Commonly Misunderstood (493) | Japan Culture Navi

MannersEssential the ambiguity of kekko desu「結構です」の曖昧さa single phrase that can mean either yes, that's fine or no, thank you depending on tone and context

MannersEssential ojigiお辞儀bowing

MannersEssential oshakuお酌pouring for each other

MannersEssential taking your rubbish homeごみを持ち帰るcarrying your litter with you because there are no bins

MannersEssential sumimasenすみませんsorry / excuse me / thank you

MannersEssential slippersスリッパindoor slippers and the toilet pair

MannersEssential automatic taxi doorsタクシーの自動ドアthe door that opens by itself

MannersEssential no tippingチップがないwhy Japan has no tipping culture

MannersEssential taking off your shoes靴を脱ぐremoving shoes indoors

MannersEssential holes in your socks靴下に穴why this matters more here

MannersEssential finishing your food残さず食べるleaving nothing on the plate

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

MannersEssential shugibukuro祝儀袋と不祝儀袋the envelopes for celebration and condolence money

MannersEssential tabearuki食べ歩きeating while walking

MannersEssential aizuchi相槌the frequent small sounds and nods listeners make to show they are following along

MannersEssential chopstick taboos箸のタブーthings you must never do with chopsticks

MannersEssential slurping noodles麺をすするwhy noodles are eaten noisily

MannersEssential men wo susuru oto麺をすする音slurping noodles out loud

Modern JapanEssential cashless paymentキャッシュレス決済paying by card, IC card or QR code instead of cash

Modern JapanEssential konbiniコンビニthe Japanese convenience store

Modern JapanEssential masksマスクwhy people wear masks in Japan

Modern JapanEssential kafunsho花粉症hay fever, mostly from cedar pollen

Modern JapanEssential public toilets公共のトイレclean public toilets, free to use

Modern JapanEssential shoshi koreika少子高齢化a falling birth rate with an ageing population

Modern JapanEssential shokkenki食券機the meal ticket machine at the door

Modern JapanEssential tap water水道水が飲めることwhy you can drink from the tap

Modern JapanEssential punctual trains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 shiki四季the four seasons, as Japan talks about them

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

Onsen & BathEssential furoお風呂the Japanese home bath

Onsen & BathEssential kakeyuかけ湯rinsing yourself before entering the bath

Onsen & BathEssential onsen温泉a natural hot spring bath

Onsen & BathEssential swimsuits and onsen温泉と水着why bathing nude, not in a swimsuit, is the norm at most onsen

Onsen & BathEssential otokoyu and onnayu男湯と女湯the separate men's and women's baths

Onsen & BathEssential yubune ni tsukaru湯船につかるsoaking in the tub rather than just showering

Onsen & BathEssential atsuburo熱い風呂を好む文化the Japanese taste for baths hotter than most visitors expect

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 Akihabara秋葉原the Tokyo district that went from radio parts to anime

PlacesEssential the Shibuya scramble crossing渋谷スクランブル交差点the all-way pedestrian crossing outside Shibuya Station

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 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 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

Pop CultureEssential VTuberVチューバーa performer who streams and posts videos as an animated character instead of showing their real face

Pop CultureEssential animeアニメJapanese animation

Pop CultureEssential karaokeカラオケsinging to a backing track

Pop CultureEssential kawaiiかわいいthe aesthetic of cuteness

Pop CultureEssential terebi gemuテレビゲームhome video games

Pop CultureEssential emoji絵文字picture characters

School LifeEssential randoseruランドセルthe hard leather backpack every primary school child carries

School LifeEssential kosoku校則school rules and how strict they are

School LifeEssential seifuku制服the school uniform

School LifeEssential tosuhan登校班children walking to school in groups

School LifeEssential bukatsu部活school club activities

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

ShintoEssential saisen賽銭the offering you throw in

Work CultureEssential otsukaresamaお疲れさまthe all-purpose word for acknowledging someone's work

Work CultureEssential zangyo残業working overtime

ArtsStandard kabuki歌舞伎classical Japanese theater

ArtsStandard kyogen狂言the comic theater performed alongside noh

ArtsStandard karesansui枯山水the dry landscape garden

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

ArtsStandard shogi将棋Japanese chess

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

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 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 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 declining temple membership檀家離れthe modern trend of families cutting formal ties to their household's Buddhist temple

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 rinne輪廻the cycle of rebirth

Martial ArtsStandard ekiden駅伝long-distance relay running

Martial ArtsStandard yokozuna横綱the highest rank in sumo

Martial ArtsStandard karate空手the striking martial art from Okinawa

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

Martial ArtsStandard prefectural and national tournaments県大会と全国大会the ladder of local, prefectural, and national school tournaments

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 zanshin残心staying alert and ready in the instant after a technique lands

Martial ArtsStandard Shorinji Kempo少林寺拳法a Japanese martial art founded in 1947, different from Chinese Shaolin kung fu

Martial ArtsStandard suburi素振りswinging a weapon or bat with no opponent or ball

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 mandatory budo in junior high中学校の武道必修化the compulsory martial arts unit in Japanese junior high gym class

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

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

ClothingStandard kamon家紋family crests

ClothingStandard gakuseifuku学生服the classic Japanese school uniform: the stand-collar jacket and the sailor blouse

ClothingStandard momohiki, tekko, and kyahan股引・手甲・脚絆the fitted leggings and arm and shin wraps worn for festival and traditional work

ClothingStandard traditional and modern work clothes作業着の文化the culture around Japanese work clothing, from craftsmen to fashion brands

ClothingStandard mofuku喪服the black clothing worn to a funeral

ClothingStandard kitsuke着付けputting a kimono on

ClothingStandard the cost of a kimono着物の値段why a formal kimono can cost as much as a car

ClothingStandard nagajuban長襦袢the underlayer worn beneath a 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 haneri半襟the decorative collar sewn onto a kimono's underlayer, replaced more often than the kimono itself

ClothingStandard haramaki腹巻きa stretchy band of cloth worn around the belly to keep it warm

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 en縁the connection between people that brings them together

ConceptsStandard enryo遠慮holding back out of consideration

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

ConceptsStandard gaman我慢enduring without complaint

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

ConceptsStandard konjo根性grit, and the training culture built around it

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

ConceptsStandard shikata ga nai仕方ないit cannot be helped

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 seken世間the watching public around you

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

ConceptsStandard ikigai生きがいwhat makes life worth living

ConceptsStandard haji恥shame as a social brake

ConceptsStandard bun wo wakimaeru分をわきまえるknowing and staying within your place

ConceptsStandard honne and tatemae本音と建前true feelings and public face

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

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

CraftsStandard tatami craftsman畳職人the maker of tatami mats, a shrinking trade that still measures every room by hand

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 kumiko組子geometric wooden lattice patterns assembled without a single nail

CraftsStandard nihonto日本刀the Japanese sword

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

Annual EventsStandard supotsu no hiスポーツの日Sports Day, the second Monday of October

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

Annual EventsStandard umi no hi海の日Marine Day, the third Monday of July

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

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 yama no hi山の日Mountain Day, August 11th, Japan's newest public holiday

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

Annual EventsStandard halloween japan日本のハロウィンHalloween as a street costume event

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

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

FolkloreStandard kokkuri-sanこっくりさんa coin-and-paper fortune-telling game often compared to a Japanese Ouija board

FolkloreStandard kappa河童river spirits with a dish on the head

FolkloreStandard blood type personality theory血液型性格診断judging character by blood type

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

FolkloreStandard kuchisake-onna口裂け女the slit-mouthed woman, Japan's most famous modern urban legend

FolkloreStandard morishio盛り塩the small cone of salt placed at an entrance

FolkloreStandard tengu天狗long-nosed mountain spirits

FolkloreStandard nekomata猫又a cat believed to grow supernatural powers, including a split tail, after living unusually long

FolkloreStandard kitamakura北枕sleeping with your head to the north, a direction linked with death

FolkloreStandard cutting nails at night夜に爪を切ってはいけないthe superstition that you should not cut your nails at night

FolkloreStandard yokai妖怪Japanese supernatural creatures

FolkloreStandard hiding your belly button from thunder雷様とおへそthe saying that the thunder god will steal your belly button if you leave it uncovered

FolkloreStandard ryu龍the East Asian dragon

Food & DrinkStandard konnyakuこんにゃくa jelly-like food made from a starchy tuber

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 ehomaki恵方巻the uncut sushi roll eaten facing a set direction at Setsubun

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

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 mugicha麦茶cold barley tea

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

Food & DrinkStandard tamago kake gohan卵かけご飯raw egg over hot rice

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

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

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

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

HistoryStandard tenno天皇the Emperor of Japan

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

HistoryStandard ninja忍者the covert agents of feudal Japan

Home & LivingStandard unit bathユニットバスthe Japanese bathroom layout

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 locks and home security鍵と防犯how Japanese homes are secured

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

Home & LivingStandard kamidana神棚the household Shinto altar

Home & LivingStandard cold Japanese houses日本の家の寒さwhy homes are cold in winter

Home & LivingStandard hyosatsu表札the family nameplate by the door

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

Home & LivingStandard reikin and shikikin礼金と敷金key money and deposit when renting

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

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 koden香典condolence money brought to a funeral

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

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

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

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

Life EventsStandard uchiiwai内祝いthe thank-you gift after a celebration

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 escalatorエスカレーターの片側空けstanding on one side, and why that is changing

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 gestures指さしと手招きgestures that mean something different in Japan

MannersStandard apologizing謝るwhy Japanese people apologize first

MannersStandard declining a gift once贈り物を一度断るthe polite custom of refusing a gift once before accepting it

MannersStandard dogeza土下座kneeling with your forehead on the floor

MannersStandard blowing your nose鼻をかむwhy blowing your nose in public is avoided

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

Modern JapanStandard vinyl umbrella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 My Number card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 foreign workers外国人労働者how Japan brings in workers from abroad

Modern JapanStandard kampo漢方traditional herbal medicine as practiced in Japan

Modern JapanStandard akiya空き家empty houses left standing across Japan

Modern JapanStandard cash society現金社会why Japan still runs on cash

Modern JapanStandard kokumin kaihoken国民皆保険the public health insurance everyone in Japan is required to join

Modern JapanStandard jidohanbaiki自動販売機vending machines

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 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 churinjo駐輪場bicycle parking and removal

Modern JapanStandard utility poles電柱と電線why so many overhead wires

Modern JapanStandard e-scooter電動キックボードthe electric scooter now allowed without a driver's license

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

Modern JapanStandard lost and found落とし物why lost things come back in Japan

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

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

Onsen & BathStandard sauna and cold plungeサウナと水風呂sauna culture in Japan

Onsen & BathStandard ichiban-buro一番風呂being the very first person into freshly drawn bathwater

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 shooting galleries and ping-pong温泉街の射的と卓球shooting galleries and table tennis at hot-spring resorts

Onsen & BathStandard kazoku buro家族風呂a private bath you can book

Onsen & BathStandard ganbanyoku岩盤浴lying on heated stone to sweat, a dry alternative to soaking in a bath

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

Onsen & BathStandard nakai仲居the ryokan staff member who attends to your room and meals

Onsen & BathStandard yuzame湯冷めcatching a chill after a hot bath, as your body cools down too fast

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

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

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

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 Skytree東京スカイツリーthe 634-meter broadcasting tower in eastern Tokyo

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 the scale of Hokkaido北海道の広さhow much bigger Hokkaido is than most visitors expect

Pop CultureStandard esportseスポーツcompetitive gaming in Japan

Pop CultureStandard otakuオタクsomeone obsessively into a hobby

Pop CultureStandard character bunkaキャラクター文化characters attached to everything

Pop CultureStandard game centerゲームセンターvideo game arcade

Pop CultureStandard variety showsバラエティ番組Japanese TV variety programs

Pop CultureStandard yuru-kyaraゆるキャラlocal mascot characters

Pop CultureStandard Lolita fashionロリータファッションa modest, Victorian-inspired street fashion born in Harajuku, built around long skirts and frills

Pop CultureStandard koshien cheering甲子園の応援the organized brass-band and stand cheering that fills the stadium during the national high school baseball tournament

Pop CultureStandard oshikatsu推し活supporting your favorite

Pop CultureStandard seiyu声優voice actors

Pop CultureStandard itasha痛車a car wrapped in large anime or game character graphics

Pop CultureStandard train otaku鉄道ファンJapan's railway enthusiasts, a hobby broad enough to include photographers, sound recorders and model builders

Pop CultureStandard doujin music同人音楽self-released music made and sold by independent circles, often at fan conventions

Pop CultureStandard manga kissa漫画喫茶manga and internet cafes

Pop CultureStandard manzai漫才two-person stand-up comedy

School LifeStandard PTAPTAthe parents and teachers association at a Japanese school

School LifeStandard class reshuffling学年とクラス替えthe annual reshuffling of students into new classes

School LifeStandard hensachi高校の偏差値the deviation score used to rank Japanese schools by difficulty

School LifeStandard juku塾the private school you go to after school

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

School LifeStandard chugaku juken中学受験taking an entrance exam to enter a private or elite junior high school

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

School LifeStandard naishinten内申点the school's internal assessment that counts toward high school entry

School LifeStandard half coming-of-age ceremony二分の一成人式an elementary school event around age ten where children reflect on their first decade and thank their families

School LifeStandard english education日本の英語教育why Japanese people study English for years and still cannot speak it

School LifeStandard hokenshitsu保健室the school nurse's room, which is also a refuge

ShintoStandard oharaiお祓いritual purification

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

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 bonusボーナスthe twice-yearly lump-sum pay

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 nomikai飲み会the work drinking party

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

Work CultureStandard shain ryoko社員旅行the company trip

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

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

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 taishokutodoke退職届the one-line resignation notice

Work CultureStandard tenkin転勤company-ordered relocation

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

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

Work CultureStandard rirekisho履歴書the Japanese-format resume

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

ArtsAdvanced nihonga日本画painting in traditional Japanese materials

BuddhismAdvanced kaimyo戒名the Buddhist name given after death

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

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

Martial ArtsAdvanced osu押忍the all-purpose word shouted in martial arts dojos

Martial ArtsAdvanced iaido居合道drawing the sword as a discipline

Martial ArtsAdvanced dojo-yaburi道場破りthe movie trope of a stranger challenging a rival dojo to a duel

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

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 ishin denshin以心伝心understanding without words

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 jukyo儒教Confucian ideas as they took root in Japan

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

CraftsAdvanced miyadaiku宮大工temple and shrine carpenters

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

CraftsAdvanced kigumi木組みjoining timber without nails

CraftsAdvanced warosoku和ろうそくJapanese plant-wax candles

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

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 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

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

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

HistoryAdvanced sakoku鎖国the closed country policy

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

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

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 rangaku蘭学Dutch learning during the closed country period

Home & LivingAdvanced chonaikai and kairanban町内会と回覧板the neighborhood association and its circulating folder

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

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

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

Modern JapanAdvanced pachinkoパチンコthe gambling that legally is not gambling

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 Japanese only signs外国人お断りwhy some businesses refuse foreign customers, and what the law does and does not say

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 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 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 shogakukin奨学金the word that means scholarship but usually means student loan

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 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

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

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

PlacesAdvanced gunkanjima軍艦島the abandoned coal island off Nagasaki

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

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

Pop CultureAdvanced idolアイドルthe Japanese idol system

Pop CultureAdvanced Vocaloidボーカロイドsinging voice synthesizer

Pop CultureAdvanced maid cafeメイド喫茶maid cafe

Pop CultureAdvanced enka演歌sentimental Japanese ballads

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

Pop CultureAdvanced doujinshi同人誌とコミケself-published fan comics and Comiket

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

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

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 shanai shitsugyo社内失業being kept on payroll with no real work to do

Work CultureAdvanced shushin koyo終身雇用lifetime employment

Work CultureAdvanced shukko出向being loaned to another company

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