Speaking and pronunciation
Practical guides on speaking, grammar, pronunciation, listening, and study planning, written for learners who want to use Japanese in real life.
Speaking and pronunciation · Page 5
Why Are There No Trash Cans in Japan? Reasons and Where to Find One
There are few public trash cans in Japan because many were removed for security reasons after the 1995 Tokyo subway attack, because collecting and sorting public rubbish is costly, and because most people are used to carrying their rubbish home. Bins still exist at convenience stores, stations and next to vending machines, but you often have to look for them.
9 min readJapanese Peace Sign in Photos: Why Everyone Poses With a V
Japanese people make the peace sign, called pīsu, in photos because it became a fun, friendly pose in the 1970s and has been a habit ever since. It gives your hands something to do, looks cheerful and cute, and is understood by everyone, from small children to grandparents.
9 min readWhy Is Cash Still So Common in Japan? Reasons and Phrases
Cash is still common in Japan because it is safe to carry, ATMs are easy to find, many small shops avoid card fees and machines, and many people simply trust and prefer it. Cashless payment has grown fast in recent years, but small restaurants, shrines, festival stalls and rural places often still take cash only.
9 min readWhy Do Japanese Students Clean Their Classrooms? O-sōji Explained
Japanese students clean their own classrooms because cleaning is treated as part of education, not just a chore: it teaches children to take care of shared spaces, work in teams and take responsibility. Most schools have a daily cleaning time, sōji no jikan, when pupils sweep, wipe floors and tidy up in small groups.
9 min readWhy Do Japanese Pedestrians Wait at Red Lights? Reasons and Words
Most Japanese pedestrians wait at red lights because they learned to as children, because they want to set a good example for children around them, and because following shared rules is a strong social habit. Crossing on red is also against the Road Traffic Act, though pedestrians are rarely penalised.
9 min readHow to Sit Seiza: Step by Step, With Tips for Numb Legs
To sit seiza, kneel on the floor with your knees together, lay the tops of your feet flat behind you, and lower your hips onto your heels with your back straight and your hands on your thighs. It is the formal way to sit on tatami, and most hosts will soon invite you to relax your legs.
9 min readBonsai Meaning: What 盆栽 Means and How to Talk About It
Bonsai (盆栽) means a tree planted in a tray: 盆 (bon) is a tray or shallow container and 栽 (sai) means planting. In Japanese it refers to the art of growing a real tree in a small pot and shaping it over years so it looks like a large, old tree in nature.
9 min readHakone Ekiden: Japan's New Year University Relay and Its Words
The Hakone Ekiden is a university road relay race run every year on 2 and 3 January between central Tokyo and Lake Ashi in Hakone. Teams of ten runners pass a cloth sash, the tasuki, over ten legs of about 20 kilometres each, five legs out on the first day and five back on the second, and many families in Japan watch it on television as part of the New Year holiday.
11 min readTamago Kake Gohan: How Japan Eats Raw Egg on Rice
Tamago kake gohan (卵かけご飯), often shortened to TKG, is a bowl of hot rice with a raw egg and a little soy sauce mixed in. It is one of the simplest and most loved home breakfasts in Japan, and many people eat it because eggs sold in Japan are usually labelled and handled with raw eating in mind.
10 min readTabearuki: Is Eating While Walking Rude in Japan?
Eating while walking, tabearuki (食べ歩き), is often seen as bad manners in Japan, especially on crowded streets and trains, but it is not banned everywhere. At festivals and food streets people commonly eat standing near the stall, and the polite habit is to stop, eat on the spot or at the shop's bench, and take your rubbish with you.
10 min readHigasa: Why Japanese People Use Umbrellas in the Sun
A higasa (日傘) is a parasol, an umbrella used against the sun. In Japan many people carry one from spring to autumn to stay cooler, block UV rays and protect their skin, and in recent hot summers more men have started using them too.
10 min readMorijio: Why Japanese Shops Put Salt Piles at the Door
Morijio (盛り塩) is a small cone or mound of salt placed on a dish beside the entrance of a restaurant, shop or home in Japan. It is a charm for purifying the place and, in popular belief, for inviting good fortune and customers, so visitors should simply leave it alone.
11 min readPractical guides
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