Category: Japanese language

  • Beginner’s Guide to Onsen in Japan

    Beginner’s Guide to Onsen in Japan

    Winter is the time for a hot bath and relaxation! But onsen in Japan are a little different to your run-of-the-mill bath, so here I look at some of cultural and linguistic tips for an enjoyable hot spring trip: https://blog.gaijinpot.com/beginners-guide-to-onsen-in-japan/

  • Warming up to onsen: The quirks and customs of public baths

    Warming up to onsen: The quirks and customs of public baths

    Admittedly it took me a long time to get used to bath culture in Japan, but now in this cold weather it’s pretty much all I can think about. But there are a lot of confusing words and customs associated with the hot springs, so I put a few of them together in my latest…

  • I know Japanese. Why can’t I read signs in Hokkaido?

    I know Japanese. Why can’t I read signs in Hokkaido?

    Place names in Japanese are difficult to read, because they combine kanji characters you wouldn’t see together in other situations. Once I finally started getting used to the combinations on Japan’s main island, I was dumb-struck by the names up north in Hokkaido. The combinations were highly unusual, and often used characters I’ve never seen…

  • The Linguistic Joy of Cooking

    The Linguistic Joy of Cooking

    This is my first ever publication with the Japan Times. It was published in their print edition on Friday August 19, 2022, and covers different linguistic aspects of cooking in Japan. From “中華鍋” to “寝かせる”, here are some of the Japanese words and phrases you might find yourself needing when you open a cookbook. Read…