Blogs edited and submitted by Chiho Kamioka

Summer in Japan Japanese summer season is hot and can be very humid. The humidity is one of the most difficult things to overcome of you have never experienced anything like it. If you travel in Japan between June and September, prepare for the weather by packing a number of t-shirts so that you can change out of one when you get sweaty and also carry a fan to help with the heat. In this Japane...

Enjoying Tokyo Tokyo has some impressive urban tourist spots that attract a lot of visitors every year. But there are also some green pockets of beauty and nature that can be enjoyed within the metropolis too. In this interesting blog by Japanese teacher Izumi Yanaka, she explores one of these beautiful locations. You can listen to Yanaka sensei read the blog herself, and learn how to pronounce ...

The Japanese National High School Baseball Championship The Japanese National High School Baseball Championship is organized by the Japan High School Baseball Federation and the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. It is one of the most-watched and loved sporting events in the Japanese sporting calendar. It usually takes place in August during the summer school vacation period. Teams from all over Japan com...

Houses in Japan The Japanese are very house-proud people. There are often two distinct patterns of residences in Japan: the single-family detached house and the multiple-unit building. Old Japanese houses can be very quaint and it is enjoyable to drive out of the cities into rural Japan to see some beautiful examples of well-designed architecture and meticulously kept gardens. The constant thre...

Japanese cars The Japanese car industry is one of the top three car manufacturing industries in the world. Toyota holds the position for the leading manufacturer in the world and Japanese car makers are among the most trusted makers internationally. The Toyota Prius made headlines as one of the first hybrid cars and is leading the field in more eco-friendly car brands. In this Japanese learners...