TCJ Blog

Do you enjoy learning kanji, or do you find them difficult? Personally, I find kanji fascinating—they’re like little pieces of art. Today, I picked my top 6 kanji that I, as a kanji enthusiast, think are kawaii or cool. They’re also great for calligraphy or tattoos!

Do you enjoy Japanese food? Trying new dishes is one of the most enjoyable experiences. Eating out is called “外食：Gaishoku” in Japanese.

When taking a taxi in Japan, it’s more than just transportation—it’s a chance to experience Japan’s culture of omotenashi (hospitality). Today, we’ll explore practical phrases to make your taxi ride smoother, while also highlighting cultural aspects unique to taxis in Japan. Go beyond the language barrier and deepen your understanding of Japanese culture.

"たばこ：Tobacco（tabako）” and "たまご：egg（tamago）", "にく：meat（niku）" and "くに：country（kuni）" are Japanese words with similar readings but different meanings. There are also many things that have different meanings when said in different ways. In this article, I would like to introduce some expressions that Japanese language learners find easy to make mistakes in, from the point of view of a Japanese language teacher.

“I like you” or “我喜欢你” (Chinese). This is the phrase used in English or Chinese when saying “I like you.” However, when translating them into Japanese, there are many ways to say “I,” such as “Watashi wa anata ga suki desu,” “Ore wa kimi ga suki desu,” or “Uchi wa anata ga suki desu.” These “I” or “我” (which means “I” in Chinese) are called first-person pronouns. First-person pronouns are used to describe the speaker or writer. Japanese first-person pronouns have a variety of options besides “watashi.”