Columns

5 minutes a day — the science behind why word games are one of the most effective vocabulary tools for Japanese learners.

Everything you need to know about the world's most widely taken Japanese language test — N5 to N1 explained.

A complete beginner's guide to hiragana — history, all 46 characters, and tips for getting started.

Is there a Japanese version of Wordle? Yes — here's how it works and how it compares to the original.

Category-by-category guide to the core vocabulary at N5 — numbers, time, family, food, verbs, and adjectives with hiragana and romaji.

The complete katakana guide — history, all 46 characters, when to use katakana vs hiragana, and common examples.

Curated free tools for every stage of learning — Anki, NHK Web Easy, Tofugu, Jisho, Ayatoki, and more.

How the guess system works, when to use hints, and practical strategies to improve your score at N4 through N1.

A practical 20-minute daily schedule combining spaced repetition, active recall, and real Japanese input for any level.

A fox god's favorite snack. A curry eaten before matches because its name sounds like "to win." Twelve food words, grouped by origin.

Building a bridge over the Ōi River was once illegal. Twelve Japanese places, grouped by what kind of story explains them.

The famous kangaroo-name myth has no evidence behind it. Twelve animal facts, grouped by name, records, and behavior.

A bean that decided guilt by whether you survived it. Twelve plant facts, grouped by danger, culture, and record.

Why can't you just say "three" in Japanese? The most common counters, their pronunciation changes, and how to remember them.

What's the real difference between は and が? A practical guide to Japan's five core particles.

Why does the verb always come last? Word order, topic-comment sentences, and how modifiers work.

Is "pearls before swine" really an English idiom, or did Japan borrow it from the Bible? Twelve proverbs and their surprising origins.

Words like kanpeki ("perfect") come from specific 2,000-year-old stories. Twelve idioms and the tales behind them.

Why does Odin's horse have eight legs? Twelve mythology facts from the Mythology genre.

Which river carries the most water on Earth? Twelve world and Japan geography facts.

A bitter herb eaten at Passover to recall slavery. Twelve more plant facts, grouped by name, culture, and quirk.

A pie crust that began as a cheap flour substitute. Twelve more food facts, grouped by legend, history, and origin.

A cat that can't appreciate a gold coin. A mantis brave enough to stand up to a duke's carriage. Twelve proverbs sorted into three real origins.

A kappa's name literally means "river child." A tengu's name began as a word for a meteor. Twelve yokai sorted by how they got their names.

A gray named after a tea master with no real link to the color. Twelve traditional colors grouped by what their names come from.

Ōmi means "the nearby freshwater sea." Twelve old province names sorted into terrain, position, and myth.