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Eight great words for talking about summer in Japan in Japanese
- Casey Baseel
Jul 24, 2026 - Tweet
Taking a break in the shade? Here’s some Japanese vocabulary and cultural knowledge that could be yours by the time you step back into the sun.
- Japan
- (cicadas • COK • fireworks • Japanese language • learning japanese • linguistics • SNO • summer)
Same name tops lists of most popular dog and cat names in Japan, and there’s probably a reason why
- Casey Baseel
May 27, 2026
Cultural quirks have a hand in making the same name the favorite for dogs and cats in annual study.
- Japan
- (animals • cats • COK • dogs • Japanese language • Japanese pet names • linguistics • pet names • pets • society)
Japanese government creates new word for cruelly hot summer days
- Casey Baseel
Apr 21, 2026
Summer in Japan keeps getting hotter and forces linguistic evolution.
- Japan
- (COK • heat • hot • Japan Meteorological Agency • Japanese language • linguistics • meteorology • science • weather)
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
- Casey Baseel
Apr 7, 2026
Requirement to be added to “jobs in which Japanese is used.”
- Japan
- (COK • foreigners in Japan • Japan visa • Japan work visa • Japanese language • linguistics • Living in Japan • society • Specialist in Humanities and International Services • Specialist in Humanities International Services • working in Japan)
Fake police phone scam also highlights dumb stereotype about how foreigners speak Japanese[Video]
- Casey Baseel
Mar 23, 2026
Fake police officer targets possibly the worst person, phone transcript isn’t so great either.
- Japan
- (cracy • crime • fraud • fraudsters • funny.Japanese language • learning japanese • linguistics • scam artists • scammers • scams • weird)
Japan asked to vote on what to officially call insanely hot days
- Master Blaster
Mar 6, 2026
Good idea to hold the election before it’s too hot to think.
- Japan
- (COK • heat • Japan Meteorological Agency • Japanese language • JMA • linguistics • meteorology • science • weather)
Live-action One Piece’s Luffy teaches Sesame Street’s Elmo a Japanese word for friendship[Video]
- Casey Baseel
Mar 4, 2026
Aspiring pirate kings share hugs with each other and a bit of Japanese culture with the world.
- Japan, USA
- (anime • culture • Elmo • Iñaki Godoy • Japanese language • learning japanese • linguistics • Live action • live-action One Piece • manga • Nakama • Netflix • Netflix One Piece • One Piece • Sesame Street)
Japan’s new “Cunte” contact lenses aren’t pronounced like you’re probably thinking they are
- Casey Baseel
Feb 20, 2026
Cunte Jelly Trick and other lenses’ names might be too clever for their own good.
- Japan
- (COK • Contact lenses • crazy • fashion • funny • Japanese language • linguistics • weird • Why Does Engrish Happen?)
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
- Casey Baseel
Feb 13, 2026
Home economics class pizza had more tsumami than it was supposed to.
- Japan
- (cooking • crazy • food • Japanese language • linguistics • pizza • schools • weird)
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
- Casey Baseel
Dec 24, 2025
Required time spent living in Japan to apply for citizenship likely to double too.
- Japan
- (foreigners in Japan • Japan permanent residency • Japanese citizenship • Japanese language • linguistics • permanenet residency • society)
Why you shouldn’t call this food “Hiroshimayaki” if you’re talking to people from Hiroshima
- Casey Baseel
Dec 23, 2025
There are two main types of okonomiyaki, but people in Hiroshima don’t like one of the names the rest of the country has for theirs.
- Japan
- (COK • culture • food • Hiroshima • Japanese language • Kansai • linguistics • okonomiyaki • Osaka • SNJO)
Japanese Cabinet to officially announce new romanization spelling recommendation next week
- Casey Baseel
Dec 18, 2025
After 71 years, the Cabinet is ready to do something just about everyone else did several decades ago.
- Japan
- (Hepbrun romanization • Hepburn system • Japanese language • Kunrei romanization • Kunrei system • learning japanese • linguistics • romanization • society)
Record number of foreign children in Japan need help understanding Japanese in school
- Casey Baseel
Dec 13, 2025
As Japan’s foreign population grows, its foreign kid count is getting bigger too, and educational systems might not be keeping up with the country’s changing demographics.
- Japan
- (COK • education • foreigners in Japan • internationalism • Japanese language • linguistics • society)
“Bear” voted Japan’s Kanji of the Year for 2025 in extremely close race
- Master Blaster
Dec 12, 2025
It bear-ly beat out the second-place kanji.
- Japan
- (bears • COK • Japanese language • kanji • kanji of the year • Kanji of the Year 2025 • Kiyomizu Temple • language • linguistics • Myaku-Myaku • society)
Japan’s EF English Proficiency Index rank drops for 11th straight year, hits lowest ever
- Casey Baseel
Dec 4, 2025
What’s behind Japan’s continuing slide down the list?
- Japan
- (education • Education First • EF Education Eirst • English Proficency Index • linguistics • society)
This one delicious Japanese dessert has at least six different names
- Casey Baseel
Dec 2, 2025
Survey creates map of what different parts of Japan call one of its favorite traditional desserts.
- Japan
- (food • imagawayaki • Japanese language • linguistics • obanyaki • survey • sweets)
Number of foreigners studying Japanese in Japan hits record high, but are there enough teachers?
- Casey Baseel
Nov 29, 2025
Students studying Japanese as a second language in-country hits historic high, majority of teachers are unpaid volunteers.
- Japan
- (COK • foreigners in Japan • internationalism • Japanese language • learning japanese • linguistics • society • studying in Japan • studying Japanese)
Japan’s buzzword of the year nominees: A great way to learn and be baffled by Japanese vocabulary
- Elliot Hale
Nov 28, 2025
We need to tell you to take a look before the new slang of today outruns us all… eh ho eh ho…
- Japan
- (2025 Buzzwords Awards • awards • Buzzwords Awards • Japanese language • japanese slang • Jiyukokuminsha • learning japanese • linguistics • neologism • otetsutabi • slang)
Duolingo to open first pop-up store Duomart in Japan for a very limited time next month
- Krista Rogers
Nov 27, 2025
The store will be stylized after a typical Japanese convenience store and will feature goods of the beloved green owl mascot character and more.
- Japan
- (COK • convenience stores • Duolingo • Duomart • goods • konbini • language learning • linguistics • merchandise • Shibuya • Tokyo)
Top Japanese baby names for 2025 feature flowers, colors, and a first-time-ever favorite for girls
- Casey Baseel
Nov 2, 2025
Annual survey finds the most popular names and kanji characters for new babies.
- Japan
- (baby names • culture • Japanese language • kanji • linguistics • society)
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Recent Posts
- Bandai looking to introduce Japanese government ID checks for admission to card game events
- New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
- Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
- End of a manga era as Weekly Shonen Jump’s circulation drops under one million
- Studio Ghibli unveils new finger puppets featuring anime characters from My Neighbour Totoro
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MOST POPULAR
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Today
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Anime fan in Japan arrested for ordering and cancelling over 4.3 billion yen in anime merch
End of a manga era as Weekly Shonen Jump’s circulation drops under one million
Starbucks Japan teams up with Traveler’s Company for new stationery and goods collection
Beautiful Totoro bonsai figure needs no watering, makes soothing rain showers whenever you want
Studio Ghibli unveils new finger puppets featuring anime characters from My Neighbour Totoro
7-Eleven Japan rethinks convenience store drinks with new Grilled Corn Chilled Soup Smoothie
Kochia calling: Right now is a great off-season season to visit this beautiful Japanese park
Japanese convenience store Lawson now has stir-fried noodle-cooking robot chefs
Weekly
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese vending machine sells freshly squeezed lemon juice with a futuristic light show
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]- Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
7-Eleven Japan adds new chocolate fruit gummies to its sweets range, but are they worth the hype?- Starbucks Japan teams up with Traveler’s Company for new stationery and goods collection
Studio Ghibli’s No Face twirls to sound of Spirited Away’s theme song in beautiful accessory box- Anime fan in Japan arrested for ordering and cancelling over 4.3 billion yen in anime merch
Pokémon comes to McDonald’s Japan for new Happy Meals toys, brings every generation’s starters
Monthly
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction- Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Uniqlo looks back to the very start of Pokémon with new black-and-white pixel art T-shirts[Pics]
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Yearly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo- Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]- Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
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RECOMMENDED STORIES
Beautiful Totoro bonsai figure needs no watering, makes soothing rain showers whenever you want
Studio Ghibli unveils new finger puppets featuring anime characters from My Neighbour Totoro
7-Eleven Japan rethinks convenience store drinks with new Grilled Corn Chilled Soup Smoothie
Kochia calling: Right now is a great off-season season to visit this beautiful Japanese park
Japanese convenience store Lawson now has stir-fried noodle-cooking robot chefs
Over 400 titles of free translated manga from publisher Shueisha available for a limited time
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Pokémon comes to McDonald’s Japan for new Happy Meals toys, brings every generation’s starters
Resident Evil’s terrifying Licker becomes a bag in Japan that wants to feed you
Bandai looking to introduce Japanese government ID checks for admission to card game events
Japan’s largest online flea market reminds users that selling used school swimsuits is prohibited
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Weekly Shonen Jump cancels manga after creator admits to schoolgirl groping
Nendroid Face Maker lets you custom design faces for Japan’s most popular anime figure line
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