Culture– category –

What are you called by your family and friends? Is it your first name? Is it your last name? Or do they call you by your nickname? In the U.S., I think most people call people by their first names. In Japan, however, it is the opposite, and people often call you by your last name.

Don't you think that manholes are just iron lids? Manholes in Japan are not just lids, but also beautifully designed manholes, painted in colorful colors, usually with local specialties. Here are a few manholes that have been turned into public art!

The kawaii aesthetic is just that -the Japanese culture of cuteness. The word “kawaii” derived from the phrase “a radiant phase” referring to someone who is red from blushing, which later developed into meaning “cute.”

Manga is Japan’s style of comics or graphic novels. Manga has been incredibly popular in Japan for a while, but more recently is also growing in popularity in the United States - leading to further interest in Japanese culture in general.

There tends to be some confusion between what martial arts are from Japan and which come from China. Yet, there is a fundamental difference between these styles of martial arts, influenced by their respective origin countries.

Every year in Japan, those who turn twenty get to experience a day decided by them! Seijin Shiki, sometimes called adult’s day, is a holiday in Japan where the coming of age into adulthood is celebrated.

Heroes can come in all shapes and sizes, and in this case our heroine is an adorable troubled school-girl who receives magical powers that allow her to transform into the moon! Let me introduce you to Sailor Moon, a very popular anime and movie, not only in Japan, but worldwide.

Remember those arcade games where you just have two buttons and a joystick? A lot of the video games we cherish from our childhood were developed in Japan, and continue to have an influence globally today. Here are some video games that Japan has made for the world to enjoy.

Christmas is celebrated in Japan differently than any other countries in many different ways, one of these being the popularity of Kentucky Fried Chicken. The traditional idea of having a Christmas roasted turkey or ham is not the same in Japan, and instead chicken is the go-to holiday meat.

There are many impressive social media influencers that are Japanese, drawing in large audiences to their prospective content. Here are three of the biggest social media influencers as of the end of October of 2021.

Even in the world, the meanings of numbers change from country to country, and the impressions of numbers in a country often are deeply influenced by the culture of that country. This is also true in Japan.

What would you do if bugs were in your house? To the Japanese, spiders are considered very good things and should never be killed. Here is why spiders should not be killed, and when they should not be killed.

Today, about 14% of Hawaii’s population has Japanese ancestry. This makes this ethnic group the second largest in Hawaii. This is due in part to the 900 Japanese immigrants that arrived in Hawaii on February 8, 1885. These immigrants cam...

When visiting another country, it's best to have a basic understanding of how their government systems function. The Japanese government is a dominant-party bicameral parliamentary constitutional monarchy. This means that it has a democr...

Saint Patrick's day in Japan is celebrated with a lot of excitement! Despite being far away from Ireland, Japan’s economic ties to Ireland have led to an enthusiasm for Irish culture. In many ways this holiday is a combination of the two...

The Japanese government is a dominant-party bicameral parliamentary constitutional monarchy. This government consists of multiple branches of government and the sharing of power between many different people. These people and positions a...

Every New Year in Japan, thousands of people line up to buy "lucky bags" called "fukubukuro". A lucky bag is a bag filled with everything from clothing to food that the store sells, and the items are secret.

Manga is Japan’s style of comics or graphic novels. This style was developed in the late 19th century in Japan, although elements of it predate artistic elements found in the 12th century. Within Japan, manga refers to comics and cartoon...

There tends to be some confusion between what martial arts are from Japan and which come from China. Yet, there is a fundamental difference between these styles of martial arts, influenced by their respective origin countries.

Every year in Japan, those who turn twenty get to experience a day decided by them! Seijin Shiki, sometimes called adult’s day, is a holiday in Japan where the coming of age into adulthood is celebrated.