JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Keigo Overload? Why Being TOO Polite in Japanese Can Backfire
Why some Japanese people are tired of hearing "sasete itadakimasu": changing attitudes toward keigo and the backlash against over-politeness.
keigo
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
CULTURE
Here’s Why Kyoto Schools Are No Longer Bossing Students Around at Exam Time
Kyoto schools have made a change to hallroom announcements, acknowledging that "please" and "thank you" are indeed the magic words
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
“Employee-San”: Why Japan’s Managers Are Shifting to Honorifics for Their Staff
Gone are the days of "chan" and "kun" in Japanese business. Recent research finds bosses are striking a more respectful tone.
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Husband in Japanese: 6 Words and When to Use Each
Japanese is fraught with unspoken rules and meanings. For example: how should people refer to their husbands?
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Japanese Writing: The 80-Year Battle for “Genbun Itchi”
How did written Japanese come into accord with the spoken language? A short history of the movement to bring Japanese writing to…
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Japanese Business Etiquette: How To Say You “Got It”?
Have trouble with your Japanese business etiquette? You're in good company: a recent Twitter thread highlights how even native speakers struggle with…
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Japanese Writing: Pronunciation Shifts in the Edo Period
How Japanese writing and Japanese written speech differed in the Edo period - and how pronunciation came closer to what's spoken today.
SOCIETY
Too Old to Drive? Mother/Daughter’s Death in Ikebukuro Sparks Debate
The death of a mom and her young daughter at the hands of an elderly driver has sparked anger and recrimination -…