Little & Big Things about Japan

When autumn arrives in Japan, the air in most regions turns crisp, the leaves begin to change color, and the sky becomes clear with high, distant clouds — a phenomenon the Japanese describe as “the sky is high” (空が高い). It is also a season closely associated with art, sports, reading, and delicious food. "Geijutsu no Aki" (芸術の秋) — Autumn for Art The phrase “Geijutsu no Aki” (芸術の秋), or “Autumn for Art,” is said to have become popular thanks to a literary magazine. It is believed to have originated from a reference to “Bijutsu no Aki” (美術の秋), or “Autumn for Fine Arts,” which appeared in the magazine Shincho in 1918. In addition, many major art exhibitions are held in Japan during the autumn season — such as the Nika Exhibition, the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition ( Nitten ), and the Inten Exhibition — all of which are among Japan’s most prestigious art events. "Supōtsu no Aki" (スポーツの秋) — Autumn for Sports The phrase “Supōtsu no Aki” (スポーツの秋), or “Autumn for Spor...

Today, Japanese is about the only non-Chinese language that still uses Chinese characters (kanji) in everyday writing, with the slight exception of South Korea, where Chinese characters ( hanja ) are occasionally used. This sometimes raises the question: If both languages share the same characters, can Japanese and Chinese speakers understand each other? The short answer: spoken, no — written, sometimes. Why Spoken Japanese and Chinese Aren’t Intelligible Although Japan and China are geographically close, their languages belong to entirely different language families. Japanese is part of the Japonic language family, while Chinese belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family. Word order : Chinese follows an SVO (subject–verb–object) structure, while Japanese uses SOV (subject–object–verb). Tones : Chinese is a tonal language, where pitch changes the meaning of a word. Japanese, by contrast, is not tonal in the same way. As a result, when spoken aloud, the two languages are almost co...

When staying in Japan, chances are you'll come across a Shinto shrine at some point. There are around 80,000 registered shrines under the Jinja Honcho (Association of Shinto Shrines), and some estimates suggest the total number — including unregistered ones — may exceed 300,000 . With so many shrines scattered across the country, you might wonder: “What are the proper manners when visiting one?” Let's walk through the basic etiquette step by step. 1. Passing Through the Torii Gate At the entrance, you'll see a torii — the iconic gate marking the transition from the everyday world to sacred space. Before stepping through, bow once in front of the torii to show respect. 2. Walking Along the Sando (Pathway) After the torii, there's usually a sando (参道) — the pathway leading to the shrine building. Traditionally, the center of the sando is reserved for the kami (deities), so it's considered polite to walk along the sides instead. 3. Purifying at the Tem...

In 2019, Japan and Poland celebrated the 100th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. The two nations have continued to enjoy a friendly relationship. While there may not be a single answer as to why these ties are so strong, some historical events have likely contributed to them. During the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), Poland was under Imperial Russian control, and many Poles were drafted into the Russian army to fight against Japan. Among the prisoners of war captured by the Japanese were many Polish soldiers who were placed in a separate facility from the Russians in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture. Polish prisoners seemed to have enjoyed relatively greater freedom and were even able to walk around outside the camp, allowing them to make friends with local residents. After Poland's failed uprisings against Russian rule, many Poles were exiled to Siberia to work on the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Harsh conditions, combined with World War I and the Rus...

To native German speakers, German might not sound special — no duh! However, for non-German speakers, it can hit differently. A few years ago, someone created a literal German translation of Japan's prefecture names, which went viral after people realized how unexpectedly cool they sounded. Hokkaido (北海道): Nordmeerstraße Aomori (青森): Blauwald Iwate (岩手): Felsenhand Miyagi (宮城): Palastburg Akita (秋田): Herbstfeld Yamagata (山形): Bergform Fukushima (福島): Glückinsel Ibaraki (茨城): Rosenburg Tochigi (栃木): Rosskastanie Gunma (群馬): Pferdeherde Saitama (埼玉): Kapskugel Chiba (千葉): Tausendeblätter Tokyo (東京): Osthauptstadt Kanagawa (神奈川): Gottesfluß Niigata (新潟): Neuelagune Tomiyama (富山): Reichenberg Ishikawa (石川): Steinfluß Fukui (福井): Glückesbrunnen Yamanashi (山梨): Birnenberg Nagano (長野): Langenfeld Gifu (岐阜): Gabelunghügel Shizuoka (静岡): Stillenhügel Aichi (愛知): Liebewissen Mie (三重): Dreifach Shiga (滋賀): Nahhaftesfeier Kyoto (京都): Edelhauptstadt Osaka (大阪): Großenhang Hyogo (兵庫): Solda...

Many Japanese restaurant chains are announcing their Tsukimi Burger menus for this year — but what exactly is Tsukimi ? Tsukimi (月見) or Otsukimi (お月見) literally means " moon viewing ." It is a Japanese celebration of the autumn full moon said to have originated from China. The main event, called Jugoya (十五夜, "Fifteenth Night"), falls on August 15 on the old Japanese lunar calendar — which corresponds to October 6 this year on the Gregorian calendar. The full moon on this day is also known as Chushu no Meigetsu (中秋の名月). Traditionally, Tsukimi refers to both Jugoya and Jusan'ya (十三夜, "Thirteenth Night"), which this year falls on November 2. Viewing the moon on only one of these nights is called " katatsukimi " (片月見) or " katamizuki " (片見月) which is traditionally considered bad luck. Tsukimi is celebrated by displaying susuki (Japanese pampas grass) and eating Tsukimi dango (round rice dumplings). It is also common to...