Everything Japan
Any diehard anime fan will have surely heard of the great Hayao Miyazaki and the acclaimed Studio Ghibli. From Totoro and Spirited Away to Princess Mononoke and Whisper of the Heart, Miyazaki and Ghibli helped make anime mainstream all over the world. With timeless tales of fantasy, war, romance, and coming-of-age stories, there is a
‘I was going to tell you…No matter where in the world you are, I’ll find you again. I swear.’ Up in the sky, the comet’s nowhere to be seen, and a few stars are beginning to twinkle. – from Shinkai’s novelization of his blockbuster hit Your Name. Even now, many years after its initial
Japanese culture is unique in many ways. However, it is true that Western influences have impacted traditional celebrations to merge with some old traditions. If you are invited to a Japanese wedding in a wedding chapel, there will be elements that will be familiar to the west. Gift-giving is seen as an act of appreciation,
One of the best things about Japan is the food. From ramen and sushi to takoyaki and tempura, the options are as endless as they are tasty. However, this excellence in quality even extends to packaged snacks, sweets, and of course, chocolate. For those with a sweet tooth, the country is a haven. In this
While listening to my work playlist today, I noticed a new Radwimps song in my recommendations. It was released on March 10th, 10 years after The Great Tohoku Earthquake that took countless lives. The song is called あいたい (aitai) which means I want to see you or I miss you in Japanese. It’s simple but beautiful. I recommend you listen
The video below from my teacher’s Youtube channel explains the difference between the Japanese particles は (wa) and が (ga) in under 4 minutes! Last year, my Japanese teacher in Tokyo named Kaori-sensei decided to start her own Youtube channel. Her channel is called メキメキ日本語 (meki meki nihongo), which loosely translated (poorly translated by me) means
If you have any experience watching anime, you know they often have good storylines, and some of them are even novel adaptations. With time and experience watching anime, you’ll realize that you will already have an idea of what the story is about, including the scope and plot, after just a few episodes. If the
Lead Image Source: Anime Feminist Ai Yazawa is famous for her realistic and ‘adult’ style of writing. She probably became most known for her classic manga — “Paradise Kiss” (ParaKiss for short from Japanese Paradaisu Kisu) which brought her popularity. ParaKiss is a comic comprised of a 5-volume series. It was also made into anime and a
In this podcast I did on Hacker Noon, I talked to Erin Kim from NIS America. I normally have the pleasure of speaking to the company every year at the annual Tokyo Game Show. Unfortunately, Tokyo Game Show 2020 was canceled due to COVID-19. While I didn’t get the chance to see the marketing team
Whilst travelling in other countries can be quite daunting, terrifying, confusing and expensive, Japan has made a way for tourists and visitors that can make travelling in this beautiful country a lot easier and cheaper. I’m talking about the JR pass. This pass is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to help you to
