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

Review: Native Camp – Take Unlimited, On Demand Japanese Lessons

Need more Japanese practice? This service offers on-demand access to native Japanese speakers - but it'll cost ya.

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

I Tried AI for Japanese Speaking Practice – Here’s What I Learned

People keep telling me AI chatbots are the future of Japanese language learning. So I tried a few. Here's why they're wrong.

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

McDonald’s Japan Runs Ad in Forged Edo-Era Script of the Gods

McDonald's Japan's latest social media ad campaign harkens back to claims that Japan had a pre-Chinese writing system.

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

Is That Japanese Town a “Chou” or a “Machi”?

The character 町 - pronounced either "chou" or "machi" - is common in Japanese town and neighborhood names. But how do you…

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

“Pseudo-Chinese”: New Japanese Social Media App Only Allows Kanji

Wanna stress-test your Japanese knowledge? A new social media app for Japanese users dares you to ditch kana by allowing only kanji…

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

Can Japanese Stores Use Signs to Keep Tourists Out?

A store in Kyoto made headlines when it posted a sign in English and Chinese saying it was closed - but, in…