Japanese Culture– category –

People from other countries sometimes ask me, “Why do Japanese people say ‘sumimasen’ so often?” It's a fair question. In everyday life here, you'll hear it constantly — when someone lets you go first, when a stranger helps you with some...

If you’ve ever shared a meal with someone in Japan, you’ve probably heard the word “itadakimasu” right before everyone starts eating.For Japanese people, it’s such a familiar, everyday word that most of us barely think about it. But if y...

In Japan, it's completely normal to come back from a trip with a bag full of souvenirs — not just for yourself, but for your family, your friends, and even your coworkers.At the office especially, it's a common sight: someone returns fro...

I don't actually remember my parents telling me, over and over, "take your trash home with you."And yet, somehow, I grew up believing thatwhatever trash you make while you're out, you take it home yourself.I remember packing a plastic ba...