Click here to listen to the audio pronunciation! Golden week is almost here! In few days it will be the beginning of the Golden week, the longest public holiday in Japan. It’s an exciting moment for a lot of people as it’s the period for some time off and to fully enjoy Spring. Here is the list of Top Words you need to know for your holidays! 1. Traffic jam 渋滞 (じゅうたい) 2. Warm 暖かい (あたたかい) 3. Golden Week holidays ゴールデンウィーク 4. Chimaki ちまき 5. Constitution Day 憲法記念日 (Constitution Day) 6. Kashiwamochi 柏餅 (かしわもち) 7. Greenery Day みどりの日 (みどりのひ) 8. Children's Day 子供の日 (こどものひ) 9. Trip abroad 海外旅行 (かいがいりょこう) 10. Doll for the Boys' Festival in May 五月人形 (ごがつ にんぎょう) ... Show more

Click here to start learning Japanese for FREE! Japan is a country rich in pop culture, which has spread all around the world and had a big influence. Popular culture changes quickly and drastically, but who are the biggest icons from Japanese Pop Culture in recent years? Here is our Top 5! 1. ハローキティ - Hello Kitty Hello Kitty, also known as Kitī-chan in Japanese, is one of the major characters in Japan, and a symbol of “Cute” culture. Hardcore fans of Kitty are called kitirā (キティラー). Hello Kitty is popular overseas as well. For example, celebrities like Paris Hilton, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga are known to be enthusiastic Kitty fans. 2. AKB48 AKB48 is currently the most popular idol group in Japan, and known for... Show more

Click here to start learning Japanese for Free! Thanks to Japanese, we realize we miss a lot of words and expressions in our own languages. If you’re looking for Japanese words we should have in our dictionary, this list is for you! You can hear these commonly used words in anime or dramas. They are pretty easy to understand, but when it comes to translating them or to explaining the meaning, it’s a different story! However, we tried to find the best definition for you, so arigatou for your understanding! 1. 先生 (Sensei) "Professor” This word can be used for all the people that teach you something. A teacher, a doctor, a philosopher… everybody can be a sensei for somebody else. 2. お疲れ様 (Otsukaresama) “Good work today ... Show more

Click here to discover 30 travel phrases you should know! If you are looking for exceptional and exciting places in Japan, here is a list of spots not to miss. Some places on the list are difficult to access, or even forbidden. 1. 青ヶ島。- Aogashima. The island is located 358 kilometers to the south of Tokyo. It is the smallest village in Japan. It is a volcanic island 3.5 km in length and 2.5 km in width that was formed from the remains of several calderas. The island is one of the most mysterious islands and has a beautiful natural environment. It is worth visiting at least once in a lifetime! 2. 軍艦島。- Gunkanjima. Once the most densely populated place in the world, the small island of Hashima, commonly known as... Show more

Click here to listen to the audio pronunciation! 1. おでん。- Oden. 2. しゃぶしゃぶ。- Shabu shabu 3. 天麩羅。- Tempura. 4. 寿司。- Sushi. 5. 焼き鳥。- Yakitori. 6. 牛丼。- Gyudon. 7. 蕎麦。- Soba. 8. 餅。- Mochi. 9. 納豆。- Natto. 10. おでん。- Oden. Click here to access this lesson for FREE! Here are some handy ways you can master the quotes with this lesson: Press the sound icon to hear each word and read along Review all words in a slideshow by pressing “View Slideshow” Listen to all the words in one lesson with “Play Audio” Add the words to your Word Bank or Flashcards Print the entire list out for your personal review Leave us a comment and put these quotes to use Speak and... Show more

Click here to listen to the audio pronunciation! 1. ツイッター。 - Twitter. 2. 伝えられなかった。 - Could not tell. 3. 侵略。 - invasion. 4. 便利。 - Convenient. 5. 出力。 - Output power. 6. 店員。 - Clerk. 7. 旅行。 - Traveling. 8. 暖かくなかった。 - Was not warm. 9. 駐車場。 - Parking lot. 10. おっちょこちょい。 - Clumsy. Click here to access this lesson for FREE! Here are some handy ways you can master the quotes with this lesson: Press the sound icon to hear each word and read along Review all words in a slideshow by pressing “View Slideshow” Listen to all the words in one lesson with “Play Audio” Add the words to your Word Bank or Flashcards Print the entire list out for... Show more

Hey Listeners! Are you a big fan of anime? Then this is the list for you! There are thousands of different words that are spoken in anime these days. Too many to count. However, there are certain words that have a funny way of showing up in many different series! Today, you'll learn the top 10 words that you're sure to hear while watching your favorite anime shows! Click Here To Start Learning Japanese For FREE! 1. Kawaii (かわいい) Definition: Cute, Adorable This is a word that is constantly used in Japanese culture. It basically describes anything that can be seen as cute, such as a stuffed animal or a pretty dress! 2. Sugoi (すごい) Definition: Amazing, great You'll often hear this word when a character is surprised... Show more

Hello Listeners! This weekend, an exciting event is taking place in Tokyo, Japan! AnimeJapan, one of the largest anime conventions in the world, will take place at the Tokyo Big Site exhibition center! Anime conventions are known for their crazy and unique festivities aimed at otaku culture, and AnimeJapan is no different. AnimeJapan will feature: FOOD PARK, AnimeJapan’s first food park that will carry dishes from 6 different restaurants. A total of 3 different stages (Red, Blue, Green) for panels and entertainment. Cosplayers’ World, an area where cosplayers can “enjoy the world to the fullest.” A Main Area filled with tons of exhibitions and activities. A section dedicated to anime good where dozens of vendors will sell... Show more

Hello Listener, You're definitely learning new Japanese words and phrases with these lists, the Word of the Day and weekly JapanesePod101 Audio and Video lessons. But here’s a geography question for you: Do you know the Major Japanese Cities? And do you know how to properly pronounce them in Japanese? You’re about to learn it all with this post. 1. Tokyo Tokyo is the capital of Japan and the largest city in the country. Tokyo is also one of Japan's forty-seven prefectures, but it is referred to as a to ("a metropolis") instead of a ken ("a prefecture"). 2. Kyoto Kyoto, one of the oldest cities in Japan, was formerly the capital of Japan until 1868, when Tokyo became the capital. Now it is a major city in the... Show more

Matsushima (松島) is a group of islands in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. There are some 260 tiny islands (shima) covered in pines (matsu) . Therefore, it's named Matsushima. 松島にカモメがたくさんいます。(Matsushima ni kamome ga takusan imasu): Many seagulls are on Matsushima. P.S. Get Your Daily Dose of Japanese with 1-Minute Mini-Lessons The Daily Dose of Japanese is a Calendar that gives you new, 1-minute lessons every day. Why? Because learning a little every day is easy, strengthens your habits and motivation and you improve your Japanese over time. Lessons range from culture and holidays to grammar, slang, phrases and more. Find it in the Japanese Resources menu or in the Quick Links menu on your Dashboard. Click here to check out the Daily... Show more