Japanese greetings and bowing in context
Learn when to bow lightly and how to greet, thank or apologise in polite Japanese.
Read and practiseAdventure journal
Japanese culture and customs
Explore Japanese customs, everyday life and history through language in context.
Adventure journal
Japanese culture and customs
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Edo-period towns: beginner Japanese vocabulary
Discover Edo, merchants, kabuki and ukiyo-e through simple Japanese sentences.
Read and practiseShoes and indoor spaces in Japan
At many homes, outdoor shoes come off in the 玄関, the entrance area. Read examples and practise with explanations for each answer.
Read and practiseWords used around Japanese meals
Many people say いただきます before eating and ごちそうさまでした after a meal. Read examples and practise with explanations for each answer.
Read and practiseEveryday seasonal greetings in Japanese
Before the year ends, よいお年を wishes someone a good coming year. Read examples and practise with explanations for each answer.
Read and practiseReading a Japanese convenience store
A コンビニ is a convenience store. Read examples and practise with explanations for each answer.
Read and practiseCommon signs in Japanese stations
Look for 出口（でぐち） for an exit, 改札口（かいさつぐち） for a ticket gate and 乗り場（のりば） for a boarding area. Read examples and practise with explanations for each answer.
Read and practiseWords for a Japanese local festival
お祭り is a festival; some include 屋台, stalls selling food, or a 神輿, a portable shrine carried in a procession. Read examples and practise with explanations for each answer.
Read and practiseJapanese names and forms of address
Japanese names are commonly given family name first, followed by given name. Read examples and practise with explanations for each answer.
Read and practiseJapanese school-calendar vocabulary
Learn Japanese words for the school year, entrance and graduation ceremonies, and seasonal breaks, with a calendar and explained practice.
Read and practiseAn Edo-period merchant shop
Explore a cloth shop in Edo with Japanese words for merchants, customers, goods and cash, plus examples and explained practice.
Read and practiseWords for an Edo-period tea house
Explore tea houses of the Edo period through Japanese words for travellers, tea, dumplings and a place to stop and rest.
Read and practiseEdo-period travellers and inns
Learn Japanese words for highways, post stations and inns while exploring where travellers stopped in the Edo period.
Read and practiseEdo post stations and journeys
Explore Edo-period post stations, inns and roads through Japanese examples and practice grounded in historical travel.
Read and practiseJapanese castle towns in the Edo period
Learn Japanese words for castle towns, warriors and merchants, and explore how urban districts developed around castles.
Read and practiseMarkets and trade in Edo
Learn Japanese for fish markets, wholesalers and retail while exploring trade around Edo’s Nihonbashi district.
Read and practiseClothing in Edo Japan: kosode and obi
Discover Edo-period clothing vocabulary, including kosode robes, obi sashes and patterns, with Japanese examples.
Read and practiseMoney in Edo Japan: ryō, mon and koban
Learn Japanese words for Edo-period money, from gold koban and ryō to mon and money changing, with practice.
Read and practiseEdo lighting: andon lamps and lanterns
Learn Japanese words for Edo-period lighting, from indoor oil lamps and portable lanterns to flame and fuel.
Read and practiseTravel and transport in the Edo period
Learn Japanese for walking, horses, palanquins and boats while exploring travel on Edo-period roads and rivers.
Read and practiseFood and tea in Edo
Learn Japanese words for soba, sushi, tea and sweets through everyday scenes inspired by food culture in Edo.
Read and practiseReading Edo shop signs and curtains
Learn to read shop names, goods and marks on signs and entrance curtains in an imagined Edo-period setting.
Read and practiseSeasonal foods and menus in Japan
Learn Japanese for seasonal ingredients, hot pots and menus, and ask what is in season with natural polite phrases.
Read and practiseNeighbourhood festivals and invitations
Learn Japanese words for local festivals, stalls and lanterns, and invite a neighbour to go together politely.
Read and practiseShrines and temples in Japanese
Learn Japanese words for shrines, temples, gates and prayers through six examples and a short vocabulary practice.
Read and practiseAt the Japanese public bathhouse
Learn useful Japanese for a public bathhouse, from asking for a towel to washing before entering the shared bath.
Read and practiseJapanese New Year greetings and customs
Learn when to exchange Japanese New Year greetings and explore osechi, shrine visits and New Year cards.
Read and practiseGiving a gift in Japanese
Learn how to offer a gift or travel souvenir, thank the giver, and choose Japanese verbs for the direction of giving.
Read and practiseRooms and tatami in Japanese homes
Learn Japanese words for rooms, tatami mats and the entrance, and practise describing a home in polite sentences.
Read and practiseReading a Japanese bento menu
Read a Japanese bento menu: identify salmon, fried chicken, rice and prices, then practise choosing a meal.
Read and practiseReading a local government notice
Learn Japanese words for applications, counters and deadlines in a local government notice, and practise finding practical details.
Read and practiseCherry-blossom viewing in Japanese
Learn Japanese words for cherry-blossom viewing, from blossoms and full bloom to a picnic beneath the trees.
Read and practiseTalking about the rainy season
Learn to discuss Japan’s rainy season, humid weather, umbrellas and slow-drying laundry in natural everyday Japanese.
Read and practiseUnderstanding Japanese addresses
Learn how Japanese addresses move from prefecture to ward and numbered areas, and how postal codes and room numbers fit in.
Read and practiseTravel and checkpoints in Edo Japan
Read about Edo-period journeys in Japanese, from travel permits and checkpoint inspections to rest at post towns.
Read and practiseOccupations in Edo-period Japan
Learn Japanese names for merchants, carpenters and fishmongers through everyday scenes from the Edo period.
Read and practiseKabuki and Edo performance vocabulary
Learn Japanese words for actors, stages, audiences and costumes through the world of Edo-period kabuki.
Read and practiseUkiyo-e and woodblock printing
Learn Japanese words for ukiyo-e, carved blocks, pigments and printing, and follow the making of an Edo-period print.
Read and practiseRice trade and merchant terms in Edo Japan
Learn Japanese words for rice, merchants, prices and ledgers through examples set in Edo-period trade.
Read and practiseEdo waterways and river transport
Learn Japanese words for canals, boats and cargo while exploring how waterways supported transport in Edo towns.
Read and practiseCastle-town officials and their titles
Learn Japanese titles for Edo-period castle-town government, from the daimyo to senior retainers and town magistrates.
Read and practiseLanguage and roles in a modern workplace
Learn Japanese for workplace roles, sharing documents, reporting progress and consulting colleagues in polite conversations.
Read and practiseJapanese school events: useful N3 vocabulary
Learn Japanese words for school ceremonies, sports days, cultural festivals and trips, with examples and practice.
Read and practiseRegional food in Japanese
Discuss Japanese regional dishes, local ingredients and differences in seasoning with useful N3 expressions.
Read and practiseNeighborhood associations and local notices
Learn to read Japanese neighborhood association notices about cleanups, circulars, meeting changes and contact details.
Read and practiseJapanese calendars and era names
Learn to read Japanese era years alongside Gregorian dates, including the change from Heisei to Reiwa and the meaning of gannen.
Read and practiseRegister in public notices
Read Japanese public notices by distinguishing compact prohibitions, polite requests and factual announcements in everyday places.
Read and practiseService phrases in Japanese
Recognise common Japanese service phrases for welcoming customers, asking them to wait and confirming an order in shops and restaurants.
Read and practiseUrban life in Edo Japan
Read about Edo’s row houses, shared wells, street commerce and fire risks while practising N2 reading in Japanese.
Read and practiseReading historical sources
Learn to read modern Japanese descriptions of historical documents, distinguish evidence from interpretation, and identify uncertainty.
Read and practiseDiscussing regional variation respectfully
Learn to discuss regional differences in Japanese with careful qualifiers, individual perspectives and questions that avoid stereotypes.
Read and practiseSocial relationships and shifts in Japanese register
Explore how Japanese speakers adjust polite, honorific and casual forms to their relationship, audience and setting.
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