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Ochugen: Summertime Gift-Giving Tradition in Japan Ochugen is one of the two gift-giving seasons in Japan along with Oseibo. People exchange/send gifts to superiors at the workplace and to those who are in close relationships to express gratitude. Ochugen is a similar custom to Oseibo that takes place in the year-end, but there are also differences between those two. Let’s dig into the Ochugen tradition! The meaning and origin of Ochugen Chugen (中元), or Ochugen (お中元), is a summer gift-giving tradition that people present gifts to your boss and to those who are in close relationships including relatives, home doctors, ...

Oseibo: Japanese Year-End Gift Giving Culture Japan is known to have a unique gift-giving culture, as represented in omiyage. Giving gifts in Japan is considered to be a way to show the giver's care for the receivers, to express gratitude, and to maintain relationships. Oseibo is one part of the Japanese gift-giving culture that takes place in the year-end. Let's get into the detail of this culture today! Meaning and Origin of Oseibo The word “Seibo”(歳暮) means “the end of the year.” “O” is an adding letter to make the word formal or to sound gentle. Oseibo is one of ...

Kogal Fashion: a type of Japanese Youth Fashion Kogal is often referred as a part of Japanese subcultures that emerged in the 1990s. Kogal are schoolgirls (generally high school girls) who dress themselves differently and use distinctive slangs. They spread youth cultures and trends, too. Today, Kogal is getting attention from around the world as a distinctive aspect of Japanese culture. Let’s find out Kogal’s fashion and their culture. What is Kogal? Kogal are Japanese schoolgirls featured by distinctive fashion and culture. The word “Kogal” is derived from Gal or Gyaru, which indicated people who wore cutting-edge fashion and hung ...

Best Japanese Candy You must try in Japan! Japan had been mass producing candy since the Meiji period when the Western candy was brought to Japan. Many confectionery companies were established and created a large selection of sweets that gave the Japanese joyful moments. Since many snacks come and fail quickly from the market, only a handful candies have become classic. Here are some of the candies that have been catching the hearts of Japanese people for decades. If you come to Japan, you can’t miss these sweets! You can find more about classical Japanese snacks here and must-try Japanese ...

Ideas for What to Buy in Tokyo Tokyo is just a small part of Japan, but it is where various faces of Japan are concentrated. So, you can get souvenirs in a diverse variety from traditional items to modern, trendy items. Below we listed things to get in Tokyo that either you can take back home or you can eat on the spot. If you are planning to visit Tokyo, be sure to check this list! If you will visit other parts of Japan, be sure to check souvenir ideas from Japan! What to buy at Tokyo Station What to ...

“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 ...