2025 -06-23 | Japanese Riddles
What are hankos? What is ‘hanko culture’ for Japanese people? Are you familiar with Japanese stamps “hanko”? Japan has a long-standing culture of using hankos. Instead of signing their names, people use hankos with their names engraved on them. Stamping is more...
2025 -06-23 | Nihongo Riddles
Does ‘sumimasen’ mean ‘I’m sorry’? Have you ever heard Japanese people say ‘sumimasen’ repeatedly? Even when they don’t seem to be angry or need to apologise… In fact, this word has more than just an apologetic meaning. ‘Sumimasen’ not only means...
2025 -06-23 | Neo Nippon Quirks
A one-of-a-kind Japanese attraction that stands out from McDonald’s around the globe! McDonald’s in Japan has just been awarded a Michelin star! Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg had this to say when he visited the world-famous fast food chain...
2025 -06-23 | Nihongo Riddles
What is ‘Itadakimasu’? Have you ever seen Japanese people clasp their hands together before eating? In Japan, people always say ‘Itadakimasu’ before eating. Does it mean ‘Let’s eat’? No, it’s more than that. People always say ‘itadakimasu’ before eating,...
2025 -06-23 | Neo Nippon Quirks
‘Huh… I didn’t order this, did I?’ Have you ever been to a Japanese-style restaurant called an ‘izakaya’? The first thing that surprises you is… When you enter a Japanese izakaya and sit down, you start looking at the menu, thinking, ‘Hmm, what...
2025 -06-20 | Japanese Riddles
Bowing, a typical gesture of Japanese people You’ve probably seen Japanese people bowing at least once before. When they meet someone, when they part ways, when they apologise, when they say thank you… Japanese people bow in all kinds of situations. At...
2025 -06-20 | Japanese Riddles
Introduction. It is commonplace in Japan to see people who do not appear to have a cold wearing masks when walking through the streets. So why do Japanese people wear masks even when they are not ill? Let’s take a look at the reasons! Masks as ‘manners’, not...
2025 -06-20 | Japanese Riddles
What is the ‘culture of stamping’? Don’t you think Japanese messages are rich in emotion? That’s because emojis and stickers are often added to Japanese LINE messages and social media posts. Of course, emojis are used all over the world, but Japanese...
