Fukuoka public transport
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| These nifty hybrid electric/pedal-powered taxis have sprung up on the streets of Fukuoka recently. Modern versions of the rickshaw, or in Japanese “jinrikisha” (“man-powered vehicle”), these cars are designed…
Be careful of the word “toru”!
| Tonight, a quick Japanese tip from our head teacher, Rie. As everyone knows, Japanese is very different from English, and one of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming…
Japanese customs for foreigners – part 1: toilet slippers
| It’s happened to every foreigner in Japan: you come out of the toilet, back to the party, but before you even sit down, everybody starts laughing at you. Did…
Hi-res satellite photos of Fukuoka: Google Earth
| Google’s great world map software, Google Earth, has just added ultra-high resolution satellite pictures of Fukuoka City to their maps. The level of detail is amazing, making games of…
What is Hakata-ben?
| As you know, our school is located in Fukuoka City, on the island of Kyushu, in Southern Japan. The local people speak a dialect of Japanese called Hakata-ben, Hakata…
Japanese formal speech – it’s easier than you think!
| To many students of Japanese, the use of polite forms (or “keigo”) can seem like one of the hardest parts of the language to learn. After all, the words…
Japanese I learned from “24”: Part 1, -tamae
| Watching 24 on DVD with Japanese subtitles teaches me a whole variety of useful phrases – I will never again be stuck for what to say when torturing a…
Summer Culture Course
| We’re working on some exciting things for this summer, including a whole new course focused on enjoying Japanese cultural experiences, with the Japanese language study reduced to a manageable…
Winter Vacation Schedule – clarification
| For some time now our homepage has been proudly advertising the fact that we’re closing the school for a good 2-and-a-half weeks for winter vacation (December 23rd to January…
TV Shows
| Time for some TV show recommendations, I think. Here are some current Japanese TV shows that might just help your Japanese ability: 1. Tamori no Japonica Logosu (every Tuesday,…