Anime, for many of us, holds a special place in our hearts, whether it’s because of the moving stories, the characters, or the incredible songs. The music score in anime is a big part of what makes these stories deeply moving. For instance, whenever we think of Ghibli, we inadvertently…
If you’re planning on visiting Japan, you should make the trip twice! Once in the spring to experience the cherry blossoms, and again in autumn to witness the beautiful sight of the tree leaves turning red (momiji)! While cherry blossoms symbolize new life and fresh beginnings, momiji, written as 紅葉,…
As summer humidity fades and fireworks and matsuri festivals come to an end, Tokyo enters one of its most enchanting seasons: autumn. While spring’s cherry blossoms often steal the limelight, the city’s fall foliage, known as momiji, offers a quieter, equally mesmerizing beauty. From brilliant crimson maples to golden ginkgo…
Halloween in Japan is just around the corner—what better time to learn some Japanese Halloween vocabulary? How else can you describe some of the ghosts, monsters, and creepy crawlers that will spring up across the nation? Japan is no stranger to celebrating various occasions, and Halloween is quickly gaining popularity,…
Welcome to Coto Radio, a Japanese learning podcast by Coto Japanese Academy, Japan’s No. 1 Japanese language school. Each episode, our host combines captivating storytelling with engaging conversations, all delivered in clear, natural Japanese. If you’ve spent any amount of time in Japan, you’ve probably noticed that point cards are…
What ghosts or creatures chronicled in Japanese folklore are lurking among the shadows, or perhaps hidden in plain sight? The mysterious and supernatural in Japan can take many forms, hidden in the most unexpected crevasses of your home, or may even be a friend that’s hiding a secret — even…
As a society that values harmony and peace over confrontation, there is a general perception that Japanese people tend to say more polite phrases than most. Words like “arigatou gozaimasu (thank you),” and “sumimasen (excuse me)” pop up all the time — and “no problem” is in Japanese one of…
Japanese honorifics are suffixes or prefixes used to show respect or familiarity when addressing other people. While they can be tricky for beginners, they play a key role in everyday conversations. For example, the same friend might be called Tanaka-san one day and Tanaka-kun the next, depending on who they…
Welcome to Coto Radio, a Japanese learning podcast by Coto Japanese Academy, Japan’s No. 1 Japanese language school. Each episode, our host combines captivating storytelling with engaging conversations, all delivered in clear, natural Japanese. Today, Nagai-sensei and Hidari-sensei from Coto Academy take on a puzzling question: why is voter turnout…
Learning Japanese can feel overwhelming at first, but mastering basic greetings and essential vocabulary is a great way to ease into your studies. Whether you’re planning a trip to Japan, interacting with Japanese speakers, or just curious about the language, these words and phrases will help you build a solid…
