Japanese with Yu and Clare

We are a Japanese/Australian couple who are here to help you with your Japanese studies! We try our best to teach you what you don't see in your textbooks to help you to be prepared for your trip to Japan or language studies!

[japanesewithyuandclare]

Going to the bathroom in Japan

Hello there lovely people! After a long absence, we have returned! We’re so sorry that we haven’t posted in a while. :(

We’re going to jump straight back in to our language tips and tricks guide, so let’s get back into the swing of things with going to the bathroom in Japan (because let’s face it, you’ll have to at some point). :P Firstly, when you’re asking where the bathroom is, you can ask either of the following:

トイレはどこですか？ (Toire wa doko desu ka?) - Where is the toilet?

おてあらいはどこですか？(Otearai wa doko desu ka?) - Where is the bathroom? (more polite than トイレ)

おてあらいはどちらですか？- (Otearai wa dochira desu ka?) Which one is the bathroom?

If there is a long line of people and you’re not sure if someone is in the line, you can ask:

ならんでいますか？- (Narande imasu ka?) - Are you waiting?

If there is someone who looks like they’re absolutely busting and you wish to let them go first, you can say:

おさきにどうぞ - (Osaki ni douzo) - You can go first.

If you’d like to excuse yourself to go to the bathroom, you can say:

おてあらい／トイレにいってもよろしいですか？- (Otearai/toire ni itte mo yoroshii desu ka?) - Is it okay if I go to the bathroom?

Another thing to know is that some places will not have an American style toilet. There will only be a Japanese style toilet (as seen below).

Image from http://www.shorttraveltips.com/japan-japanese-style-toilet/

If you are only able to find a Japanese style toilet and you don’t wish to use it, you can ask someone this:

ようしきトイレはありますか？- (Youshiki toire wa arimasuka?) - Do you have an American style toilet?

If there are no American style toilets and you don’t want to use the Japanese style ones, you’ll have to do what Clare did and hold it for three hours. Just make sure you’re not rude about it. :)

We know it’s a rather strange topic, but trust us. You’ll need it!

That’s all for this week, everyone! We’re at the bottom of this post. Get it? :D Until next time,

Clare and Yu

[japanesewithyuandclare]

Hi!! I am going to Japan next year and I want to start learning some basic Japanese and how to read and write kanji!! I was wondering what I should learn first and what would be usual study tools ? thank you !!!! :-)

Hello!

So sorry for the late reply!

I think the best place to start is learning basic sentences and phrases, and hiragana and katakana. Hiragana and katakana will be the first thing you’ll need to learn before starting with kanji! 

For studying basic Japanese, I’d suggest a few things that are both free online and books too! :)

The ‘Genki’ textbook series are a fantastic way to begin learning vocabulary and basic Japanese words. You can find information on where to buy their books here: http://genki.japantimes.co.jp/index_en.

For learning words: I suggest this illustrated dictionary!

It’s designed for children, but sometimes it’s a lot easier to remember words when you have pictures to associate them with! I used mine a lot when I was beginning to study.

A good phrasebook from Lonely Planet is also helpful if you’re looking for a handy little guide to learn simple phrases to use. :)

I also suggest having a look through our posts on our page from the start. We have quite a few handy hints for learning and things to know when visiting Japan! <3

Learning kanji can be a tricky task, but it’s a lot of fun. My main means of learning kanji is through the 「にほんごチャレンジ」(Nihongo Challenge) series. It comes with pictures to help you remember how to read and write kanji. It’s designed for JLPT testing, however it’s basic beginner kanji and quite easy to memorise! :)

I hope this answer helps! Feel free to ask any more questions! :)

Enjoy your trip to Japan! <3

- Clare

[japanesewithyuandclare]

Fun Ways to Learn Japanese (Part Two)

Hey everyone! Oh gosh, it’s been two months since we last posted! We’ve both been so busy lately, but we’re back now and getting ready to post at least once a week for you guys! Sorry for the lack of posts lately! <3

Here is part two of our ‘Fun Ways to Learn Japanese’ blog post!

Watch your favourite childhood movies in Japanese!

Do you have a movie that you love so much that you know every line off by heart? Try watching it in Japanese! You’ll be surprised at how much you can pick up language wise. Whenever I (Clare) watch English movies I know well in Japanese, I pick up so many words and phrases. It’s a great way to practice listening skills as well!

There are many places to buy these movies (since most aren’t online) such as Buyee, Amazon and YesAsia! Some of them may be a little pricey, but you’ll find yourself watching these movies over and over again. Definitely worth the buy!

Moekana - Japanese Basic Learning Cards

I’m sure most of you know of Danny Choo and his mascot Mirai. But did you know that he has also produced a fun card game to improve your Japanese skills? 

There are two ways to play this game. One way is the knowledge round, where you take turns to form words. The other round is the speed round where you have to form as many words as possible with 26 cards. It’s a lot trickier than it sounds!

(image from Goodsmile.info)

HelloTalk

HelloTalk is an interesting app that I stumbled upon whilst looking for language apps. You can talk to multiple exchange partners from Japan who are interested in learning Japanese. You can choose to talk to certain age groups or genders, and it’s a great way to make new friends! As with all language exchange apps, you will find a few creepers, but they can simply be blocked. No questions asked!

Clare:

I picked up a lot of Japanese, and learnt things about Japanese culture that I never knew! You can even correct sentences for people learning English and they can fix up your sentences for you as well. There’s also a translate button, and a button that allows you to hear what the sentence sounds like. There’s a phone function as well if you would like to talk to your new friends!

(image from hellotalk.com)

That’s it for this post! As we discover more fun ways to learn and practice Japanese, we’ll post more and more about it!

Stay tuned for next week! More language and learning tips coming your way! :)

We’re always here to answer any questions you may have. Happy studying!

Clare and Yu.

[japanesewithyuandclare]

Fun ways to study Japanese (Part One)

Hello everyone!

We all know that using text books and listening to speaking can help us study a new language, but the best way to learn is sometimes the fun way! Sure, a text book will help you gain knowledge, but sometimes it’s easier to retain information if you have fun with it!

Here’s part one of our ‘Fun Ways to Study in Japanese’ post!

Shiritori しりとり

Our favourite game to play in the car (yes, more than ‘I Spy’) is a game called ‘Shiritori’ しりとり which literally means ‘taking the end’. It;s a fun word game that will help you practice your knowledge and memory of words in Japanese. Get a friend (or friends) who is also studying Japanese, or someone who knows Japanese fluently, and play this game together!

How to play ‘Shiritori’:

1. The person who decides to go first says ‘shiritori’.

2. The second person will say a word beginning with ‘ri’ (eg. Ringo りんご- Apple).

3. The first (or next) player will say something beginning with go (eg. Gorira ゴリラ- Gorilla).

Each person will take turns saying a word beginning with the last character. If a word like ‘jitensha’ (bicycle) is used, always use the last character of the word, which in this case is ya　（や）．

The main rule of Shiritori is to make sure you don’t say words ending with ‘n’　（ん). 

Another fun way of studying Japanese is by watching children’s shows! Although watching anime can help a bit with learning phrases and words, you’ll be surprised by how much more you can pick up by watching a show designed for children! It helps you practice your listening skills, as well as hear simple phrases and words.

Here are a few shows that we both recommend:

Juppon Anime  じゅっぽん　あにめ

This show is a silly short show about 10 sticks (yes, sticks) who go on adventures. Although that may sound a little boring at first, this show has funny little skits that will make you giggle. It’s a fun show to watch when you have a little bit of spare time.

Hotch Potch Station　ハッチポッチステーション

This show is a very similar to Sesame Street. It’s a show with lots of songs and music. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ll learn, and how you’ll end up getting the catchy theme song stuck in your head!

Yatter Man　やったーまん

Although this show did get a revamp in 2008, the 1977 original anime is amazing and has simple Japanese to help with your studies. It’s a crime fighting anime so it’s always exciting!

Chi’s Sweet Home　チーズスイートホーム

I’m sure most of you know about this adorable anime! Chi’s Sweet Home is all about the adventures of a little kitten named Chi. Prepare for many ‘aww’ moments and cuteness! 

(All pictures from Google).

You can also find episodes of The Simpsons, Spongebob Squarepants and other shows dubbed in Japanese! You know the shows well, and if you know an episode off by heart, watch it in Japanese and see how well you remember it! You may even pick up a few phrases and handy words.

That’s it for this blog post! Stay tuned for part two next week!

As usual, we’re here to answer any questions you have. Happy studying!

Clare and Yu.

[japanesewithyuandclare]

I heard Japanese waiter/waitress doesn't like tip. As I am going to stay there for study I would like to know whether I should offer them tips after any service or not. And what is the best resource for learning Kanji and how many is needed for a foreign guy to communicate normally in regular days?

Tipping is not considered rude, however in Japan most restaurants don’t expect tips because they expect their staff to have exemplary service. It is very uncommon to give tips in Japan.

For Kanji, I (Clare) use a few different resources.

I suggest trying ‘The Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary’. It has important kanji highlighted in red, and gives multiple meanings for each kanji.

Another good way to work on your kanji is to try reading children’s manga such as ‘Doraemon’. As many mangas have furigana (hiragana next to the kanji), you can get out a Japanese dictionary, find the hiragana word and learn what it means. It helps to keep a notebook handy when practicing, or if you don’t mind writing on your manga, you can write the meaning next to the kanji.

(Always double check that you’re checking the hiragana with the right kanji)! 

I also suggest having a look at http://www.jlptstudy.com/. They have kanji, vocabulary and expressions to look at and explain to you. The JLPT test is a good way to get recognition of your knowledge of Japanese in Japan as it is recognised by the Japanese government. The easiest level is N5, and the hardest (fluent) level is N1.I think a good starting point is grade three elementary in Japan - approximately 350 kanji. (See level N4 and N5 on the jlptstudy website). 

It’s not as hard as it sounds! The best way is to try to remember each kanji as a picture. (Eg: 木 (ki) is the kanji for tree, and when you look at it, it does sort of look like a tree)! This may sound silly, but when I leant hiragana I used pictures and learnt all of the characters within a few months off by heart, however I learnt katakana without pictures and I constantly found myself forgetting the characters for a while before getting the hang of it.

Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any further questions! :)Clare and Yu

[japanesewithyuandclare]

Hello! Can you help me how to order at Mc Donald's? 😂 I don't know how to order in Japanese so I just pointed out the pictures to order...I wanted to say "Can I have 3 colas' but couldn't.... ;A; Please give me several examples of ordering! And thank you for posting 😊 it's really helpful 👍✨

Hi! :)We certainly can help you! Sorry for the late reply though. We’re just getting used to this whole blogging thing and didn’t realise we had a question! ^_^

When you want to order drinks, simply say:

＿＿＿＿を______をおねがいします。

(name of drink) wo (number of drinks) wo onegaishimasu.

I would like (number of drinks) (name of drink) please.

If you are only ordering one drink or item of food/meal, say:

 ____  wo onegaishimasu．

＿＿＿＿をおねがいします。

いっぱい　(ippai)  = one drinkにはい       (nihai) = two drinksさんばい   (sanbai) = three drinksよんはい   (yonhai) = four drinksごはい       (gohai) = five drinksろっぱい   (roppai) = six drinksななはい   (nanahai) = seven drinksはちはい / はっぱい    (hachihai / happai) = eight drinksきゅうはい   (kyuuhai) = nine drinksじゅっぱい   (jyuppai) = ten drinks

Here are some that you can ask for:

コーラ   (ko-ra) = Colaコーヒー    (ko-hi-) = Coffeeおちゃ     (ocha) = Brown teaメロンソーダ    (meron so-da) = Melon sodaみず      (mizu) = Water

EXAMPLE:

コーラをさんばいをおねがいします。

Ko-ra wo sanbai wo onegaishimasu.

Three colas, please.

To order food, simply state:

＿＿＿＿を______をおねがいします。

(name of food) wo (number of food items/meals) wo onegaishimasu.

ひとつ   (hitotsu) - one (item of food)

ふたつ    (futatsu) - two

みっつ    (mittsu) - three

よっつ    (yottsu) - four

いつつ    (itsutsu) - five

むっつ    (muttsu) - six

ななつ    (nanatsu) - seven

やっつ    (yattsu) - eight

ここのつ  (kokonotsu) - nine

とう        (tou) - ten

Here are some food names you might find at a McDonalds:

チーズバーガー    (Chi-zu Ba-ga)     Cheeseburger

ハンバーガー        (Hanba-gu)           Hamburger

チップス　/   ポテト    (Chippusu / poteto)    Chips

ナゲット              (Nagetto)     Nuggets

マックシェイク     (Mukku sheiku)     McShake

セット          (Setto)    Set

EXAMPLE

チーズバーガーをいつつをおねがいします。

Chi-zu ba-ga wo itsutsu wo onegaishimasu.

Five cheeseburgers, please.

If you are ordering meals, they’re usually referred to as a set.

For example, a cheeseburger and chips in Australia is called a cheeseburger meal, but in Japan it is known as チーズバーガーセット (chi-zu ba-ga setto) Cheeseburger Set.

Here’s a tip from Yu-keshi:

In Japan, you can order smiles. If you say “sumairu wo onegaishimasu” (smile please), the person serving you will literally smile at you.

We hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any further questions, and we’ll be more than happy to answer them for you! <3

Yu and Clare

[japanesewithyuandclare]

Common Etiquette in Japan Part Two

Hey everyone!

Thanks for your support so far! We’re growing in followers every day and we’re so happy that we can help people with their studies and knowledge of Japan!

Here is part two of ‘Common Etiquette in Japan’ (part one can be found here: http://japanesewithyuandclare.tumblr.com/post/121490099892/common-etiquette-in-japan-part-one)

Don’t stick your chopsticks in your food.

Always place your chopsticks on the side of the plate or on the chopsticks holder. It is a big no-no to stick your chopsticks in your rice/food, as this is a practice in funerals in Japan. 

Don’t pass from chopsticks to chopsticks.

This is also a practice in funerals in Japan. If you are passing food from your plate to someone else’s, pick up the food with your chopsticks and place the food on the other person’s plate.

Always slurp your noodles and soup.

Don’t be alarmed if you go into a store that sells udon/ramen/soba etc. and hear people slurping their noodles. This is very polite, and should be practiced if you can. It may be tricky to slurp your noodles, but you can always practice before your big trip! 

The reason behind the slurping is so that the cooks can hear that you’re enjoying your meal!

Try to avoid asking for salt.

You’ll notice that the majority of restaurants have no salt available at their table. In Japan, it is considered rude to put salt on your meal. The food should have plenty of flavour and not need to have something added to it. It can be considered an insult to the chef.

Don’t jay walk.

This is pretty much something you’ll hear for every country, however it is considered very rude in Japan. Always approach a crossing and wait for the green light to cross. There will not usually be any buttons and the lights will change themselves for you to cross, but never jay walk - always wait!

Don’t walk through the Family Mart main doors constantly.

Yes, this one is an odd one. Although it’s not a set rule, the staff members of Family Mart don’t appreciate people walking in an out of Family Mart stores just to hear the ever-amazing Famima jingle. In a few areas, there are even signs to ask people not to do so. You’d think they wouldn’t need signs but hey - it’s a catchy jingle! :)

Well there you have it, folks! Part two! We hope you enjoyed it. As usual, feel free to ask us any questions, or let us know if you have any etiquette tips you’d like to share!

Until next Sunday,

Yu and Clare

[japanesewithyuandclare]

Ordering at a restaurant in Japan - Part Two

Hello everyone!

We’re back with part two of our ‘Ordering at a restaurant in Japan’ blog post!

If you haven’t already - don’t forget to check out part one here: http://japanesewithyuandclare.tumblr.com/post/122848772617/ordering-at-a-restaurant-in-japan-part-one. :)

In the last post, we finished at ordering your food and drinks after you have been seated.

If you want to get the attention of the waiter/waitress to ask for something else (eg. a drink/utensils/salt), simply put up your hand and say:

すみません。

‘Sumimasen’.

Excuse me

Once you have the attention of the waiter/waitress - depending on what you would like, say:

＿＿＿をおねがいします

_____ wo onegaishimasu.

_____ please.

Things you can ask for:

しお　Shio - Salt

こしょう　Koshou - Pepper

ナプキン　Napukin - Napkin/serviette

フォーク　Fo-ku - Fork

ナイフ　Naifu - Knife

スプーン　Supu-n - Spoon

のみもの　Nomimono - Drink (for drink names - see part one)

EXAMPLE - 

Fo-ku wo onegaishimasu.

フォークをおねがいします

May I have a fork, please?

You can also ask the waitress the following questions:

おてあらいはどこですか？

Otearai ha doko desu ka?

Where is the restroom?

(The waiter/waitress should point the restrooms out to you)

メニューをもういちどください。

Menyu wo mouichido kudasai.

May I please see the menu again?

デザートメニューをください。

Deza-to menyu wo kudasai.

May I please see the dessert menu?

Once you have finished your meal, press the buzzer at your table or say ‘sumimasen’ to get the attention of the waiter/waitress if there is no buzzer.

To ask for the cheque, say:

おかいけいをおねがいします。

Okaikei wo onegaishimasu.

May I have the cheque, please.

After they give you the cheque, you will need to go up to the counter (usually located near the door) where they will take payment.

Etiquette tip: Wait until the waiter/waitress has finished speaking until you put the cash on the little tray provided for them to take and calculate your change. They will put the change on the same tray. Wait for them to finish speaking again before you take your change.

Another handy tip: Before you pay, the waiter/waitress may ask you for a T-point card. To see how to talk about the T-point card and learn more about it, see our post on T-point cards (http://japanesewithyuandclare.tumblr.com/post/121191858402/essential-japanese-for-your-trip-to-japan-1-do)

That’s all for our ‘Ordering at a Restaurant in Japan’ post! Stay tuned for next week’s post! We shall be updating weekly language tips, tricks and more each Sunday from now on.

Feel free to ask us any questions! <3

Yu and Clare

Ku-keshi - Harahetta (I’m hungry)!

[japanesewithyuandclare]

More 'Japanese with Yu and Clare' posts coming soon!

Hey everyone! We recently moved to our new apartment, but we have not been able to get our internet up and running so far. We should finally have it back again in a few days, so please stay tuned! We've got so many blog posts ready for your study needs, and we can't wait to start posting again! We'll start posting weekly as soon as possible! Thanks for your patience. You guys are AMAZING! <3 Clare and Yu

[japanesewithyuandclare]

Ordering at a restaurant in Japan - Part One

So you’ve decided to travel to Japan, but you’re not exactly sure how to order your food at a restaurant? We’ve got you covered!

Read on for part one of our ‘ordering at a restaurant in Japan’ blog post. Part two coming soon!

When you enter a restaurant, you’ll hear staff members yell the phrase ’いらっしゃいませ’ (irasshaimase) which means ‘Welcome’!

When greeted by a staff member, you will need to state the amount of people who will be sitting at your table. 

The staff member may ask：

＿＿＿なんめいさまですか？ 

______ Nan mei sama desu ka? 

How many people?

Simply state the number of people:

一人  (hitori) = One person 二人  (futari) = Two people 三人   (san nin) = Three people 四人   (yo nin) = Four people 五人   (go nin) = Five people 六人   (roku nin) = Six people 七人    (shichi nin) = Seven people 八人    (hatchi nin) = Eight people 九人     (kyuu nin) = Nine people  十人   (jyuu nin) = Ten people

EXAMPLE: 

よにんです。

Yonin desu.

Four people.

After you are seated, you will hear the question: 

おのみものをごちゅうもんいたしますか？ 

Onomimono wo gochuumon itashimasuka? 

Would you like a drink/would you like some drinks?

When you want to order drinks, simply reply with:

＿＿＿＿を______をおねがいします。

(name of drink) wo (number of drinks) wo onegaishimasu.

I would like (number of drinks) (name of drink) please.

いっぱい　(ippai)  = one drink にはい       (nihai) = two drinks さんばい   (sanbai) = three drinks よんはい   (yonhai) = four drinks ごはい       (gohai) = five drinks ろっぱい   (roppai) = six drinks ななはい   (nanahai) = seven drinks はちはい / はっぱい    (hachihai / happai) = eight drinks きゅうはい   (kyuuhai) = nine drinks じゅっぱい   (jyuppai) = ten drinks

EXAMPLE

コーラをごはいをおねがいします。

Ko-ra wo gohai wo onegaishimasu.

Five Colas, please.

If you don’t want drinks yet, simply say:

いいえ、まだきまってません。

Iie, mada kimatemasen.

We haven’t decided yet.

(The above sentence can also be used for when you haven’t decided on what to eat as well).

There are many different drinks that you can order. 

Here are some that you will most likely find on the menu:

コーラ   (ko-ra) = Cola コーヒー    (ko-hi-) = Coffee おちゃ     (ocha) = Brown tea メロンソーダ    (meron so-da) = Melon soda みず      (mizu) = Water

To get the attention of the waiter, simply put up your hand or press the buzzer at your table if there is one. Once the waiter comes to your table, you will hear them say:

おきまりですか？ 

Okimari desu ka?

Have you decided what you want?

If you are ready, simply say:

はい、＿＿＿をおねがいします。

Hai, _____ wo onegaishimasu.

Yes, ______ please.

Simply state the food you would like on the menu:

＿＿＿＿をおねがいします。

________ wo onegaishimasu.

________ please.

EXAMPLE:

ラメンをおねがいします。

Ramen wo onegaishimasu.

I would like ramen, please.

Stay tuned for part two! Feel free to ask us any questions! <3

Ku-chan - harahetta.... (I’m hungry).

[japanesewithyuandclare]

Common Etiquette in Japan Part One

As with all different countries, Japan has etiquette that is different to that of Western countries. These are the most common things to remember for your visit to Japan. ^_^

- Always take your shoes off before entering a change room/someone’s home/dentist or doctor’s office. 

                     Most people are aware that you should take your shoes off before entering someone’s house, but did you know that you are also meant to take your shoes off before entering change rooms, or when visiting the dentist or doctor? You should always slip your shoes off before entering the change rooms and not put your shoes back on until you have tried on everything or are going to look through the store more. Dentist and Doctor’s offices will have an area to slip off your shoes. They will provide you with a pair of slippers to wear during your visit.

- Never put both head/earphones in your ears when walking down the street.

                   It is considered very rude to walk down the street with both earphones in your ears while listening to music. If you are going to listen to music - always have only one earphone in. Some Japanese people do put both earphones in their ears, but it is something that many people in Japan consider rude, so we don’t recommend doing it.

- If you are sick, wear a mask when you go out.

                    This one is really important. When a person is sick in Japan, they will wear a mask to prevent spreading their sickness to others. Some also wear them to prevent catching someone else’s cold/flu. If you are coughing or sneezing while you are out and don’t have a mask on, people will avoid you, and be rather annoyed that someone is not covering themselves up.

- If you are riding a bike, never share it with another person.

                       Although this is seen frequently in romance anime, sharing a bike is not recommended, as some police officers will warn you to hop off your bike, or even fine you. Sorry anime lovers! Clare was sad when she learnt this one too!

[japanesewithyuandclare]

Essential Japanese for your trip to Japan #1 - Do you have a T-point card?

One question that you will definitely be asked in nearly every store you visit in Japan will be ‘Do you have a T-point card?’ (T-point ka-do arimasuka? / Tポイントカードありますか？).

A T-point card is a point card that you can use in many stores across Japan.

If you present this card at certain stores, they will give you points depending on the price you paid for your shopping. You can use these points to get a discount on future shopping (eg. one point is worth one yen).

There are a few ways to answer the question “T-point ka-do arimasuka? (Tポイントカードありますか？)”. If you are a brief visitor to Japan, you won’t have one, so simply answer with one of the following:

~ Nai desu / ないです

~ Mottemasen / もってません

~ Arimasen / ありません

These phrases all mean ‘No, I don’t have one’.

What to listen out for: Questions in Japanese are generally not asked with an upward inflection like questions are asked in English. The question will be asked without an upward inflection, so it will not sound like a question. Make sure you listen carefully for ‘T-Point ka-do arimasuka? (Tポイントカードありますか？)’

If you are staying in Japan, they might even ask you to make a T-point card on the spot. In this case, they will say “T-point ka-do wo otsukuri itashimasuka? (T-ポイントカードをおつくりいたしますか?)” which means “Would you like to make a T-point card?”.

If you would like to set up your own T-point card, they will give you a form to fill out. If you don’t want one, simply reply with “Kekkou desu (けっこうです)” or “Irimasen (いりません)”, which means “no thank you”.

T-point card forms are usually in English, so they are easy to understand and fill out with no confusing kanji.

Let us know if you have any more questions about the T-point card! We’ll be more than happy to help! ^_^

[japanesewithyuandclare]

Welcome to our blog all about Japanese language, culture, history and etiquette!

Hi everyone!

Our names are Yu and Clare, and we are a Japanese/Australian engaged couple. This is the first ever post on our brand new blog!

This blog will be all about learning the Japanese language as well as culture, history and etiquette. We’ll try our very best to teach you things that your text books won’t teach you, so you’ll be 100% prepared for your trip to Japan or your studies!

Please bear with us whilst we start up our blog (it’s a little plain at the moment)! We’ll update this blog 1 - 2 times a week with language tips, tricks and tidbits as well as facts about Japanese etiquette, history and culture!

Our mascots, Yu-keshi and Ku-keshi will guide you through our posts, and assist you with your language studies!

Meet our mascots:

This is us:

Feel free to ask us anything about Japanese study tips or things about Japan!

Be sure to give us a follow if you’re interested in learning Japanese, or if you’re looking to expand your language skills! <3