Japanese Learning Blog Japanese Blog

December 5, 2022

んだ or のです: How to Use Japanese Explanatory Form

Japanese Study Japanese Study Japanese Study

んだ (~n da), んです (~n desu) and their variants are primarily used to show emphasis and provide information, but there's no true English equivalent.

December 5, 2022

10 Day Care Options in Japan

Daycare options in Japan are more than just nursery and kindergarten, and the number of options and how to apply can be overwhelming. Here’s our full overview guide to what’s what and how to get in.

November 30, 2022

Setsunai (切ない) and Japan’s Countryside

Setsunai (切ない) is a Japanese word that doesn’t have an exact English translation, but it roughly translates to "the pain of things” or even "sweet sorrow".

November 29, 2022

Wagashi: All You Need to Know About Traditional Japanese Sweets

Japanese Culture Japanese Culture

Wagashi (和菓子) are traditional Japanese sweets that are often accompanied by a cup of green tea. They're usually made with sweet azuki bean paste, rice cake, rice flour, sesame paste, and chestnuts.

November 28, 2022

How to Use Japanese Conditional Form なら (Nara)

Japanese Study

なら is a conditional particle. It means something like "if" in English. なら is attached to the sentence which describes the condition where certain events or situations happen.

November 23, 2022

Kintsugi: the Japanese Art of Mending Broken Pottery with Gold

Japanese Culture

When you think of Japan, what comes to mind is perhaps the technological prowess of its gadgets and automobiles. Maybe it’s the fascinating pop culture with its unique fashion and music. Or maybe it’s the centuries-old traditions that still play an important role in daily life. Japan is all of these things and more, and […]

November 21, 2022

How to Compare Something in Japanese: JLPT N3 Grammar に比べて (Ni Kurabete)

In Japanese grammar, に比べて (ni kurabete) is used to compare things, places, or experiences. After all, comparing something is an action we do all the time, even if it’s just in our minds. How else would you be able to hold up those days when you knew zero Japanese against now when you can have […]

November 21, 2022

Japanese Learning Strategies for People with ADHD

Learning Guide

Many with ADHD have found it hard to learn a new language, such as Japanese. However, ADHD doesn’t have to be a barrier! Japanese can be easily accessible with a strong plan, new techniques, and a little determination.

November 18, 2022

3 Electric Bike-sharing Services in Tokyo You Should Know

Life in Japan Life in Japan Life in Japan

Tokyo counts different shared e-bikes choices for you. This article explores all you need to know about the three main bike-sharing providers in the capital—Docomo Bike Share, Hello Cycling, and Luup.

November 18, 2022

Our Review on Learning Japanese with Duolingo

Duolingo is a great learning app because it makes studying Japanese accessible. Here is our our in-depth Duolingo Japanese review.

November 18, 2022

Kansai-Ben and Everything You Need to Know About It

Kansai-ben is one of the most popular dialects in Japan. It is the dialect spoken in and around the Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe regions. Imagine you go to Japan after a grueling four years of learning the Japanese language. Those late-nights practicing Kanji, the distressing attempts at memorizing Keigo, and the agonizing months and months of mastering one of the most difficult languages. And at last, the efforts have come to fruition; you made it to Japan. But only to realize, you don’t understand much of the Japanese the people here speak! This is when most non-Japanese people encounter ‘dialects’. So how important is it to know about the Kansai dialect?

November 14, 2022

Teikiken: What to Do When You Lose Your Commuter Pass in Japan

Life in Japan

If you lose your residence card or teikiken (commuter pass) in Japan, they’re not so hard to replace and hopefully, you’ve learned some ways to make it easier for yourself.