The Nihongo Master Blog

Learn interesting topics about Japanese language, entertainment, culture and more.

• 20 Well-Known Yokai in Japanese Folklore

  Like every other country, a lot of Japan’s culture comes from its folklore and mythology. These myths have been passed down for hundreds of years and have become ingrained in Japanese culture. Whether a person is superstitious or not, they...

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• How is Halloween Celebrated in Japan?

  Halloween has slowly been gaining popularity throughout Japan for the past two decades. It is a Western holiday with no roots in Japan, so how did it become such a beloved and widely spread event? It first began being celebrated in small cl...

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• 8 Popular Fall Activities in Japan

  1. Leaf Viewing Viewing fall foliage is a beloved tradition in Japan. The act of viewing the colorful fall leaves is known as momijigari (紅葉狩り, もみじがり). “Momiji” refers to red or color-changing leaves and “gari” means “to hunt,” so...

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• 12 Traditional Autumn Foods in Japan

  It is officially autumn, so that means pumpkin spice everything, right? Not exactly! While Western chains such as Starbucks offer a variety of pumpkin spice drinks, there are more popular autumn flavors in Japan. Let’s take a look at Japan’...

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• Add More Cuteness to Your Life with Kawaii Box!

  Enter Kawaii Box's Giveaway and win a free Kawaii Box! And get $5 off a Kawaii Box subscription when you use our code Nihongo Master, valid through September 2022! If you love all things kawaii, then you need Kawaii Box in your life. Kawaii...

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• Tsukimi, Japan's Moon Viewing Festival

  Tsukimi (月見, つきみ), also known as Otsukimi (お月見, おつきみ), is Japan’s moon festival. The festival is also known as Jugoya (十五夜, じゅごや), which refers to the night of the full moon. “Tsukimi” translates to “moon viewing,” as tsu...

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• Japanese Words for Different Family Members

  For starters, the Japanese word for family is 家族 (かぞく, kazoku). Now let's dig deeper! Parents and Children The general term for parent(s) is 両親 (りょうしん, ryōshin). Mother 母 (はは, haha) is the word used when referring to one’s m...

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• Most Common Konbini Foods and Drinks

  Konbinis are a staple of life in Japan, and you will most likely visit one whether you are planning to more to Japan or just visiting. Konbini (コンビニ) derives from コンビニエンスストア, which means convenience store, but they are much mo...

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• Obon: One of the Biggest Celebrations in Japanese Culture

  Obon (お盆, おぼん) also known as Bon (盆, ぼん), is an annual Japanese festival taking place August 13th to 15th. The festival was originally celebrated during the “7th month” of to the lunar calendar. It is still celebrated in July in som...

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• 20 Popular Matsuri Foods

  Summer in Japan is known as matsuri season! Matsuri (まつり) are festivals that go on throughout Japan and celebrate a variety of things. While these festivals happen throughout the year, the majority of them occur during the summer months....

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