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Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Latest:
  • Kakuritsuki (確率機 – Crane Game with Probability Control): Part 1
  • Tazan no Ishi (他山の石 – Drawing a Lesson)
  • Kōkai Saki ni Tatazu (後悔先に立たず – Repentance Comes too Late)
  • Jinsei Yama Ari Tani Ari (人生山あり谷あり – Life Has Its Ups and Downs)
  • Neko wa Kotatsu de Maruku Naru (猫はこたつで丸くなる – Cats Curl up under the Kotatsu)

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CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionProverbUncorrected
Toru Dec 14, 2017Jan 03, 2024 care, consequences, culture, etymology, idiom, Japanese, mi kara deta sabi, proverb, rust, sword

Mi kara deta Sabi (身から出た錆 – You Asked for It)

Mi kara deta Sabi 身から出た錆 Have you ever suffered from a bad deed that you did? 自分の犯した悪行の結果、自分自身が苦しんだことはありますか? Getting into such Read More
AnimalClimateCultureEssayJapanese traditionProverbScienceUncorrected
Toru Dec 13, 2017Jan 03, 2024 bugs, flies, forecast, Japan, low altitude, low pressure system, rain, scientific basis, superstitions, swallows

Superstition concerning Swallow

There are many superstitions in Japan. ツバメに関する迷信 Almost all of them have no scientific basis, but some have make sense. Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiProverbUncorrected
Toru Dec 12, 2017Jan 03, 2024 conversation, desperate, expression, hope, ichiru no nozomi, Japanese, nozomi, ray of hope, slender thread, spark of hope

Ichiru no Nozomi (一縷の望み – A Ray of Hope)

Ichiru no Nozomi 一縷の望み Have you ever experienced a situation that it was desperate, but there certainly was a hope. Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyGamingJapanese traditionKanjiSlangUncorrected
Toru Dec 11, 2017Jan 03, 2024 Buddhism, Chinese, himitsu, Japanese, Legend of Zelda, naisho, Rupees, Sanskrit, secret, translation

Naisho (内緒 – Secret)

Naisho 内緒 The English word “secret” is usually translated into Japanese as “himitsu” (秘密), but it’s can also translated as Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionSlangUncorrected
Toru Dec 10, 2017Jan 03, 2024 1990, appointment, cancel, commonly used, dotakyan, dotanba, entertainment industry, last moment, travel industry, trust

Dotakyan (ドタキャン – Cancelling at the Last Minute)

Dotakyan ドタキャン Yesterday, I introduced the Japanese word “dotanba,” which means the last moment that you’re required to make a Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyHistoryIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiUncorrected
Toru Dec 09, 2017Jan 03, 2024 change, criminals, critical moment, decision, dotanba, earthen platform place, Edo period, execute, literal meaning, meaning

Dotanba (土壇場 – Critical Moment)

Dotanba 土壇場 I don’t like a situation called “dotanba” (土壇場) very much. 私は「土壇場」があまり好きではありません。 “Dotanba” means a critical moment or the Read More
ClimateCultureEssayIdiomJapanese traditionOnomatopoeiaUncorrected
Toru Dec 08, 2017Jan 03, 2024 comfortable, comical, hitting, Japanese, manga, onomatopoeia, poka poka, spring, tapping, warmth

Poka Poka (ぽかぽか)

Poka Poka ぽかぽか Today I would like to introduce the Japanese onomatopoeia “poka poka” (ぽかぽか), which has two different meanings. Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionOnomatopoeiaSlangUncorrected
Toru Dec 07, 2017Jan 03, 2024 "dada wo koneru", "iyada iyada", "jidanda", frustration, Japanese, koneru, parents, selfishness, spoiled child, stamp your feet

Dada wo Koneru (駄々をこねる – Acting like a Baby)

Dada wo Koneru 駄々をこねる Have you ever acted like a spoiled child or say selfishness to your parents when you Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionSlangUncorrected
Toru Dec 06, 2017Jan 03, 2024 ability, admonish, belief, etymology, fall for oneself, Japanese, overconfident, student, unubore, unubore-ya

Unubore (うぬぼれ – Egotism)

Unubore うぬぼれ Yesterday, I used the Japanese term “unubore” (うぬぼれ), in order to admonish a student. 私は昨日、学生を戒めるために「うぬぼれ」という言葉を使いました。 “Unubore” means that Read More
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  • Jinsei Yama Ari Tani Ari (人生山あり谷あり – Life Has Its Ups and Downs)
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