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 6
Oshibori: The Wet Towel at Japanese Restaurants Explained
Oshibori (おしぼり) is the small wet towel, hot in cold weather and chilled in summer, that many Japanese restaurants hand you as you sit down. It is for wiping your hands before eating; afterwards you fold it and leave it beside your place.
10 min readDoyō no Ushi no Hi: Japan's Summer Eel Day Explained
Doyō no Ushi no Hi (土用の丑の日) is the day of the ox during doyō, the period just before the start of a new season. The summer one, usually in late July or early August, is famous as the day to eat grilled eel, unagi, for stamina in the heat.
10 min readWhy Japanese Children Walk to School Alone
Many Japanese children walk to elementary school without their parents from about age six, often in small groups of neighbourhood children. Short, planned school routes, quiet residential streets, crossing volunteers and a culture that encourages early independence all help, though practices and parents' feelings vary.
10 min readWhy Japanese People Carry Handkerchiefs Everywhere
Many people in Japan carry a handkerchief, hankachi, because public restrooms often have no paper towels, summers are hot and humid, and children are taught the habit at school. The most popular kind is a small, thick towel handkerchief that dries wet hands well.
10 min readFuton Vocabulary and Etiquette: Sleeping the Japanese Way
A Japanese futon, ofuton, is a set of bedding laid directly on the floor: a mattress called a shikibuton, a quilt called a kakebuton and a pillow, makura. Each morning many people fold it away into a cupboard, and on sunny days they hang it out to air.
10 min readKitsune and Tanuki in Japanese Folklore: Foxes and Tanuki
In Japanese folklore, the kitsune (fox) and the tanuki (raccoon dog) are shape-shifting animals that can trick people. The fox is elegant and mysterious and serves as a messenger of the god Inari, while the tanuki is a cheerful, round-bellied prankster, and both live on in shrines, shop statues, food names and idioms.
10 min readHow to Pronounce Japanese Names: Long Vowels, Beats and Asking
To pronounce a Japanese name well, split it into beats (Sa-i-tō is four beats, not two), give each beat roughly the same length, hold long vowels for two beats, and keep the stress flat instead of punching one syllable. When you are not sure, ask the person how their name is read; Japanese people do this with each other all the time.
10 min readJapanese Words English Speakers Mispronounce: Karaoke to Tsunami
English borrowed many Japanese words, then reshaped them: karaoke became carry-okey, karate became ka-RAH-tee, and sake became sah-key. In Japanese these words use five short, pure vowels, even beats and no heavy stress, so karaoke is ka-ra-o-ke, karate is ka-ra-te and sake is sa-ke.
10 min readHow to Pronounce Japanese Place Names: Tōkyō, Kyōto and Beyond
Most Japanese place names are easy once you hear their beats: Tōkyō is to-o-kyo-o, four beats, Kyōto is kyo-o-to, three beats, and Ōsaka starts with a long ō. Add the common endings such as -eki (station), -ji (temple) and -gawa (river), and you can say almost any place on a map.
10 min readShichi-Go-San in Japan: Meaning, Customs and What to Say
Shichi-Go-San (七五三, literally seven-five-three) is a Japanese celebration on 15 November for children aged three, five and seven. Families dress the children in their best clothes, visit a shrine to give thanks for their health, buy long chitose-ame candy and take commemorative photos.
9 min readComing of Age Day in Japan (Seijin no Hi): Customs and Phrases
Coming of Age Day, Seijin no Hi (成人の日), is a Japanese public holiday on the second Monday of January, which is 11 January in 2027. Towns hold ceremonies for young people who have recently become adults, and the classic congratulation is seijin omedetō.
9 min readKotatsu and Staying Warm in a Japanese Home: Words and Tips
Many Japanese homes have thin walls, single-glazed windows and no central heating, so people heat the room they are in, or just themselves. The kotatsu, a low table with a heater underneath and a quilt on top, is the classic answer, alongside air-con heating, kerosene heaters, hot water bottles and stick-on heat packs.
9 min readPractical guides
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