Behind the calm, polite face of a Kyotoite is an angry woman who wants to shout at you for being so uncultured.
learn Japanese
Learn Japanglish with the help of ladies in kimono, sumo wrestlers, and schoolgirls in fox masks.
These adorable clips and characters will help you memorise kanji symbols and make you smile at the same time.
It’s a showdown between Clighton, the death god Tryuk, and the mysterious B. Read More
Why not up your Japanese language skills by learning a local dialect? Here are some phrases to get you started!
“On that day, we ticks received a grim reminder. We lived in fear of the five-foot-tall humans.”
Read about the adventures of Narutoe – a ninja toe – and his friend Sauceke – a jar of tomato sauce.
If you’ve ever wanted to learn Japanese through horribly-drawn manga, then today’s your lucky day!
You can learn all the words and practice all the kanji, but there’s one little Japanese language quirk that will almost certainly trip you up when you first encounter it.
Master these and you can convince anyone you’re a native Japanese speaker…over the phone anyway.
Love Japan? Want to learn Japanese? Check out RocketNews24’s six fundamental top tips for learning Japanese!
With enough hard work, anyone can learn to speak and read Japanese. But you know you’ve truly made it as a Nihongo master only when you can effortlessly break out a few yojijukugo, or four-kanji idioms. Join us after the jump for 10 of our favourites!
It used to be that if you were studying a foreign language in your own country, the only listening practice that was easily available to you was hearing your teacher or classmates speak, or listening to the CD that came with your textbook. The first Japanese textbook I ever bought actually came with a cassette tape, which was particularly irritating as it was 2006 and I didn’t even own a Walkman any more.
Then someone invented a website that allowed users to upload short videos for all the world to see. Fast-forward nine years and YouTube is one of the biggest sites on the planet, making it a veritable treasure trove of free online spoken content.
So whether you’re after language lessons, YouTubers who vlog in Japanese, or just want to try watching your cat videos in a foreign language, online videos could be your new secret weapon. The trick is just knowing where to look.
Unlike the creature it features, the above image has been floating around online for a few years, but recently has returned back to Japanese shores. However, here such a situation has led to a decidedly punnier outcome. Let’s read what Japanese people have to say about it and maybe learn a little unusual Japanese along the way.




















Kyoto samurai house wants to share its history of seppuku, torture and gold coins with visitors
“Bear” voted Japan’s Kanji of the Year for 2025 in extremely close race
Japan’s Hiepita forehead cooling strips, so popular they changed the language, are disappearing
Japanese man who didn’t know how banks work defrauded out of 21 million yen
Is it possible to run up a 100,000-yen (US$885) bill at Tokyo’s cheapest Italian restaurant?
Life-size Sword Art Online anime girl figure wears real, custom-made wedding dress
How to dispose of pizza boxes: Life hack from Japanese garbage man goes viral online 【Video】
Record number of foreign children in Japan need help understanding Japanese in school
Seiji and the spirit of Yngwie Malmsteen actually kind of interview actress Yoshiko Sengen
Japan’s number-one cosplayer Enako strips away the cosplay for new photo book
Stamina-destroying “Paralysis Noodles” are Tokyo’s newest over-the-top ramen innovation
Sanrio theme park in Japan announces plans to expand into a Sanrio resort
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning seems to be affecting Osaka’s Namba and Dotonbori neighborhoods
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Uniqlo Ukiyo-e Blue T-shirts: A cool-hued reinterpretation of some of Japan’s greatest paintings
Japan’s first hotel with a human washing machine is now ready for you to come and bathe in it
Studio Ghibli adds new Kiki’s Delivery Service music box to its anime merchandise shop in Japan
Studio Ghibli mixes with sporty street styles of New Era to put No Face on your head in cap series
Japanese company selling bear-proof automatic doors
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas goods and a rhinestone tumbler that costs 19,500 yen
Real-world Nausicaa Ghibli anime glider completes its final flight in Japan【Video】
Japanese train company is letting fans buy its actual ticket gates for their homes
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowds in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood?
The 10 best day trips from downtown Tokyo【Survey】
Nintendo’s Kirby now delivering orders at Kura Sushi restaurants, but not in Japan
Japanese government considering tripling departure taxes to combat overtourism
A guide to visiting Sagamiko Illumination, one of the three biggest light-ups in Kanto
Giant new nine-floor arcade opens in Tokyo, wants to welcome new and old games fans alike
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Life-size Sword Art Online anime girl figure wears real, custom-made wedding dress
How to dispose of pizza boxes: Life hack from Japanese garbage man goes viral online 【Video】
Record number of foreign children in Japan need help understanding Japanese in school
Seiji and the spirit of Yngwie Malmsteen actually kind of interview actress Yoshiko Sengen
Japan’s number-one cosplayer Enako strips away the cosplay for new photo book
Tokyo all-you-can-eat tonkatsu pork cutlet restaurant is all we need for a happy meal
Akihabara card shop asks visitors to stop getting liquored up inside the store
What’s the best way to spend 1,000 yen at KFC Japan?
Pokémon Christmas village event taking place nightly in Yokohama
Japanese manga hotel rooms strictly prohibit reality, want guests to drown in works all night
Japanese mythbusting: Is it good luck to stumble upon another person’s poo in a shared toilet?
Kagawa’s Udon Monster joins Japan’s other local kaiju to help save the environment
Anime and video game backgrounds now free to download for video conference calls