style and color of the kimono can depend on the occasion and also the person's age and whether a woman is married or not. Many students wear kimonos and hakama f...
