「 月別アーカイブ：2018年03月 」 一覧

“Nanchatte Seifuku” - Unique Aspect of Japanese School Uniform Japanese students are known to wear school uniforms. While some schools require students to wear a set of uniform designated by the school, other schools have skirts/pants and a school pin only. Several schools even don’t have their school uniforms. Still, school uniform is a symbol of school age to many Japanese schoolers, especially to high school girls. So, even if their schools don’t have school uniforms, they buy fake uniforms to enjoy their school age. Today, let’s have a look at this culture of fake uniform, known as “Nanchatte Seifuku.” ...

Basic Japanese Table Manners You Should Know Whenever you have dining experiences in other countries, it is always good to know their table manners so that you don’t look foolish or you don’t annoy people in the country. Japan shares some common table manners and etiquette with other countries such as not putting your elbows on the table, but many of them are unique to Japan, sometimes what is considered to be rude in your country is correct table manners in Japan and vice versa. But don’t be too nervous. Japanese people understand you are not familiar with Japanese manners ...

How are Maki Roll and Hand Roll Different? Maki roll and hand rolls are the terms that are categorized in the most well-known Japanese food, sushi. Sushi is a type of food that is comprised of vinegary rice and ingredients like raw/cooked fish, pickled vegetables, and egg, and both maki roll and hand roll have those components. Although these two are a kind of roll, they are often referred as different types of rolls, which makes many people confused. Today, we will explain the differences between maki roll and hand roll with definitions of these two and comparisons of several ...

Guide to Order Food in Japanese at Restaurants Many tourists have difficult times when communicating with staffs while traveling Japan, especially at restaurants. So, it will be helpful to learn how to order food in Japanese to make your dining experience smooth and fun. Most restaurants follow the same format; entering a restaurant, ordering a drink, ordering food, and paying. You don’t have to be worried about being asked unexpected personal questions like “where have you visited in Japan so far?.” The phrases shown below can be used at any types of restaurants. We will introduce how to order food ...

List of Must-Buy Souvenirs from Japan! Are you planning to come to Japan, or are you about to leave Japan? Whenever you travel, you may want to buy souvenirs to take back home to remember your precious experiences. You may also want to share your experiences with your family and friends. Then, why don’t you get some souvenirs in Japan before having a flight back home? There are many kinds of souvenirs (or “omiyage” in Japanese) that you can feel “Japan” everytime you see/use them. The followings are top recommended souvenirs! If you are visiting Tokyo, here are more detailed ...

Make Sure to Take Omiyage When You Go to Japan! Japan has a unique gift-giving culture, omiyage (お土産), which means souvenirs or gifts that you give to your family, friends, or coworkers when you come back from your trip. If you come to Japan for working, homestay, or going to school, it is a good idea to pack some omiyage in your suitcase. Giving omiyage to people you meet during your stay in Japan shows your caring to those people and brings a moment of joy talking about your home country and culture. But, you may find it difficult to ...

11 Delicious Japanese Fast Food Chain Restaurants! Japan has plenty of fast food restaurant chains for various types of food. If you want to save money on your food but still want to have something Japanese, Japanese fast food chains are the best option. There are globally famous fast food chains like McDonald’s or Subways, but it would be a good idea to try ones that you can find only in Japan. 1. Yoshinoya Yoshinoya is one of the largest gyudon (beef rice bowl) restaurants in Japan. You will find Yoshinoya anywhere in Japan especially near train stations with a ...

Surprise! Japanese people LOVE bread! Most people living outside of Japan associate Japan with “a country of rice.” Many of you know Japanese people consume a lot of rice, like in every meal or every day. However, if you once come to Japan, that image will be broken down. In fact, Japanese people adore bread, or pan in Japanese. You will find bakeries around the corner, such as train stations, department stores, residential areas, etc. and you will be surprised at the unique varieties and appearances of bread. Today we will introduce top 10 Japanese bread types you should try ...

The common type of Japanese Meal: Teishoku(定食) When you think of what Japanese people eat every day, you may imagine they eat sushi, ramen, tempura, katsudon, or other dishes that come in one bowl or plate. However, in fact, Japanese people eat “teishoku”- a set meal that comes with the main dish, rice, miso soup, and side dishes - more often than one-bowl/one-plate dish. This page introduces the definition of teishoku, common types of teishoku, and where you can have teishoku in Japan. Let’s see a distinctive aspect of Japanese food culture. What is teishoku (定食)? Teishoku means “set meal,” ...

Let's learn how to give omiyage Japan has a unique culture of gift giving; it’s “Omiyage culture.” What is “Omiyage”? Japan’s Souvenir Giving Culture If you give omiyage to your co-workers, host family, boss, or your friends, you want to be polite and proper, right? For whom should I buy Omiyage? What should I pick for Omiyage? How should I present Omiyage? If you have these questions, you are in the right place now. Taking part in omiyage culture starts before actually presenting omiyage: it starts from making a list of people for whom you will buy omiyage. This is ...