Tour Guide (755) | Japan Culture Navi

ArtsEssential geiko芸者と舞妓professional entertainers trained in dance, music and hosting

ArtsEssential Japanese garden日本庭園the traditional garden

ArtsEssential haiku俳句the seventeen-syllable poem

ArtsEssential ukiyo-e浮世絵woodblock prints

ArtsEssential bonsai盆栽trees grown in trays

ArtsEssential wadaiko和太鼓Japanese drums and the ensembles that play them

BuddhismEssential ohakamairiお墓参りvisiting the family grave

BuddhismEssential gojunoto五重塔the five-storied pagoda

BuddhismEssential Zen禅a school of Buddhism built on seated meditation

BuddhismEssential daibutsu大仏the great Buddha statues

BuddhismEssential Buddhism in Japan日本の仏教how Buddhism arrived, changed, and ended up handling funerals

BuddhismEssential telling Buddhist statues apart仏像の見分け方the four ranks of Buddhist image and how to read them

Martial ArtsEssential puro yakyuプロ野球Japanese professional baseball

Martial ArtsEssential mawashiまわしthe thick belt a sumo wrestler wraps around the body and grips during a bout

Martial ArtsEssential kata型a prearranged sequence of moves practiced alone or against an imagined opponent

Martial ArtsEssential gyoji行司the referee who judges a sumo bout

Martial ArtsEssential judo柔道the martial art that became an Olympic sport

Martial ArtsEssential sumo相撲Japan's national sport and Shinto ritual

Martial ArtsEssential dojo道場a training hall

ClothingEssential kimono着物the traditional Japanese garment

ClothingEssential migimae着物の右前wearing a kimono with the left side over the right

ClothingEssential furoshiki風呂敷a wrapping cloth

ClothingEssential yukata浴衣a light cotton kimono for summer

ConceptsEssential okagesama deおかげさまでthanks to you and to unseen help

ConceptsEssential omotenashiおもてなしJapanese hospitality

ConceptsEssential isshokenmei一生懸命with everything you have

ConceptsEssential the three Japanese scripts漢字・ひらがな・カタカナwhy Japanese is written with three writing systems at once

ConceptsEssential omoiyari思いやりimagining how the other person feels

ConceptsEssential ishi no ue nimo sannen石の上にも三年three years sitting on a stone

ConceptsEssential senpai and kohai先輩・後輩seniors and juniors

CraftsEssential kintsugi金継ぎrepairing broken pottery with lacquer and gold

Annual EventsEssential osechiおせち料理the New Year food packed in stacked boxes

Annual EventsEssential oshogatsuお正月the Japanese New Year

Annual EventsEssential obonお盆the summer festival for returning ancestors

Annual EventsEssential kodomo no hiこどもの日Children's Day and the carp streamers

Annual EventsEssential white dayホワイトデーMarch 14, the return gift for Valentine's Day

Annual EventsEssential matsuri祭りa local festival

Annual EventsEssential hatsumode初詣the first shrine visit of the year

Annual EventsEssential hinamatsuri雛祭りthe doll festival on March 3rd

Annual EventsEssential osoji大掃除the year-end deep clean

Annual EventsEssential toshikoshi soba年越しそばNew Year's Eve noodles

Annual EventsEssential mothers day and fathers day母の日と父の日how Japan observes the two imported family days

Annual EventsEssential bonenkai and shinnenkai忘年会と新年会year-end and new-year parties

Annual EventsEssential bon odori盆踊りthe summer circle dance

FolkloreEssential omikujiおみくじfortune slips at shrines

FolkloreEssential Urashima Taro浦島太郎the fisherman who spends three days under the sea and returns three hundred years later

FolkloreEssential engi縁起whether something is considered lucky or unlucky

FolkloreEssential eto干支the twelve-year cycle of zodiac animals

FolkloreEssential maneki neko招き猫the beckoning cat

FolkloreEssential senbazuru千羽鶴a thousand folded cranes, given as a wish for recovery or peace

FolkloreEssential Momotaro桃太郎the boy born from a peach who goes to fight demons

FolkloreEssential Japanese folk tales日本の昔話the handful of stories every Japanese child grows up knowing

Food & DrinkEssential unagiうなぎfreshwater eel, grilled and glazed

Food & DrinkEssential ochazukeお茶漬けrice with tea or broth poured over it

Food & DrinkEssential katsudonカツ丼the pork cutlet rice bowl students eat before an exam

Food & DrinkEssential sukiyakiすき焼きbeef simmered at the table

Food & DrinkEssential soba and udonそばとうどんthe two traditional Japanese noodles

Food & DrinkEssential beer gardenビアガーデンthe rooftop beer gardens that open only for the summer

Food & DrinkEssential manjuまんじゅうthe steamed bun filled with sweet bean paste

Food & DrinkEssential wasabiわさびJapanese horseradish grated from a fresh root

Food & DrinkEssential ichiju sansai一汁三菜one soup and three dishes, the standard shape of a Japanese meal

Food & DrinkEssential ekiben駅弁station lunch boxes

Food & DrinkEssential katsuobushi鰹節dried, smoked and fermented bonito, shaved into flakes for stock

Food & DrinkEssential izakaya居酒屋the Japanese pub where food comes first

Food & DrinkEssential konbu昆布the kelp that gives Japanese stock its savory depth

Food & DrinkEssential zoni雑煮the New Year soup with rice cakes in it

Food & DrinkEssential sushi寿司vinegared rice with fish or other toppings

Food & DrinkEssential yakitori焼き鳥grilled chicken skewers

Food & DrinkEssential oyakodon親子丼chicken and egg on rice, and the name nobody expects

Food & DrinkEssential daifuku大福the pounded rice cake wrapped around sweet bean paste

Food & DrinkEssential teishoku定食a set meal built around rice, soup and a main dish

Food & DrinkEssential tempura天ぷらlightly battered deep-fried seafood and vegetables

Food & DrinkEssential nihonshu日本酒Japanese rice wine

Food & DrinkEssential kome米rice as the center of the meal

Food & DrinkEssential matcha抹茶powdered green tea

Food & DrinkEssential miso味噌fermented soybean paste

Food & DrinkEssential mochi餅pounded rice cake

Food & DrinkEssential tamagoyaki卵焼きthe rolled omelette, sweet or savory depending on where you are

Food & DrinkEssential washoku和食traditional Japanese cuisine

HistoryEssential gengo元号the Japanese era name

HistoryEssential samurai侍the warrior class of old Japan

HistoryEssential Japanese castle城a castle of the warlord era

Home & LivingEssential tatami畳woven straw floor mats

Home & LivingEssential washitsu和室a traditional tatami room

Life EventsEssential ieiei遺影the portrait photograph displayed at a funeral

Life EventsEssential kazokusou家族葬a funeral limited to close family and a few relatives

Life EventsEssential kon'in todoke婚姻届the marriage registration form filed at a city office

MannersEssential asking before you photograph写真を撮る前のひと言when you need permission

MannersEssential omiyage for the office職場のお土産bringing back sweets for colleagues

MannersEssential handing things with both hands物は両手で渡すwhy two hands matter

Modern JapanEssential depachikaデパ地下the department store food hall

Modern JapanEssential family restaurantファミリーレストランthe all-purpose chain restaurant, and the drink bar

Modern JapanEssential IC card交通系ICカードthe tap card that works almost everywhere

Modern JapanEssential Yamanote line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 ageing population

Modern JapanEssential shinkansen新幹線the bullet train

Modern JapanEssential taifu台風the typhoons that reach Japan each year

Modern JapanEssential jishin e no sonae地震への備えhow Japan prepares for earthquakes

Modern JapanEssential punctual trains電車の定時運行why Japanese trains run on time

Seasons & NatureEssential volcanoes and earthquakes火山と地震living on an unstable archipelago

Seasons & NatureEssential koyo紅葉autumn leaves, and going to look at them

Seasons & NatureEssential Mount Fuji as a sacred mountain富士山と信仰Mount Fuji and mountain worship

Onsen & BathEssential onsen温泉a natural hot spring bath

Onsen & BathEssential rotenburo露天風呂open-air bath

PlacesEssential the Great Buddha of Kamakura鎌倉の大仏the bronze Buddha that sits outdoors because its hall was destroyed

PlacesEssential Gion祇園と花街the old Kyoto quarter where geiko and maiko still work

PlacesEssential kyoto京都the capital for a thousand years, and how to explain it

PlacesEssential Kinkakuji金閣寺the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto

PlacesEssential Ginkakuji銀閣寺the Silver Pavilion in Kyoto, which has no silver on it

PlacesEssential Harajuku and Omotesando原宿と表参道the youth fashion street and the tree-lined avenue beside it

PlacesEssential Itsukushima Shrine厳島神社the shrine built over the sea, with a torii gate standing in the water

PlacesEssential Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park広島と平和記念公園the park in the middle of Hiroshima built where the city was destroyed

PlacesEssential Kokyo皇居と二重橋where the Emperor lives, on the site of Edo Castle

PlacesEssential Shinjuku and Kabukicho新宿と歌舞伎町the world's busiest station and the entertainment district beside it

PlacesEssential Kiyomizudera清水寺the Kyoto temple with a wooden stage built out over a hillside

PlacesEssential Asakusa浅草the old temple district in eastern Tokyo

PlacesEssential osaka大阪the merchant city, and how it differs from Tokyo

PlacesEssential Tsukiji and Toyosu築地と豊洲the old fish market street and the new wholesale market

PlacesEssential Tokyo Tower東京タワーthe red and white broadcasting tower built in 1958

PlacesEssential Todaiji東大寺と奈良の大仏the Nara temple housing a 15-meter bronze Buddha in a vast wooden hall

PlacesEssential Dotonbori道頓堀the canal-side street in Osaka with the running-man sign

PlacesEssential the deer of Nara Park奈良公園の鹿the wild deer that roam a city park in Nara

PlacesEssential Shirakawago白川郷the mountain village of steep thatched farmhouses

PlacesEssential Hakone箱根the hot spring area in the mountains west of Tokyo

PlacesEssential Himeji Castle姫路城the white castle in Hyogo, the best-preserved original keep in Japan

PlacesEssential Mount Fuji富士山Japan's highest mountain, an active volcano and a World Cultural Heritage site

PlacesEssential Fushimi Inari Taisha伏見稲荷大社the Kyoto shrine with thousands of vermilion torii gates up a mountain

PlacesEssential Meiji Jingu明治神宮the Tokyo shrine set in a forest that was planted from nothing

PlacesEssential Arashiyama嵐山the district of western Kyoto with the bridge, the temple garden and the bamboo path

School LifeEssential natsuyasumi no shukudai夏休みの宿題the summer holiday homework, including the free research project

ShintoEssential omamoriお守りa protective charm from a shrine or temple

ShintoEssential sando参道the approach to a shrine

ShintoEssential how to pray at a shrine参拝の作法the two bows, two claps, one bow routine

ShintoEssential chozuya手水舎the water pavilion where you rinse your hands before praying

ShintoEssential shrines and temples神社と寺の違いhow to tell a Shinto shrine from a Buddhist temple

ShintoEssential Shinto神道Japan's indigenous way of relating to spirits in nature and ancestors

ShintoEssential mikoshi神輿the portable shrine carried through the streets at a festival

ShintoEssential torii鳥居the gate at the entrance to a shrine

ShintoEssential mushukyo無宗教saying you have no religion while keeping its customs

Work CultureEssential calling people by title役職で呼ぶaddressing colleagues by their job title

ArtsStandard igo囲碁the board game of go

ArtsStandard Oku no Hosomichi奥の細道Basho's travel account of the deep north

ArtsStandard kabuki歌舞伎classical Japanese theater

ArtsStandard kumadori歌舞伎の隈取kabuki's bold, symbolic stage makeup

ArtsStandard emaki絵巻the painted handscroll you unroll section by section

ArtsStandard kakejiku掛け軸a hanging scroll displayed in an alcove

ArtsStandard kyogen狂言the comic theater performed alongside noh

ArtsStandard koto琴the thirteen-stringed Japanese zither

ArtsStandard mie見得the frozen dramatic pose in kabuki

ArtsStandard karesansui枯山水the dry landscape garden

ArtsStandard shamisen三味線the three-stringed instrument played with a large plectrum

ArtsStandard shishimai獅子舞the lion dance that bites your head for luck

ArtsStandard shakuhachi尺八the bamboo flute once played by wandering monks

ArtsStandard shodo書道Japanese calligraphy

ArtsStandard shogi将棋Japanese chess

ArtsStandard suibokuga水墨画ink painting in black and white, brought by Zen monks

ArtsStandard ikebana生け花Japanese flower arrangement

ArtsStandard stone lanterns and water basins石灯籠と蹲踞the stone furniture of a Japanese garden

ArtsStandard senryu川柳the comic cousin of haiku, about people rather than nature

ArtsStandard tanka短歌the thirty-one-syllable poem

ArtsStandard chashitsu茶室the room built for a tea gathering

ArtsStandard sado茶道the way of tea

ArtsStandard choju giga鳥獣戯画the twelfth-century animal scrolls often called Japan's first manga

ArtsStandard nihon buyo日本舞踊classical Japanese dance, largely grown out of kabuki

ArtsStandard nomen能面the masks worn in noh theater

ArtsStandard Hyakunin Isshu百人一首a hundred poems and the card game

ArtsStandard mokuhanga木版画the woodblock printing behind ukiyo-e

ArtsStandard rakugo落語solo comic storytelling

ArtsStandard byobu屏風a folding screen

BuddhismStandard Ojizo-sanお地蔵さんthe roadside guardian of children

BuddhismStandard ofuseお布施the money offered to a priest, with no stated price

BuddhismStandard inga oho因果応報what you do comes back

BuddhismStandard Kannon観音the bodhisattva of compassion

BuddhismStandard gokuraku and jigoku極楽と地獄the Pure Land and the hells in Japanese Buddhism

BuddhismStandard zazen座禅seated Zen meditation

BuddhismStandard shakyo写経copying a sutra by hand

BuddhismStandard joya no kane除夜の鐘the 108 bells on New Year's Eve

BuddhismStandard juzu数珠Buddhist prayer beads

BuddhismStandard senko線香incense sticks for the dead

BuddhismStandard soryo僧侶Buddhist priests in Japan, who may marry and inherit a temple

BuddhismStandard takuhatsu托鉢the walking alms round of a Buddhist monk

BuddhismStandard nembutsu and daimoku南無阿弥陀仏と南無妙法蓮華経the two most common chanted phrases in Japanese Buddhism, and why they differ by school

BuddhismStandard butsudan仏壇the Buddhist altar in a Japanese home

BuddhismStandard rinne輪廻the cycle of rebirth

BuddhismStandard bonsho梵鐘the temple bell struck from the outside

Martial ArtsStandard ekiden駅伝long-distance relay running

Martial ArtsStandard yokozuna横綱the highest rank in sumo

Martial ArtsStandard keiko稽古training in a traditional art or martial art

Martial ArtsStandard kendo剣道Japanese fencing with bamboo swords

Martial ArtsStandard high school baseball and Koshien高校野球と甲子園the national high school baseball tournament

Martial ArtsStandard aikido合気道a martial art without contests

Martial ArtsStandard black belts and dan ranks黒帯と段位the ranking system in Japanese arts

Martial ArtsStandard shiko四股the sumo leg-raising movement, done as training and as a rite

Martial ArtsStandard sumo beya相撲部屋the stable where wrestlers live

Martial ArtsStandard oicho-mage大銀杏the ginkgo-leaf-shaped topknot only sumo wrestlers ranked juryo and above are allowed to wear

Martial ArtsStandard honbasho大相撲の本場所the six official grand sumo tournaments held each year

Martial ArtsStandard shinai and bogu竹刀と防具the bamboo sword and protective armor used in kendo

Martial ArtsStandard dohyo土俵the raised clay ring a sumo bout is fought in

Martial ArtsStandard dohyo-iri土俵入りthe ring-entering ceremony performed by top sumo wrestlers before their bouts

Martial ArtsStandard tachiai and shikiri立合いと仕切りthe charge that starts a sumo bout, and the ritual staring before it

Martial ArtsStandard yabusame流鏑馬archery from a galloping horse

Martial ArtsStandard rei ni hajimari rei ni owaru礼に始まり礼に終わるit begins with a bow and ends with a bow

ClothingStandard tasukiたすきa cord that ties back kimono sleeves, now also a sash worn across the chest

ClothingStandard haori羽織the short jacket worn open over a kimono

ClothingStandard geta下駄wooden sandals

ClothingStandard kamon家紋family crests

ClothingStandard furisode振袖the long-sleeved kimono for unmarried women

ClothingStandard setta雪駄flat sandals with a bamboo-sheath top and a leather sole, worn with kimono

ClothingStandard zori草履flat thonged sandals

ClothingStandard tabi足袋split-toe socks

ClothingStandard graduation hakama卒業式の袴the skirt-trousers worn at graduation

ClothingStandard obi帯the wide sash worn with a kimono

ClothingStandard kitsuke着付けputting a kimono on

ClothingStandard kimono motifs着物の柄と文様the symbolism behind cranes, waves and other patterns woven or dyed into kimono

ClothingStandard white tabi and colored tabi白足袋と色足袋why the color of tabi socks signals how formal the occasion is

ClothingStandard fundoshi褌the traditional loincloth worn as underwear or festival dress

ConceptsStandard uchi and sotoウチとソトinside group and outside group

ConceptsStandard shitsukeしつけbringing up a child to behave considerately

ConceptsStandard ichigo ichie一期一会one time, one meeting

ConceptsStandard en縁the connection between people that brings them together

ConceptsStandard on恩a debt of gratitude that you carry and repay

ConceptsStandard kao wo tateru顔を立てるletting someone keep their standing in front of others

ConceptsStandard ki ga kiku気が利くnoticing what's needed and acting on it without being asked

ConceptsStandard kikubari気配りproactive thoughtfulness toward others' needs

ConceptsStandard sassuru察するworking out what someone means without being told

ConceptsStandard shoshinsha and kuroto初心者と玄人the words for a beginner and a true expert

ConceptsStandard uchi to yosozama身内とよそ様insiders and the outside world

ConceptsStandard mizu ni nagasu水に流すletting the past wash away

ConceptsStandard kazoedoshi数え年the old way of counting age, from one at birth

ConceptsStandard seken世間the watching public around you

ConceptsStandard sekentei世間体how you look to the people around you

ConceptsStandard haji恥shame as a social brake

ConceptsStandard hara hachibunme腹八分目eating to eighty percent full

ConceptsStandard hogen方言the regional dialects of Japanese

ConceptsStandard mujo無常the impermanence of everything

ConceptsStandard myoji名字Japanese family names and where they came from

ConceptsStandard buzzword of the year流行語大賞the annual award for new words, and what it really measures

ConceptsStandard wa和harmony as the thing a group protects

ConceptsStandard wabi-sabi侘び寂びbeauty in imperfection and age

ConceptsStandard sontaku忖度acting on what you guess a superior wants, without being told

ConceptsStandard kizuna絆the bond between people who will not let go of each other

CraftsStandard yosegi-zaiku寄木細工Hakone wooden marquetry made from woods of different natural colors

CraftsStandard magewappa曲げわっぱa bentwood box made from a thin sheet of cedar

CraftsStandard nishikigoi錦鯉ornamental koi carp bred for color, once called swimming jewels

CraftsStandard netsuke根付a small carved toggle once used to hang a pouch or case from a kimono sash

CraftsStandard maki-e蒔絵lacquer decoration made by sprinkling gold or silver powder onto wet lacquer

CraftsStandard urushi漆器lacquerware

CraftsStandard yakimono no sanchi焼き物の産地the pottery towns that each make a distinct kind of ware

CraftsStandard shokunin職人the craftsman, as an identity

CraftsStandard ningen kokuho人間国宝a Living National Treasure, a state-certified master of a traditional art or craft

CraftsStandard mizuhiki水引decorative cord on gift envelopes

CraftsStandard sensu扇子folding fan

CraftsStandard chochin提灯paper lanterns

CraftsStandard tojiki陶磁器Japanese pottery and porcelain

CraftsStandard nihonto日本刀the Japanese sword

CraftsStandard furin風鈴wind chimes

CraftsStandard Arita ware and Imari ware有田焼と伊万里焼Japan's first porcelain, and the export port that gave it a second name in the West

CraftsStandard aizome藍染indigo dyeing

CraftsStandard washi和紙traditional Japanese paper

Annual EventsStandard otsukimiお月見moon viewing in autumn

Annual EventsStandard Sapporo Snow Festivalさっぽろ雪まつりthe February festival of giant snow sculptures in Sapporo

Annual EventsStandard dondo yakiどんど焼きthe mid-January bonfire for New Year decorations

Annual EventsStandard koromogae衣替えthe day everyone changes to summer or winter clothing

Annual EventsStandard kanchu mimai寒中見舞いthe midwinter greeting card

Annual EventsStandard kanto matsuri竿燈まつりthe Akita festival of lantern poles balanced on one hand

Annual EventsStandard kisei rush帰省ラッシュthe mass return to the hometown

Annual EventsStandard kagami biraki鏡開きbreaking open the New Year rice cakes

Annual EventsStandard kagamimochi鏡餅と鏡開きthe stacked New Year rice cakes

Annual EventsStandard kinro kansha no hi勤労感謝の日Labor Thanksgiving Day, November 23rd

Annual EventsStandard Respect for the Aged Day敬老の日the September holiday honoring older people

Annual EventsStandard kenkoku kinen no hi建国記念の日National Foundation Day, February 11th

Annual EventsStandard kenpo kinenbi憲法記念日Constitution Memorial Day, May 3rd

Annual EventsStandard goyo osame御用納めと仕事始めthe last and first working days of the year

Annual EventsStandard nanakusa七草がゆthe seven-herb porridge eaten on January 7th

Annual EventsStandard shochu mimai暑中見舞いthe midsummer greeting card

Annual EventsStandard kakizome書き初めthe first calligraphy of the year

Annual EventsStandard Showa Day and Greenery Day昭和の日とみどりの日the two late-April holidays that swapped names and dates

Annual EventsStandard matsu no uchi松の内the period New Year decorations stay up

Annual EventsStandard new year games正月の遊びthe traditional games played at New Year

Annual EventsStandard shoryo uma精霊馬the cucumber horse and eggplant cow made for Obon

Annual EventsStandard tenno tanjobi天皇誕生日the Emperor's Birthday, a holiday whose date changes with the reign

Annual EventsStandard doyo no ushi土用の丑の日the day everyone eats eel

Annual EventsStandard winter solstice冬至the shortest day, with a yuzu bath and pumpkin

Annual EventsStandard toji and yuzu bath冬至とゆず湯the winter solstice and citrus baths

Annual EventsStandard toro nagashi灯籠流しfloating lanterns for the dead

Annual EventsStandard tori no ichi酉の市the November rake market for good business

Annual EventsStandard nijushi sekki二十四節気the twenty-four solar terms of the traditional calendar

Annual EventsStandard kashiwamochi and chimaki柏餅とちまきthe two sweets eaten on Children's Day, east and west

Annual EventsStandard higan彼岸the weeks around the equinoxes when families visit graves

Annual EventsStandard bunka no hi文化の日Culture Day, November 3rd

Annual EventsStandard kadomatsu門松the pine and bamboo arrangement placed at the door for the New Year

Annual EventsStandard rokuyo六曜the six-day luck cycle on calendars

FolkloreStandard Kaguya-himeかぐや姫the girl found in a bamboo stalk who returns to the moon

FolkloreStandard darumaだるまthe round wish doll with no eyes

FolkloreStandard kappa河童river spirits with a dish on the head

FolkloreStandard kaidan怪談Japanese ghost stories

FolkloreStandard foxes and Inari狐と稲荷why shrines are guarded by foxes

FolkloreStandard the forty-nine days after death四十九日と霊why the soul is thought to linger for forty-nine days before its fate is settled

FolkloreStandard crane and turtle鶴と亀symbols of long life

FolkloreStandard tengu天狗long-nosed mountain spirits

FolkloreStandard hamaya破魔矢the arrow you buy at New Year

FolkloreStandard yokai妖怪Japanese supernatural creatures

FolkloreStandard ryu龍the East Asian dragon

Food & DrinkStandard anpanあんぱんthe sweet bean bun that made bread Japanese

Food & DrinkStandard gotochi gourmetご当地グルメlocal specialty foods, and the towns that market them

Food & DrinkStandard sashisusesoさしすせそthe order in which the five basic seasonings go into a Japanese dish

Food & DrinkStandard champonちゃんぽんthe Nagasaki noodle dish invented for Chinese students

Food & DrinkStandard monjayakiもんじゃ焼きthe runny Tokyo griddle dish you eat straight off the hotplate

Food & DrinkStandard onsen tamago温泉卵the egg cooked the other way round

Food & DrinkStandard kaiseki懐石料理the formal multi-course meal, and the two different things called kaiseki

Food & DrinkStandard amazake甘酒the sweet rice drink, with and without alcohol

Food & DrinkStandard eating fish魚を食べる文化how much fish Japan eats, and how that is changing

Food & DrinkStandard sansai and mushrooms山菜ときのこwild vegetables and mushrooms from the mountains

Food & DrinkStandard dashi出汁the stock at the base of Japanese cooking

Food & DrinkStandard shochu焼酎a distilled Japanese spirit

Food & DrinkStandard shokuhin loss食品ロスfood that could have been eaten but was thrown away

Food & DrinkStandard ishiyakiimo石焼き芋sweet potatoes roasted in hot stones, sold from a truck

Food & DrinkStandard sekihan赤飯red rice steamed with azuki beans

Food & DrinkStandard tsukemono漬物Japanese pickles served alongside rice

Food & DrinkStandard nanban-gashi南蛮菓子the sweets the Portuguese brought in the 1500s

Food & DrinkStandard japanese whisky日本のウイスキーhow Japan started making whisky, and why the old bottles vanished

Food & DrinkStandard umeshu梅酒plum liqueur, and the one alcohol Japanese households legally make

Food & DrinkStandard miso dengaku味噌田楽tofu or vegetables on skewers, grilled with sweet miso

Food & DrinkStandard yoshoku洋食Western-style dishes invented in Japan

Food & DrinkStandard hiyashi chuka冷やし中華the cold noodle dish that appears for one season only

Food & DrinkStandard wagashi和菓子traditional Japanese sweets

HistoryStandard the 1964 Tokyo Olympics1964年の東京オリンピックthe games that announced Japan's recovery

HistoryStandard sorobanそろばんthe Japanese abacus

HistoryStandard the bubble economyバブル経済the asset price bubble of the late 1980s

HistoryStandard the Onin War応仁の乱the eleven-year conflict that opened Japan's age of civil war

HistoryStandard kaido and shukuba街道と宿場the Edo highways and their post towns

HistoryStandard the Battle of Sekigahara関ヶ原の戦いthe 1600 battle that decided who would rule Japan for 265 years

HistoryStandard the Great Kanto Earthquake関東大震災the 1923 earthquake and fires that destroyed Tokyo and Yokohama

HistoryStandard kentoshi遣唐使the missions Japan sent to Tang dynasty China

HistoryStandard the Edo period江戸時代Japan's 260 years of self-imposed peace and isolation

HistoryStandard the high growth era高度経済成長Japan's postwar economic boom

HistoryStandard national treasures and important cultural properties国宝と重要文化財how Japan designates what it protects

HistoryStandard kurofune黒船the American warships that forced Japan to open its ports in 1853

HistoryStandard terakoya寺子屋the neighborhood schools of the Edo period

HistoryStandard the lost decades失われた30年the long stagnation after the bubble

HistoryStandard shudan shushoku集団就職the mass migration of young workers to the cities after the war

HistoryStandard jokamachi城下町a town laid out around a castle

HistoryStandard Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Ieyasu信長・秀吉・家康the three who unified Japan

HistoryStandard the Sengoku period戦国時代Japan's age of civil war

HistoryStandard tenno天皇the Emperor of Japan

HistoryStandard the Constitution of Japan日本国憲法the postwar constitution

HistoryStandard haihan-chiken廃藩置県the abolition of the feudal domains

HistoryStandard fukoku kyohei富国強兵the Meiji-era slogan "rich country, strong army"

HistoryStandard the tale of the heike平家物語the war tale about the fall of a clan, recited to the lute

HistoryStandard manyoshu万葉集Japan's oldest surviving poetry collection

Home & LivingStandard chabudaiちゃぶ台a low folding dining table

Home & LivingStandard irori囲炉裏the open hearth sunk into the floor

Home & LivingStandard moving house paperwork引っ越しの手続きwhat you must file when you move

Home & LivingStandard fusuma and shoji襖と障子the sliding paper doors of a Japanese house

Home & LivingStandard kawara yane瓦屋根the tiled roof

Home & LivingStandard tatekae to chuko jutaku建て替えと中古住宅why Japanese houses are so often rebuilt rather than resold

Home & LivingStandard gassho-zukuri and thatched roofs合掌造りと茅葺きthe steep thatched farmhouses of the snow country

Home & LivingStandard shichirin七輪the small portable charcoal grill

Home & LivingStandard tokonoma床の間the alcove in a tatami room

Home & LivingStandard kamidana神棚the household Shinto altar

Home & LivingStandard uchimizu打ち水sprinkling water on the ground to cool the air

Home & LivingStandard machiya町家the narrow deep townhouse of an old merchant quarter

Home & LivingStandard nagaya長屋the Edo row house where most townspeople lived

Home & LivingStandard butsuma仏間the room traditionally set aside for the family Buddhist altar

Home & LivingStandard guarantor保証人who vouches for you when you rent

Home & LivingStandard wooden architecture木造建築why Japan builds in wood

Home & LivingStandard wooden houses木造住宅why Japanese homes are rebuilt, not resold

Life EventsStandard omiyamairiお宮参りa baby's first shrine visit

Life EventsStandard omiaiお見合いan introduction with marriage in mind

Life EventsStandard oiwai no sekiお祝いの席a formal Japanese celebration meal

Life EventsStandard okuizomeお食い初めthe first meal ceremony at 100 days

Life EventsStandard osoushikiお葬式a Japanese funeral

Life EventsStandard goshugiご祝儀the money you give at a wedding

Life EventsStandard greeting the neighbors引っ越しの挨拶the visit you make after moving in

Life EventsStandard kaikiiwai快気祝いthe thank-you gift sent after recovering from illness or injury

Life EventsStandard kanreki還暦と長寿の祝いbirthdays that mark a long life

Life EventsStandard nijikai結婚式の二次会the casual after-party that follows a wedding reception

Life EventsStandard koden香典condolence money brought to a funeral

Life EventsStandard kotsuage骨上げpicking up the cremated bones with chopsticks

Life EventsStandard shichi-go-san七五三the festival for children aged seven, five and three

Life EventsStandard shonanoka初七日the memorial service held on the seventh day after death

Life EventsStandard shinzenshiki神前式a Shinto wedding

Life EventsStandard mochu hagaki喪中はがきthe mourning notice sent before New Year

Life EventsStandard tanjobi no iwaikata誕生日の祝い方how birthdays are marked across a Japanese life, beyond a party

Life EventsStandard nakodo仲人the go-between who arranged and formally witnessed a marriage

Life EventsStandard tsuya通夜the wake held the night before a funeral

Life EventsStandard married surnames夫婦の姓why couples must share one name

Life EventsStandard naming a child名前のつけ方what you may and may not call a baby

Life EventsStandard divorce離婚how divorce works in Japan

MannersStandard Japanese business emailメールの書き出しと結びthe fixed opening and closing lines

MannersStandard keigo敬語the honorific levels of Japanese

MannersStandard haikei and keigu手紙の拝啓と敬具the formal opening and closing words that bracket a proper Japanese letter

MannersStandard temiyage手土産the gift you bring when you visit

MannersStandard seiza正座sitting on your heels

MannersStandard senjitsu wa domo先日はどうもthanking someone again next time

MannersStandard answering the phone電話の受け方phone manners at a Japanese company

MannersStandard meishi exchange名刺交換exchanging business cards

Modern JapanStandard cool bizクールビズthe summer campaign to work without a jacket and tie

Modern JapanStandard gender gap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 hazard-mapハザードマップthe map showing how bad flooding or a disaster could get at your address

Modern JapanStandard barrier freeバリアフリーaccessibility in Japan, and the yellow tactile paving it invented

Modern JapanStandard point economyポイント経済why everyone in Japan is asked for a point card

Modern JapanStandard my numberマイナンバーthe national identification number

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 foreign workers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 weather warnings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 koban交番the neighborhood police box

Modern JapanStandard working from home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 shaken車検the mandatory vehicle inspection

Modern JapanStandard shuwa手話Japanese Sign Language

Modern JapanStandard women at work女性の就業where women's employment in Japan stands

Modern JapanStandard consumption tax消費税Japan's sales tax, its rises, and the reduced rate

Modern JapanStandard food samples食品サンプルthe plastic food in restaurant windows

Modern JapanStandard population decline人口減少と過疎a shrinking, aging country

Modern JapanStandard takuhaibin宅配便と再配達home delivery and the problem of repeated attempts

Modern JapanStandard tenji block点字ブロックthe yellow tactile paving on the ground

Modern JapanStandard hinan kunren避難訓練the evacuation drills everyone has done

Modern JapanStandard smoking rules分煙where you can and cannot smoke in Japan

Modern JapanStandard whaling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 mahjong麻雀the four-player tile game, and where it sits legally

Modern JapanStandard tachinomi立ち飲みthe standing bar, where you drink fast and cheap

Seasons & NatureStandard Okinawa and Hokkaido沖縄と北海道の気候the two ends of Japan's climate

Seasons & NatureStandard the sea and fishing海と漁業how Japan eats from the ocean

Seasons & NatureStandard kiku菊chrysanthemum

Seasons & NatureStandard kyureki旧暦the old lunisolar calendar Japan used until 1872

Seasons & NatureStandard icho銀杏the ginkgo tree

Seasons & NatureStandard hotaru蛍fireflies

Seasons & NatureStandard sakura zensen桜前線the cherry blossom front

Seasons & NatureStandard ajisai紫陽花hydrangea

Seasons & NatureStandard akisame zensen秋雨前線the autumn rain front that brings weeks of gray, wet weather

Seasons & NatureStandard shochikubai松竹梅pine, bamboo and plum

Seasons & NatureStandard shinrin no kuni森林の国how much of Japan is forest

Seasons & NatureStandard sugi杉the Japanese cedar

Seasons & NatureStandard yukikaki雪かきclearing snow as daily work

Seasons & NatureStandard yukiguni雪国Japan's heavy snow regions

Seasons & NatureStandard rivers and bridges川と橋Japan's short steep rivers

Seasons & NatureStandard senjo kosuitai線状降水帯the linear rainband that causes Japan's worst flash flooding

Seasons & NatureStandard tanada棚田terraced rice paddies cut into mountain slopes

Seasons & NatureStandard take竹bamboo

Seasons & NatureStandard listening to insect songs虫の声を聴くenjoying the sound of autumn insects

Seasons & NatureStandard asagao朝顔the morning glory

Seasons & NatureStandard the shape of Japan日本列島の地形a long mountainous chain of islands

Seasons & NatureStandard ume梅Japanese apricot blossom

Seasons & NatureStandard satoyama里山the managed woodland between the village and the mountain

Onsen & BathStandard tattoos and onsen温泉とタトゥーwhy tattoos can get you refused at a bath

Onsen & BathStandard the onsen mark温泉マークthe three-steam symbol used on maps and signs for hot springs

Onsen & BathStandard onsengai温泉街a hot spring town

Onsen & BathStandard gensen kakenagashi源泉かけ流しhot spring water used once and let overflow, with nothing recirculated

Onsen & BathStandard Ibusuki sand bath指宿の砂むし温泉a hot sand bath on a beach warmed by hot spring water

Onsen & BathStandard sento銭湯the neighborhood public bath

Onsen & BathStandard soto-yu-meguri内湯と外湯めぐりhopping between a hot spring town's public bathhouses in a yukata

Onsen & BathStandard ryokan旅館a traditional Japanese inn

PlacesStandard Odaibaお台場the waterfront district built on reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay

PlacesStandard yokohama横浜the fishing village that became Japan's door to the West

PlacesStandard Yakushima屋久島the southern island of ancient cedars and constant rain

PlacesStandard kanazawa金沢the castle town that escaped the bombing, and its gold leaf

PlacesStandard Ginza銀座the expensive shopping district named after a silver mint

PlacesStandard karuizawa軽井沢the highland resort that began as a missionary's summer escape

PlacesStandard Kenrokuen兼六園the Kanazawa garden named for the six qualities a perfect garden should have

PlacesStandard Takayama高山the mountain town in Gifu with preserved merchant streets and festival floats

PlacesStandard koyasan高野山the mountain monastery where you can stay the night

PlacesStandard sakurajima桜島the active volcano that drops ash on a city of 600,000

PlacesStandard Sanjusangendo三十三間堂the 120-meter hall in Kyoto holding 1,001 statues of Kannon

PlacesStandard shikoku pilgrimage四国八十八ヶ所the 1,200-kilometer circuit of eighty-eight temples

PlacesStandard Shurijo首里城と沖縄the palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom in Okinawa

PlacesStandard Ueno Park上野公園the Tokyo park holding the national museums, the zoo and the cherry trees

PlacesStandard Kinosaki Onsen城崎温泉a hot spring town in northern Hyogo known for its seven public bathhouses

PlacesStandard kobe神戸the port city between mountain and sea, rebuilt after an earthquake

PlacesStandard kusatsu onsen草津温泉the strongly acidic hot spring with the wooden cooling ritual

PlacesStandard Adachi Museum of Art足立美術館the Shimane museum whose garden is viewed like a painting, not walked in

PlacesStandard Nagasaki and Dejima長崎と出島the port that was Japan's only window to Europe, and the second atomic bombing

PlacesStandard Tokyo Station東京駅の駅舎the red brick station building of 1914, restored in 2012

PlacesStandard michi no eki道の駅roadside stations that sell local produce and let drivers rest

PlacesStandard dogo onsen道後温泉one of Japan's oldest hot springs, and its wooden bathhouse

PlacesStandard Nijojo二条城the Kyoto castle where the shogun gave power back to the Emperor

PlacesStandard Nikko Toshogu日光東照宮the shrine where Tokugawa Ieyasu is enshrined, covered in carvings

PlacesStandard Nihon Sankei日本三景the three famous views of Japan, chosen in the seventeenth century

PlacesStandard atami熱海the hot spring town that collapsed and came back

PlacesStandard fukuoka福岡the city closest to the continent, and its street food stalls

PlacesStandard Byodoin平等院鳳凰堂the eleventh-century temple hall on the ten-yen coin

PlacesStandard Beppu and Yufuin別府と湯布院the biggest hot spring town in Japan and the quiet one next to it

PlacesStandard beppu onsen別府温泉the town with the most hot spring water in Japan

PlacesStandard nagoya名古屋the industrial city between Tokyo and Osaka, with its own food

PlacesStandard Arima Onsen有馬温泉the old hot spring town in the hills behind Kobe

Pop CultureStandard esportseスポーツcompetitive gaming in Japan

Pop CultureStandard karutaかるたthe card game where you race to grab the right card

Pop CultureStandard Weekly Shonen Jumpジャンプと週刊漫画誌the manga magazine where reader postcards ranking each week's chapters can decide a series' fate

Pop CultureStandard hanafuda花札the flower card game

Pop CultureStandard Kohaku Uta Gassen紅白歌合戦the New Year's Eve song contest on public television

Pop CultureStandard kamishibai紙芝居the paper theater a storyteller carried on a bicycle

Pop CultureStandard jidaigeki時代劇the period drama set before the Meiji era

Pop CultureStandard mukashi no asobi昔の遊びthe pre-electronic children's games still taught in schools

Pop CultureStandard Japanese film日本映画Japanese cinema, then and now

Pop CultureStandard manzai漫才two-person stand-up comedy

School LifeStandard PTAPTAthe parents and teachers association at a Japanese school

School LifeStandard gakkyukai学級会the class meeting where pupils decide things themselves

School LifeStandard tannin学級担任the homeroom teacher who teaches everything

School LifeStandard shintai sokutei身体測定the school health check and measurements

School LifeStandard school swimming lessons水泳の授業swimming as a compulsory school subject

School LifeStandard sekigae席替えchanging where everyone sits in the classroom

School LifeStandard chorei朝礼the morning assembly at a school or workplace

School LifeStandard bukatsu no intai部活の引退leaving your school club after the last tournament

ShintoStandard oharaiお祓いritual purification

ShintoStandard Ise Jingu伊勢神宮the central shrine of Shinto

ShintoStandard ema絵馬a wooden plaque you write a wish on

ShintoStandard Gion Matsuri祇園祭the month-long Kyoto festival that began as a rite against plague

ShintoStandard tamagushi玉串the evergreen sprig offered at a rite

ShintoStandard goshinboku御神木the sacred tree in a shrine precinct

ShintoStandard komainu狛犬the guardian pair at a shrine

ShintoStandard Izumo Taisha出雲大社the shrine where the gods gather

ShintoStandard shinshoku and miko神職と巫女shrine priests and shrine maidens

ShintoStandard shinto and nature神道と自然the animism at the heart of Shinto belief

ShintoStandard sohonsha and bunsha総本社と分社head shrines and their thousands of branch shrines

ShintoStandard jichinsai地鎮祭the ceremony held before building on a piece of land

ShintoStandard shimenawa注連縄the sacred rope

ShintoStandard chinju no mori鎮守の森the grove that surrounds a shrine

ShintoStandard Tenmangu天満宮と学問の神shrines of the deity of learning

ShintoStandard Nihon shinwa日本神話the myths in Japan's oldest books

ShintoStandard yakubarai厄払いthe shrine rite performed in an unlucky year of life

Work CultureStandard harassmentハラスメントworkplace harassment and the law against it

Work CultureStandard harassment rulesハラスメント対策workplace harassment law in Japan

Work CultureStandard burakku kigyoブラック企業exploitative employers

Work CultureStandard remote workリモートワークworking from home in Japan

Work CultureStandard ikuji kyugyo育児休業parental leave

Work CultureStandard work uniforms作業着と社章company uniforms and lapel pins

Work CultureStandard shukatsu就活と新卒一括採用hiring an entire year group at once

Work CultureStandard shutcho出張business trips and expense claims

Work CultureStandard women in management女性管理職how few women hold senior posts

Work CultureStandard shokunin no koukeisha busoku職人の後継者不足the shortage of successors for traditional craftspeople

Work CultureStandard shinjin kenshu新人研修training for new graduates

Work CultureStandard jinji ido人事異動internal transfers decided by the company

Work CultureStandard settai接待entertaining clients

Work CultureStandard sogoshoku and ippanshoku総合職と一般職career-track and clerical-track hiring

Work CultureStandard taishokukin退職金the lump-sum retirement payment

Work CultureStandard taishokutodoke退職届the one-line resignation notice

Work CultureStandard chusho kigyo to shitauke中小企業と下請けsmall and midsize firms and the subcontracting pyramid

Work CultureStandard tenkin転勤company-ordered relocation

Work CultureStandard tenshoku転職changing jobs mid-career

Work CultureStandard nenko joretsu年功序列pay and rank by length of service

Work CultureStandard haken派遣社員agency temp workers

Work CultureStandard hiseiki koyo非正規雇用non-regular employment

Work CultureStandard fukugyo副業holding a second job

Work CultureStandard rirekisho履歴書the Japanese-format resume

Work CultureStandard rodo kumiai労働組合the labor union

ArtsAdvanced iemoto家元the head of a school of a traditional art

ArtsAdvanced gagaku雅楽the court music of Japan

ArtsAdvanced gidayu義太夫the narrative chanting behind bunraku puppet theater

ArtsAdvanced kodan講談storytelling of battles and heroes, told from behind a small desk

ArtsAdvanced kodo香道the way of incense

ArtsAdvanced shoin-zukuri書院造the room style that modern Japanese rooms come from

ArtsAdvanced shinden-zukuri寝殿造the palace style of the Heian aristocracy

ArtsAdvanced kumiodori組踊Okinawan musical theater, created for Chinese envoys

ArtsAdvanced nihonga日本画painting in traditional Japanese materials

ArtsAdvanced noh能the oldest surviving stage art in Japan

ArtsAdvanced biwa琵琶the lute that carried Japan's war tales

ArtsAdvanced bunraku文楽puppet theater with three operators to a puppet

ArtsAdvanced Hojoki and Tsurezuregusa方丈記と徒然草the two other great Japanese essay collections

ArtsAdvanced Makura no Soshi枕草子The Pillow Book

BuddhismAdvanced kaimyo戒名the Buddhist name given after death

BuddhismAdvanced goma護摩a fire ritual performed by esoteric Buddhist priests

BuddhismAdvanced temple buildings寺の伽藍what the buildings at a temple are

BuddhismAdvanced Buddhist schools in Japan宗派の違いthe main branches of Japanese Buddhism and how they differ

BuddhismAdvanced shojin ryori精進料理Buddhist temple cuisine

BuddhismAdvanced sotoba卒塔婆the wooden memorial tablet at a grave

BuddhismAdvanced danka system檀家制度why every family has a temple

BuddhismAdvanced nenbutsu念仏calling the Buddha's name

BuddhismAdvanced hoji法事a Buddhist memorial service

BuddhismAdvanced mikkyo密教esoteric Buddhism in Japan

BuddhismAdvanced mandala曼荼羅a diagram of the Buddhist universe used in esoteric ritual and meditation

Martial ArtsAdvanced kyudo弓道Japanese archery

Martial ArtsAdvanced iaido居合道drawing the sword as a discipline

Martial ArtsAdvanced kemari蹴鞠the Heian court game of keeping a ball in the air

Martial ArtsAdvanced naginata薙刀the long-handled blade and its modern sport

Martial ArtsAdvanced banzuke番付the sumo ranking sheet

ClothingAdvanced kappogi割烹着the full-cover Japanese apron

ClothingAdvanced junihitoe十二単the layered court robes of the Heian period

ClothingAdvanced kimono formality着物の格the ranking that decides which kimono may be worn where

ClothingAdvanced seasonal kimono rules着物の季節の決まりlined, unlined and sheer kimono, and when each is worn

ClothingAdvanced happi法被the straight-sleeved festival coat

ClothingAdvanced montsuki hakama紋付袴formal Japanese dress for men

ConceptsAdvanced kejimeけじめdrawing a clear line between one thing and another

ConceptsAdvanced mono no awareもののあはれthe sadness of passing things

ConceptsAdvanced kachofugetsu花鳥風月flower, bird, wind and moon

ConceptsAdvanced amae甘えdepending on another person's goodwill

ConceptsAdvanced ma間the meaningful gap

ConceptsAdvanced giri義理social obligation you cannot refuse

ConceptsAdvanced isagiyosa潔さaccepting defeat cleanly

ConceptsAdvanced kotodama言霊the belief that spoken words carry power

ConceptsAdvanced sanpo yoshi三方よしgood for the seller, the buyer and society

ConceptsAdvanced shu ha ri守破離the three stages of learning a traditional art

ConceptsAdvanced jukyo儒教Confucian ideas as they took root in Japan

ConceptsAdvanced shoshin wasuru bekarazu初心忘るべからずnever forget how you began

ConceptsAdvanced iki粋the understated stylishness of Edo townspeople

ConceptsAdvanced yaoyorozu no kami八百万の神the eight million gods

ConceptsAdvanced yugen幽玄depth that is felt rather than shown

CraftsAdvanced kokeshiこけしwooden dolls from the north

CraftsAdvanced denden daikoでんでん太鼓the pellet drum you shake to quiet a baby

CraftsAdvanced miyadaiku宮大工temple and shrine carpenters

CraftsAdvanced Edo kiriko江戸切子cut glass from Tokyo

CraftsAdvanced Nishijin-ori西陣織figured silk weaving from Kyoto

CraftsAdvanced kumihimo組紐braided cord

CraftsAdvanced takezaiku竹細工bamboo craft

CraftsAdvanced katana kaji刀鍛冶the swordsmiths who still forge Japanese blades by hand

CraftsAdvanced Nambu tekki南部鉄器Nambu cast ironware

CraftsAdvanced hyogushi表具師the craftsperson who mounts hanging scrolls, folding screens and sliding doors

CraftsAdvanced the mingei movement民芸運動the 1926 movement that found beauty in everyday objects made by unnamed craftspeople

CraftsAdvanced Kiso hinoki木曽のひのきprized cypress from a valley protected by a harsh Edo-era logging law

CraftsAdvanced kigumi木組みjoining timber without nails

CraftsAdvanced yuzen友禅resist-dyed pictorial kimono

CraftsAdvanced Wajima-nuri輪島塗the lacquerware of Wajima, built up in over a hundred separate steps

CraftsAdvanced warosoku和ろうそくJapanese plant-wax candles

Annual EventsAdvanced ebisu koえびす講the merchants' festival for the god of business

Annual EventsAdvanced nagoshi no harae夏越の祓the midsummer purification

Annual EventsAdvanced hanamatsuri花祭りthe Buddha's birthday

Annual EventsAdvanced go-sekku五節句the five seasonal festivals of the old calendar

Annual EventsAdvanced zassetsu雑節Japan's own seasonal markers, added to the imported calendar

Annual EventsAdvanced junisan mairi十三参りthe shrine visit at thirteen

Annual EventsAdvanced jusanya十三夜the second moon-viewing night, about a month after the harvest moon

Annual EventsAdvanced choyo重陽の節句the chrysanthemum festival of the ninth month

Annual EventsAdvanced hatsuuma初午the February day for the fox shrines

Annual EventsAdvanced hatsuyume初夢the first dream of the year, and what it is said to foretell

Annual EventsAdvanced niinamesai新嘗祭と勤労感謝の日the harvest rite behind a public holiday

Annual EventsAdvanced hari kuyo針供養a memorial service for broken needles

FolkloreAdvanced onmyodo陰陽道the court's system of divination and calendar making

FolkloreAdvanced ushimitsu doki丑三つ時the dead of night, around two in the morning, when spirits were said to appear

FolkloreAdvanced bakedanuki化け狸the shape-shifting raccoon dog

FolkloreAdvanced kimon鬼門the unlucky northeast direction

FolkloreAdvanced kumade熊手the lucky rake for raking in business

FolkloreAdvanced zashiki warashi座敷童子the child spirit of the house

FolkloreAdvanced shichifukujin七福神the seven lucky gods

FolkloreAdvanced yuki-onna雪女the snow woman

FolkloreAdvanced tsukumogami付喪神objects that come alive with age

FolkloreAdvanced kaso方位と家相lucky and unlucky directions in a house

FolkloreAdvanced yakudoshi厄年the unlucky years of your life

Food & DrinkAdvanced tokorotenところてんseaweed jelly pushed into noodles, sweet in the west and sour in the east

Food & DrinkAdvanced yakatabune屋形船the roofed boat you eat and drink on

Food & DrinkAdvanced kuri kinton栗きんとんtwo different sweets with the same name

HistoryAdvanced kimigayo君が代the national anthem, and why it is argued about

HistoryAdvanced Article 9憲法9条the war-renouncing article of the constitution

HistoryAdvanced The Tale of Genji源氏物語an eleventh-century court novel

HistoryAdvanced kofun古墳ancient burial mounds

HistoryAdvanced Hiroshima and Nagasaki広島と長崎the atomic bombings and how they are remembered

HistoryAdvanced kokugaku国学the Edo-period study of Japan's own classics

HistoryAdvanced sakoku鎖国the closed country policy

HistoryAdvanced sankin kotai参勤交代the alternate attendance system

HistoryAdvanced jinrikisha人力車the two-wheeled passenger cart Japan invented and exported

HistoryAdvanced women's status since 1945戦後の女性の地位の変化what changed and what did not

HistoryAdvanced the Occupation戦後の占領Japan under Allied administration

HistoryAdvanced hidden christians潜伏キリシタンthe Christians who kept the faith through 250 years of prohibition

HistoryAdvanced the Pacific War太平洋戦争Japan in the Second World War

HistoryAdvanced Taisho democracy大正デモクラシーthe liberal current of the 1910s and 1920s

HistoryAdvanced teppo denrai鉄砲伝来the arrival of the matchlock gun in 1543 and how fast Japan copied it

HistoryAdvanced Jomon and Yayoi縄文と弥生Japan's two prehistoric periods

HistoryAdvanced hanko domain school藩校the schools each domain ran for its samurai

HistoryAdvanced the rise of the samurai武士の登場how warriors took over government

HistoryAdvanced bushido武士道the way of the warrior

HistoryAdvanced cultural property system文化財の制度how Japan designates national treasures and protects its heritage

HistoryAdvanced bunmei kaika文明開化the rush to westernize

HistoryAdvanced the Heian period平安時代the age of the court aristocracy

HistoryAdvanced the Meiji Restoration明治維新the transformation that rebuilt Japan in decades

HistoryAdvanced rangaku蘭学Dutch learning during the closed country period

HistoryAdvanced wasan和算the mathematics developed in Edo-period Japan

Home & LivingAdvanced engawa縁側the wooden veranda between inside and out

Home & LivingAdvanced danchi団地postwar public housing estates

Home & LivingAdvanced nisetai jutaku二世帯住宅a house built for two generations

Home & LivingAdvanced ranma欄間the carved panel above the sliding doors

Life EventsAdvanced ochugen and oseiboお中元・お歳暮the two seasonal gift-giving periods

Life EventsAdvanced eitai kuyo永代供養the temple keeping your grave when nobody is left to

Life EventsAdvanced yuino結納the formal engagement ceremony

Life EventsAdvanced koseki戸籍the family register

Life EventsAdvanced sankotsu散骨scattering ashes at sea, and the rules around it

Life EventsAdvanced satogaeri shussan出産と里帰りgoing home to your mother to give birth

Life EventsAdvanced hakajimai墓じまいclosing a family grave

MannersAdvanced elevator etiquetteエレベーターの作法who stands where and who presses the buttons

MannersAdvanced makeup in public公共の場での化粧why it is frowned on

MannersAdvanced kamiza上座the seat of honor

Modern JapanAdvanced the Ainuアイヌthe indigenous people of northern Japan, recognized in law only in 2019

Modern JapanAdvanced okusuri techoお薬手帳the personal medication record book

Modern JapanAdvanced gateballゲートボールthe team game invented in Japan for children, now played by the old

Modern JapanAdvanced inkan-shomei印鑑証明the certificate proving your registered seal is genuine

Modern JapanAdvanced US bases in Okinawa沖縄の米軍基地why most US military facilities in Japan are on one small island

Modern JapanAdvanced technical intern training技能実習と育成就労the foreign worker program Japan is replacing after years of criticism

Modern JapanAdvanced textbook screening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 nuclear power in Japan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 imperial succession皇位継承who can become emperor, and the shortage of people who qualify

Modern JapanAdvanced capital punishment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 same-sex marriage同性婚why Japan has partnership systems in most cities but no legal marriage

Modern JapanAdvanced refugee recognition難民認定why Japan recognizes so few refugees, and what changed in 2023

Modern JapanAdvanced immigration detention入管の収容why Japan can hold people without a time limit or a court order

Modern JapanAdvanced buraku discrimination部落差別discrimination against people linked to certain communities, based on ancestry alone

Modern JapanAdvanced Yasukuni Shrine靖国神社the Tokyo shrine for Japan's war dead, and why prime ministers' visits are disputed

Seasons & NatureAdvanced national parks国立公園Japan's national parks, where people live and work inside

Seasons & NatureAdvanced sangaku shinko山岳信仰worship of mountains

Seasons & NatureAdvanced jugai獣害crop damage by deer, boar and bears

Seasons & NatureAdvanced koke苔moss

Seasons & NatureAdvanced nihon no mizu日本の水Japan's paradox of abundant but scarce water

Onsen & BathAdvanced konyoku混浴a mixed-sex bath, now rare

Onsen & BathAdvanced senshitsu泉質types of hot spring water

Onsen & BathAdvanced toji湯治staying at a hot spring to recover

Onsen & BathAdvanced hito秘湯a remote, hard-to-reach hot spring

PlacesAdvanced Mount Aso阿蘇山the active volcano in Kyushu with fifty thousand people living inside its caldera

PlacesAdvanced Kumano Kodo熊野古道the old pilgrimage routes through the mountains south of Osaka

PlacesAdvanced gunkanjima軍艦島the abandoned coal island off Nagasaki

PlacesAdvanced seikan tunnel青函トンネルthe undersea tunnel joining Honshu and Hokkaido

PlacesAdvanced Shiretoko知床the northeastern peninsula where drift ice reaches its southern limit

PlacesAdvanced Tottori Sand Dunes鳥取砂丘the large coastal dunes on the Japan Sea, often mistaken for a desert

PlacesAdvanced Naoshima直島the small island in the Inland Sea turned into a contemporary art site

PlacesAdvanced mozu furuichi kofun百舌鳥・古市古墳群the giant keyhole tombs you cannot go inside

Pop CultureAdvanced enka演歌sentimental Japanese ballads

Pop CultureAdvanced shinya anime深夜アニメlate-night anime

Pop CultureAdvanced seichi junrei聖地巡礼visiting places from anime

Pop CultureAdvanced tokusatsu特撮live-action special effects shows

Pop CultureAdvanced Takarazuka Revue宝塚歌劇団the all-female musical theater company

ShintoAdvanced goshuin御朱印a calligraphic seal stamped at a shrine or temple

ShintoAdvanced kokka shinto国家神道the state administration of shrines from 1868 to 1945

ShintoAdvanced sakaki and tamagushi榊と玉串the evergreen branch offered in Shinto rites

ShintoAdvanced ujigami and ujiko氏神と氏子the local guardian deity and its parishioners

ShintoAdvanced shikinen sengu式年遷宮rebuilding the shrine every twenty years

ShintoAdvanced shago社号why shrines are called jingu, taisha or jinja

ShintoAdvanced shugendo修験道the mountain ascetic tradition and its yamabushi

ShintoAdvanced norito祝詞the formal prayer read by a priest

ShintoAdvanced kagura神楽dance offered to the gods

ShintoAdvanced shrine architecture神社の建築how to read the buildings of a Shinto shrine

ShintoAdvanced shinbutsu shugo神仏習合the long blending of Shinto and Buddhism

ShintoAdvanced kannazuki神無月the month the gods are away

ShintoAdvanced counting kami神様の数え方why Japanese counts gods with the word for pillar

ShintoAdvanced shinsen and naorai神饌と直会the food offered to a deity and the meal shared afterwards

ShintoAdvanced hachimangu八幡宮shrines of the warrior deity

ShintoAdvanced reitaisai例大祭a shrine's own most important annual festival

ShintoAdvanced misogi禊purifying yourself with water

Work CultureAdvanced nemawashi and ringi根回しと稟議how decisions actually get made

Work CultureAdvanced shushin koyo終身雇用lifetime employment

Work CultureAdvanced shukko出向being loaned to another company

Work CultureAdvanced shunto春闘the spring wage round

Work CultureAdvanced taishoku daiko退職代行services that quit your job for you

Work CultureAdvanced tanshin funin単身赴任transferring without the family

Work CultureAdvanced teinen定年と再雇用mandatory retirement age and rehiring

Work CultureAdvanced island desks島型デスクthe open office facing each other

Work CultureAdvanced horenso報連相report, contact, consult