SOCIETY
Acceptance for “Kira Kira” Names? How Japan’s Koseki Rules May Change
The rise of Japanese "kira kira" names with unexpected kanji readings has sparked controversy over the past few decades. Will altering the…
language
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SOCIETY
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Yabai (やばい) Meaning: 24 Ways It’s Actually Used in Japanese
There's no word quite like "yabai" in Japanese - an extremely popular slang term that can mean anything from "awful" to "risky"…
HISTORY
Saboru: The Strange Origins of “Cutting Class” in Japanese
Mass strikes, the creation of the 8-hour workday, and an early 20th-century vogue for foreign words - all led to the most…
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
What Japan’s Hot New Buzzwords of 2021 Tell Us
A hot YouTube song, gender equality, and the head of the International Olympic Committee all made 2021's list of Japanese buzzwords. Which…
ENTERTAINMENT
Want Better Localization? Blame Corporate Greed
The entertainment industry’s unwillingness to pay skilled language professionals to produce high-quality localizations is a matter of choice.
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
A Japanese Teacher’s Reflections on “Living” Language
Japanese teacher Chihiro Morioka reflects on a career spent learning and teaching language in both Japanese and English - and the lessons…
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
The Life and Legacy of Ainu-Japanese Translator Chiri Yukie
Only 19 when she passed away, indigenous Ainu translator Chiri Yukie left behind an invaluable legacy for her people and the world.
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Kotobagari: The Banned Words of the Japanese Language
It's often said that there are no swear words in Japanese. But while profanities may be rare, taboos - and banned words…