Modern Japan
Convenience stores, vending machines, bullet trains, sorting trash and crowded trains.
167 entriesTap a title to open the full entry: three lengths of English explanation, the questions people actually ask, ready-made phrases and audio.
Essential（43）
- ConceptsEssential mottainaiもったいないwhat a waste
- ConceptsEssential wasei-eigo和製英語English-looking words made in Japan
- Annual EventsEssential barentain deバレンタインデーthe day women give chocolate, and the day men return it
- Annual EventsEssential hatsuuri and fukubukuro初売りと福袋New Year sales and lucky bags
- Annual EventsEssential nihon no kurisumasu日本のクリスマスChristmas as a couples' night with fried chicken
- Food & DrinkEssential bia gadenビアガーデンthe rooftop beer gardens that open only for the summer
- HistoryEssential gengo元号the Japanese era name
- Home & LivingEssential sentakumono no sotoboshi洗濯物の外干しdrying clothes on the balcony
- MannersEssential gomi o mochikaeruごみを持ち帰るcarrying your litter with you because there are no trash cans
- MannersEssential takushi no jido doaタクシーの自動ドアthe door that opens by itself
- MannersEssential chippu ga naiチップがないwhy Japan has no tipping culture
- MannersEssential densha no naka no mana電車の中のマナーwhy Japanese trains are so quiet
- MannersEssential retsu ni narabu列に並ぶwhy Japanese queues are so orderly
- Modern JapanEssential oshibori to mizuおしぼりと水the wet towel and water that arrive before you order
- Modern JapanEssential kyasshuresu kessaiキャッシュレス決済paying by card, IC card or QR code instead of cash
- Modern JapanEssential gomi bunbetsuゴミの分別sorting your garbage
- Modern JapanEssential konbiniコンビニthe Japanese convenience store
- Modern JapanEssential depachikaデパ地下the department store food hall
- Modern JapanEssential doraggu sutoaドラッグストアJapan's hybrid of a pharmacy and a discount supermarket
- Modern JapanEssential seirikenバスの整理券the numbered ticket that tracks your bus fare
- Modern JapanEssential famiri resutoranファミリーレストランthe all-purpose chain restaurant, and the drink bar
- Modern JapanEssential masukuマスクwhy people wear masks in Japan
- Modern JapanEssential rejibukuro no yuryokaレジ袋の有料化paying for shopping bags
- Modern JapanEssential kafunsho花粉症hay fever, mostly from cedar pollen
- Modern JapanEssential kinkyu jishin sokuho緊急地震速報Japan's earthquake early warning alert
- Modern JapanEssential kotsukei ai shi kado交通系ICカードthe tap card that works almost everywhere
- Modern JapanEssential kokyo no toire公共のトイレclean public toilets, free to use
- Modern JapanEssential kosoku doro no sabisu eria to pakingu eria高速道路のサービスエリアとパーキングエリアthe rest stops built into Japan's expressways
- Modern JapanEssential Yamanotesen山手線the loop line that connects most of central Tokyo
- Modern JapanEssential shoshi koreika少子高齢化a falling birth rate with an aging population
- Modern JapanEssential shokkenki食券機the meal ticket machine at the door
- Modern JapanEssential shinkansen新幹線the bullet train
- Modern JapanEssential suidosui ga nomeru koto水道水が飲めることwhy you can drink from the tap
- Modern JapanEssential taifu台風the typhoons that reach Japan each year
- Modern JapanEssential takuhaibin宅配便home delivery service
- Modern JapanEssential jishin e no sonae地震への備えhow Japan prepares for earthquakes
- Modern JapanEssential densha no teiji unko電車の定時運行why Japanese trains run on time
- Modern JapanEssential manin densha満員電車the packed commuter train
- Modern JapanEssential yomichi no anzen夜道の安全why walking at night feels safe in Japan
- Seasons & NatureEssential kazan to jishin火山と地震living on an unstable archipelago
- Seasons & NatureEssential moshobi猛暑日extreme summer heat in Japan
- Pop CultureEssential emoji絵文字picture characters
- School LifeEssential tokohan登校班children walking to school in groups
Standard（90）
- ConceptsStandard ryukogo taisho流行語大賞the annual award for new words, and what it really measures
- Annual EventsStandard kisei rasshu帰省ラッシュthe mass return to the hometown
- FolkloreStandard ketsuekigata seikaku shindan血液型性格診断judging character by blood type
- Food & DrinkStandard gotochi gurumeご当地グルメlocal specialty foods, and the towns that market them
- Food & DrinkStandard kissaten喫茶店the old-style Japanese coffee shop
- Food & DrinkStandard shokuhin rosu食品ロスfood that could have been eaten but was thrown away
- HistoryStandard senkyuhyaku rokujuyo nen no Tokyo Orinpikku1964年の東京オリンピックthe games that announced Japan's recovery
- HistoryStandard baburu keizaiバブル経済the asset price bubble of the late 1980s
- HistoryStandard Kanto daishinsai関東大震災the 1923 earthquake and fires that destroyed Tokyo and Yokohama
- HistoryStandard kodo keizai seicho高度経済成長Japan's postwar economic boom
- HistoryStandard ushinawareta sanjunen失われた30年the long stagnation after the bubble
- HistoryStandard Nihonkoku kenpo日本国憲法the postwar constitution
- Home & LivingStandard wan eru di ke1LDKhow Japanese floor plans are labeled
- Home & LivingStandard hikkoshi no tetsuzuki引っ越しの手続きwhat you must file when you move
- Home & LivingStandard kagi to bohan鍵と防犯how Japanese homes are secured
- Home & LivingStandard nihon no ie no samusa日本の家の寒さwhy homes are cold in winter
- Home & LivingStandard hoshonin保証人who vouches for you when you rent
- Home & LivingStandard reikin and shikikin礼金と敷金key money and deposit when renting
- Life EventsStandard fufu no sei夫婦の姓why couples must share one name
- MannersStandard esukareta no katagawa akeエスカレーターの片側空けstanding on one side, and why that is changing
- MannersStandard kasa no mana傘のマナーhow umbrellas are handled in Japan
- MannersStandard yusenseki優先席seats set aside for those who need them
- Modern JapanStandard hyaku-en shop100円ショップthe hundred-yen store
- Modern JapanStandard woshurettoウォシュレットthe Japanese high-tech toilet
- Modern JapanStandard eakon to setsudenエアコンと節電cooling a Japanese summer, and saving power
- Modern JapanStandard kapuseru hoteruカプセルホテルsleeping in a pod the size of a bed
- Modern JapanStandard kuru bizuクールビズthe summer campaign to work without a jacket and tie
- Modern JapanStandard koin randoriコインランドリーthe pay-per-use laundromat
- Modern JapanStandard koin rokkaコインロッカーstation luggage lockers
- Modern JapanStandard jenda gyappuジェンダーギャップwhy Japan ranks low on gender equality despite high education levels
- Modern JapanStandard shatta-shotengaiシャッター商店街a shopping street where most storefronts are permanently shuttered
- Modern JapanStandard netto kafeネットカフェinternet cafe with private booths
- Modern JapanStandard hazado mappuハザードマップthe map showing how bad flooding or a disaster could get at your address
- Modern JapanStandard baria furiバリアフリーaccessibility in Japan, and the yellow tactile paving it invented
- Modern JapanStandard biniru gasaビニール傘the clear plastic umbrella
- Modern JapanStandard furusato nozeiふるさと納税donating to another town and having it deducted from your own tax
- Modern JapanStandard pointo kadoポイントカードloyalty points at every register
- Modern JapanStandard pointo keizaiポイント経済why everyone in Japan is asked for a point card
- Modern JapanStandard mai nanbaマイナンバーthe national identification number
- Modern JapanStandard mai nanba kadoマイナンバーカードthe national ID card that now also works as a health insurance card
- Modern JapanStandard mamachariママチャリthe everyday shopping bicycle
- Modern JapanStandard yakuzaヤクザorganized crime in Japan, and why the offices have nameplates
- Modern JapanStandard hikikomori引きこもりlong-term withdrawal from society
- Modern JapanStandard karoshi過労死death from overwork, and the law Japan wrote because of it
- Modern JapanStandard kaigo介護long-term care, and the insurance system behind it
- Modern JapanStandard gaikokujin rodosha外国人労働者how Japan brings in workers from abroad
- Modern JapanStandard kakutei shinkoku確定申告filing your own tax return
- Modern JapanStandard kampo漢方traditional herbal medicine as practiced in Japan
- Modern JapanStandard kisho keiho気象警報Japan's tiered warning system and what each level means
- Modern JapanStandard akiya空き家empty houses left standing across Japan
- Modern JapanStandard keikaku unkyu計画運休shutting down the trains before the storm arrives
- Modern JapanStandard kenko-shindan健康診断the annual health checkup nearly every worker gets
- Modern JapanStandard genkin shakai現金社会why Japan still runs on cash
- Modern JapanStandard koban交番the neighborhood police box
- Modern JapanStandard kokumin kaihoken国民皆保険the public health insurance everyone in Japan is required to join
- Modern JapanStandard zaitaku kinmu在宅勤務why remote work spread and then shrank again in Japan
- Modern JapanStandard kyoshujo自動車教習所driving school, the required path to a license
- Modern JapanStandard jidohanbaiki自動販売機vending machines
- Modern JapanStandard shaken車検the mandatory vehicle inspection
- Modern JapanStandard shuwa手話Japanese Sign Language
- Modern JapanStandard shuden終電the last train, and the way it shapes the night
- Modern JapanStandard josei no shugyo女性の就業where women's employment in Japan stands
- Modern JapanStandard shohizei消費税Japan's sales tax, its rises, and the reduced rate
- Modern JapanStandard shokuhin sanpuru食品サンプルthe plastic food in restaurant windows
- Modern JapanStandard shinkansen no shaso新幹線の車窓the passing scenery, especially Mount Fuji, that makes the shinkansen ride itself an attraction
- Modern JapanStandard jinko gensho to kaso人口減少と過疎a shrinking, aging country
- Modern JapanStandard seishun juhachi kippu青春18きっぷa budget ticket for unlimited local and rapid JR trains over several consecutive days
- Modern JapanStandard takuhaibin宅配便と再配達home delivery and the problem of repeated attempts
- Modern JapanStandard churinjo駐輪場bicycle parking and removal
- Modern JapanStandard tenji burokku点字ブロックthe yellow tactile paving on the ground
- Modern JapanStandard denchu to densen電柱と電線why so many overhead wires
- Modern JapanStandard dendo kikku bodo電動キックボードthe electric scooter now allowed without a driver's license
- Modern JapanStandard hassha merodi発車メロディーstation departure jingles
- Modern JapanStandard hanko判子the personal seal used instead of a signature
- Modern JapanStandard hinan kunren避難訓練the evacuation drills everyone has done
- Modern JapanStandard bun'en分煙where you can and cannot smoke in Japan
- Modern JapanStandard hogei捕鯨why Japan resumed commercial whaling, and how little whale is actually eaten
- Modern JapanStandard takarakuji宝くじthe public lottery, and why the prize is tax-free
- Modern JapanStandard majan麻雀the four-player tile game, and where it sits legally
- Modern JapanStandard otoshimono落とし物why lost things come back in Japan
- Modern JapanStandard tachinomi立ち飲みthe standing bar, where you drink fast and cheap
- Onsen & BathStandard supa sentoスーパー銭湯large modern bathhouses
- Onsen & BathStandard onsen to tatu温泉とタトゥーwhy tattoos can get you refused at a bath
- Onsen & BathStandard onsen maku温泉マークthe three-steam symbol used on maps and signs for hot springs
- Onsen & BathStandard sento銭湯the neighborhood public bath
- PlacesStandard michi no eki道の駅roadside stations that sell local produce and let drivers rest
- Pop CultureStandard manga kissa漫画喫茶manga and internet cafes
- School LifeStandard pi ti ePTAthe parents and teachers association at a Japanese school
- Work CultureStandard burakku kigyoブラック企業exploitative employers
- Work CultureStandard rimoto wakuリモートワークworking from home in Japan
Advanced（34）
- HistoryAdvanced kimigayo君が代the national anthem, and why it is argued about
- HistoryAdvanced jinrikisha人力車the two-wheeled passenger cart Japan invented and exported
- HistoryAdvanced sengo no josei no chii no henka戦後の女性の地位の変化what changed and what did not
- Home & LivingAdvanced chonaikai and kairanban町内会と回覧板the neighborhood association and its circulating folder
- Life EventsAdvanced hakajimai墓じまいclosing a family grave
- MannersAdvanced kokyo no ba de no kesho公共の場での化粧why it is frowned on
- Modern JapanAdvanced Ainuアイヌthe indigenous people of northern Japan, recognized in law in 2019
- Modern JapanAdvanced okusuri techoお薬手帳the personal medication record book
- Modern JapanAdvanced geto boruゲートボールthe team game invented in Japan for children, now played mostly by older people
- Modern JapanAdvanced koin pakinguコインパーキングunattended pay parking lots
- Modern JapanAdvanced pachinkoパチンコthe gambling that legally is not gambling
- Modern JapanAdvanced inkan-shomei印鑑証明the certificate proving your registered seal is genuine
- Modern JapanAdvanced Okinawa no beigun kichi沖縄の米軍基地why most US military facilities in Japan are on one small island
- Modern JapanAdvanced gaikokujin okotowari外国人お断りwhy some businesses refuse foreign customers, and what the law does and does not say
- Modern JapanAdvanced gino jisshu to ikusei shuro技能実習と育成就労the foreign worker program Japan is replacing after years of criticism
- Modern JapanAdvanced kyokasho kentei to rekishi ninshiki教科書検定と歴史認識how Japanese textbooks are approved, and why neighboring countries react
- Modern JapanAdvanced kenketsu献血giving blood in Japan
- Modern JapanAdvanced genpatsu to saikado原発と再稼働what happened to Japan's reactors after 2011, and where policy stands now
- Modern JapanAdvanced kodokushi孤独死dying alone and not being found
- Modern JapanAdvanced koi keisho皇位継承who can become emperor, and how few people qualify
- Modern JapanAdvanced shikei死刑why Japan still has capital punishment, and how it is carried out
- Modern JapanAdvanced juminhyo住民票the address registration that everything else depends on
- Modern JapanAdvanced shogakukin奨学金the word that means scholarship but usually means student loan
- Modern JapanAdvanced taiki jido待機児童children on the waiting list for daycare
- Modern JapanAdvanced doseikon同性婚why Japan has partnership systems in most cities but no legal marriage
- Modern JapanAdvanced nanmin nintei難民認定why Japan recognizes so few refugees, and what changed in 2023
- Modern JapanAdvanced nyukan no shuyo入管の収容how Japan detains foreign nationals facing deportation, and the debate around it
- Modern JapanAdvanced buraku sabetsu部落差別discrimination against people linked to certain communities, based on ancestry alone
- Modern JapanAdvanced Yasukuni Jinja靖国神社the Tokyo shrine for Japan's war dead, and why prime ministers' visits are disputed
- Seasons & NatureAdvanced kokuritsu koen国立公園Japan's national parks, where people live and work inside
- Seasons & NatureAdvanced jugai獣害crop damage by deer, boar and bears
- PlacesAdvanced Seikan tonneru青函トンネルthe undersea tunnel joining Honshu and Hokkaido
- Work CultureAdvanced taishoku daiko退職代行services that quit your job for you
- Work CultureAdvanced teinen定年と再雇用mandatory retirement age and rehiring