When it comes to language learning, one of the biggest problems is staying motivated. Memorizing 100 kanji for a test next Friday might get you through the work, but memorizing 100 kanji so you can read your favorite comics or talk online with fellow comic-fans will really light a fire under your keister. And we all tend to learn better when we’re having fun! We think someone proved that with science and stuff. It might have been Mr. Sato…he’s been playing with the chemistry set again.
Anyway, we know a lot of our readers are both Japanese-language learners and manga/anime fans. If you fit that description and you’re always looking for something to help keep you motivated to study, why not add these sites to your daily reading list? It might be difficult to get through everything at first, but if you keep with it, you’ll be reading like a champ in no time! Just don’t ignore your real homework! We don’t want any angry Japanese teachers knocking on our doors…
Go shopping with our Japanese reporter as he experiences Costco in the U.S. for the first time
We try Starbucks’ buzzworthy (and slightly gross) new cream pie to see how good it really is
Man with homemade firebomb detained by police outside U.S. embassy in Tokyo
Eating every kind of cold noodle dish from Family Mart to stave off the summer heat【Taste test】
This super easy cold Korean spicy ramen dish will make summer 100 times more delicious
Shaved ice? No thanks – we’re having a shaved milkshake at this Japanese cafe instead!【Photos】
You can wear the Princess Mononoke curse on your fingers with new Ghibli ring and accessory line
Japan’s “station closest to the sea” lives up to its name【Photos】
Getting a driver’s license in Japan the hard way: The first driving test a few more times
Very limited sale of glasses that can halt or reverse nearsightedness begin in Japan
Saitama man’s 7M-yen Rolex stolen after leaving it alone with “potential buyer” for two minutes
Starbucks Japan’s new cream pie’s looks are freaking people out
Foreign Lawson employees claim unfair treatment such as forced sushi and Christmas cake purchases
We fall in love with a bucket of Japanese custard pudding【Taste test】
The most expensive ice cream in Japan? Metallic soft serve frays the nerves of staff who make it
The twin joys and dual sadnesses of eating ramen in the U.S.
Japan Weather Association creates new words to describe merciless summer heat
“My employees were killed.” Japanese pond owner breaks into tears after 3,000 fish die in robbery
Studio Ghibli releases free bulletin board illustration to “use within the bounds of common sense”
Jimmy Choo designs limited edition Crystal Boots for Sailor Moon’s 30th anniversary
New Princess Mononoke accessory line has Kodama for your ears, wolves for your fingers【Photos】
Cases of people getting unwanted crabs skyrocketing in Japan, salmon too
The entire Pokémon Red and Blue Kanto region map, built as a 3-D diorama, looks amazing【Photos】
Princess Mononoke 25th anniversary lineup includes cute plushies, fierce magnets, expensive bowls
We visit izakaya in Thailand billed as “Middle Aged Man’s Paradise”, try food that’s illegal in Japan
Japanese curry rice appears at McDonald’s, but not in the country you’d expect
Burger King Japan’s all-you-can-eat challenge knocks us out of the ring
Mandarin orange peels aren’t trash, they’re treasure! Three chimpi tips to reuse your mikan skins
Move over grilled cheese — we’ve discovered the tastiest toasted sandwich yet【Recipe】
One Punch Man manga artist’s amazing “practice” drawing is so good we think he might not be human
Sony’s wearable air conditioners selling like cold cakes in heat-stricken Japan
How to use the new floating hologram registers at 7-Eleven
Liev Schreiber’s son deemed “too beautiful” in Japan
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Japanese woman finds better way to make potato salad, we may not be able to go back to old style
Miss Universe 2021 Japan entry slammed for wearing “dead person’s kimono”
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
Shaved ice? No thanks – we’re having a shaved milkshake at this Japanese cafe instead!【Photos】
You can wear the Princess Mononoke curse on your fingers with new Ghibli ring and accessory line
Japan’s “station closest to the sea” lives up to its name【Photos】
Getting a driver’s license in Japan the hard way: The first driving test a few more times
Very limited sale of glasses that can halt or reverse nearsightedness begin in Japan
The most expensive ice cream in Japan? Metallic soft serve frays the nerves of staff who make it
Ghibli found out about the unofficial Ghibli cafe in Nagoya…then something very sweet happened
Tokyo’s Nakano adds rock and disco to its annual summer bon dance【Videos】
Emperors, anime icons, and porn stars show up in six-nation survey of most famous Japanese people
Japan’s Top Manga Artists Celebrate 10 Years of Naruto with Original Fanart
These “cat foot” socks from Japan are so realistic they look terrifying on human feet
Taste testing 7-Eleven Japan’s five frozen curries to see which ones nail it
W.T.F. Japan: Top 5 most difficult Japanese tongue twisters (with videos!) 【Weird Top Five】
Tried-and-tested ways to learn Japanese while having fun!