Author Archives: Vicky

卯月(uzuki) “April” (archaic)

Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is literally “Month one” 一月, February is “Month two” 二月, etc. However, before the Meiji Restoration (mid-1800s) it was common to use an older 12-month system. These months’ names referenced the weather and the seasons (similar to the French Revolutionary calendar).ContinueContinue reading “卯月(uzuki) “April” (archaic)”

春分 (shun-bun) “Spring Equinox”

In Japan, Spring Equinox is a national holiday. The week which contains Spring Equinox is called “o-higan”. This has connections with Buddhism, and on this day many people visit spend time with their families and visit their family grave.  “Bota-mochi” (rice cake covered in sweet bean paste) is traditionally eaten on this day.

関 (seki) “barrier, connection”

This kanji character is rarely used on its own, but is often found combined with other characters. For example, 関西 (Kansai) and 関東 (Kanto). Since ancient times there has been a road from Tokyo (the current capital) to Kyoto (the former capital). At the mid-way point there used to be a large gate. This led toContinueContinue reading “関 (seki) “barrier, connection””

弥生 (yayoi) “March” (archaic)

Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is literally “Month one”, February is “Month two”, etc. However, before the Meiji Restoration (mid-1800s) it was common to use an older 12-month system. These months’ names referenced the weather and the seasons (similar to the French Revolutionary calendar). The monthContinueContinue reading “弥生 (yayoi) “March” (archaic)”

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

The inspiration for the name of a famous camera company. Image by ftanuki from Pixabay. This article was originally published on Medium here. Mitsubishi. Kikkoman. Nintendo. Many Japanese companies are household names in the West. This article looks at the intriguing background behind the names of five of the most globally successful Japanese brands. Read on to findContinueContinue reading “Which Japanese Camera Company is Named after the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy?”

限 (gen) “boundary, limit”

We tend to think of creativity as something that is free from limits. But what if the opposite was also true? The benefit of working within limits is that it is precisely the act of pushing against these limits, stretching them, bending them, playing with them, which leads to interesting artistic expression. In other words,ContinueContinue reading “限 (gen) “boundary, limit””

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

image by andsproject from pixabay Article originally published on Medium in Japonica publication Mindset Shift Level 1: Learning Japanese > Practicing Japanese. A lot. “Learning” is a misnomer. You don’t so much learn a language as practice it. Becoming fluent in a foreign language has less in common with academic study and more with learning a sport, a dance, or a martial art:ContinueContinue reading “Three Mindset Shifts that will Fast-Track your Japanese Language Learning”

The Year of the Dragon… or the Year of the Loong?

When I was a kid my teacher read a Chinese folk tale about a boy who goes on an adventure with a dragon. Being young and rather blunt-minded I couldn’t help wondering why the dragon didn’t just breathe fire on the boy and eat him. That’s what dragons do, right? Except of course it wasn’tContinueContinue reading “The Year of the Dragon… or the Year of the Loong?”

如月 (kisaragi) “February” (archaic)

Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is literally “Month one” 一月, February is “Month two” 二月, etc. However, before the Meiji Restoration (mid-1800s) it was common to use an older 12-month system. These months’ names referenced the weather and the seasons (similar to the French Revolutionary calendar).ContinueContinue reading “如月 (kisaragi) “February” (archaic)”