Coto Japanese Academy

In Japan, “rock paper scissors” is referred to as “じゃんけん”(Janken). Although it is called different names in different places, the rules of the game are generally the same in every country. The full countdown phrase is じゃんけんぽん (Janken pon!), equivalent to “Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot!”
In Japan, janken is used to settle disagreements, select participants, and determine the...

Interested in someone at the office, at university, or at your local bar, but don’t know how to flirt in Japanese? Or maybe you just want to make your friend groan with a cheesy one-liner. Either way, you might be wondering: do pick-up lines even work in Japanese?

It takes confidence to ask someone out, especially in Japanese, a language far different from English. ...

You have probably heard that Japanese people are known to be polite, so it’s no surprise that they take saying “you’re welcome” as seriously as showing gratitude itself (almost!). Similar to how there are many ways to say thank you in Japanese, there are several way...

If you’ve ever cheered on a friend in Japan, you’ve probably shouted “ganbare!” or “ganbatte!” at least once. But what do they actually mean? Ganbare (頑張れ) or ganbatte (頑張って) is a Japanese phrase that means “Come on!” “Let’s go!” or “Go for it!” in English. It literally translates to “Do your best” and ...

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Tokyo’s Minato area? The bustling nightlife, luxurious apartments, or the night skyline from Tokyo Tower? It’s obvious that the Minato area is one of the most wealthy parts of Tokyo, home to many large corporations, high-end shops and restaurants in Azabu, and many nightclubs and jazz bars in Roppongi.

How...