Articles on Japanese Culture

I write articles for the Medium publication Japonica. You can access my articles on Medium here.

I also post all article on this page, where they are available for anyone to read for free.

Itadakimasu! Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

Five Ways Japan is Inconvenient for Foreign Travellers — Food and Drink Edition

Things to know before you go

Do you need to learn these kanji? Photo by Alex Knight on Unsplash

Do you Really Need to Learn Kanji for a Short Trip to Japan?

If you’re just learning Japanese for a 2-week vacation, why bother?

Image by ftanuki from Pixabay

Which Japanese Camera Company is Named after the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy?

The culture behind the names of five famous Japanese companies

Image by andsproject from pixabay

Three Mindset Shifts that will Fast-Track your Japanese Language Learning

Put the the textbook away and get ready to communicate

Studio Ghibli movies aren’t the only Japanese animated movies to receive Oscar nominations.
Photo by Samuel Ramos from Unsplash

If You Love Studio Ghibli, Don’t Miss These 3 Anime Directors

Three trailblazing anime movie directors you have to see

It looks good, but it may get you refused entry from hot springs. Image by Steven Erixon, Unsplash

Four MORE ways in which Japan is really inconvenient for foreign travellers

More things to know before you travel to Japan

image by Mohamed Hassan, from Pixabay

Translating Culture: 5 Intriguing Japanese Words We Need in English

I wish these words existed in my native language

You might be better off using cash. Image from PxHere

Four Ways in which Japan is REALLY Inconvenient for Foreign Travellers

Things to know before you travel to Japan

Do you want to rent an apartment in Japan? Be prepared for A LOT of paperwork.
Image from PxHere

The Unique Challenges of Renting in Japan — Part 3

Part 3: Dealing with application process

If you’ve got the patience and determination, your reward will be a shiny apartment, like this image from PxHere

The Unique Challenges of Renting in Japan — Part 2

Part 2: Understanding Japanese apartment adverts

I lived in a share house which had tatami mats and paper shōji windows. It wasn’t as nice as this image from PxHere though

The Unique Challenges of Renting in Japan – Part 1

Part 1: The pros and cons of renting a room in a share house for foreigners

Source: Pixabay

Do you Know the Meaning of these 10 Emojis?

What emojis can reveal about Japanese history, language and culture

Potential friends await you! Image from Pxhere

How to *REALLY* make friends in Japan

Breaking out of the “gaijin bubble”

Calligraphy artwork by the author

The 8 virtues of Bushidō — were they ever really a thing?

Uncovering the truth behind the Japanese “Way of the Warrior”