Japanese with Hikari's Blog

Have you ever listened to someone’s story and thought,
“Yeah, no wonder you feel that way” or “That’s only natural”?

Like…
Your friend failed an exam because they didn’t study. → “Well, it’s no wonder.”
Someone is angry because they were treated unfair...

Have you ever thought, “Ahh, I should have done that…” or “It would have been better if I hadn’t done this…”?

Like when you eat too much dessert:
“I shouldn’t have had that extra cake…” 

Or when you forget your passport before going on an overseas t...

When we think about “lockdowns” today, we think of the pandemic.
But did you know Japan once locked itself off from the rest of the world… for over 200 years?

This was called 鎖国 (sakoku), literally “closed country.”
And wow, did it change the course o...

If you’ve been learning Japanese for even a little while, you’ve probably bumped into this classic puzzle:
When do I use “は” (wa) and when do I use “が” (ga)? 🤔

They both mark the subject, right?
Well… yes and no! Let’s break it down, simply and clearl...

Let’s take a look into who geisha really are, where they came from, and why they’re still so loved in Japan today. 

🖌️ What Does “Geisha” Mean?

The word geisha (芸者) means:

• 芸 (gei) = art or performance
• 者 (sha) = person

So, a geisha is lite...

Let’s take a look at what makes these places so unique, and why they’re such a big part of Japanese social life!

🏮 What is an Izakaya?

The word izakaya (居酒屋) breaks down like this:

• 居 (i) = to stay or sit
• 酒 (sake) = alcohol
• 屋 (ya) = shop

Did you know that Japan has a truly unique Christmas tradition? It doesn’t involve Santa hats or caroling, it’s all about crispy fried chicken from KFC!
Yep, every December, millions of families in Japan celebrate the holiday with a "party barrel" fro...

Ever been to Japan and noticed how kind, polite, and thoughtful people are?
From the warm smiles at convenience stores to the bowing taxi drivers and perfectly wrapped gifts, there’s something truly special going on. 🎁🇯🇵

That “something” is called Om...

On March 3rd, in Japan, we celebrate Hina Matsuri ひな祭り, the Doll (girls’) Festival. If you’re really into Japanese culture, you may have already known about it and even seen the colorful altars where little dolls are displayed.

Are you curious to kn...

You probably know already that Japan is obsessed with Sakura leaves (cherry blossom leaves).

You probably also know that in Spring, all of Japan is covered with beautiful Sakura trees, and we gather to see them.

But why?

I’m about to tell you why ...

 Have you ever looked at something and immediately thought, “OMG, that’s so cute!”?

Well, in Japan, there’s a word for that: kawaii. But "kawaii" isn’t just about being cute, it’s a whole vibe.

Let’s dig into where it comes from, how it’s evolved, ...

Have you ever been asked, “Why do you like Japan so much?”
And you wanted to give a clear reason, something like:

“Because the food is delicious!” 
“Because I like their culture!” 
“Because the people are kind!” 

In Japanese, when you want to clearly ...

If you asked me,
“I want to visit Japan, but where do you recommend?” 

I’d probably answer something like this:

“If it’s your first trip to Japan, then Tokyo or Osaka area is the easiest to explore.”

“If it’s your second time or more, then I’...

Have you ever had one of those days when it feels like you’re doing nothing but one thing?

Like…

Eating snacks all the time

Watching Netflix non-stop 

Or recently… maybe studying Japanese all day?! 

In Japanese, when you want to say “on...

You’re scrolling through Instagram and see a Japan traveler’s post… 

A beautifully painted folding fan, some adorable cat goods, or maybe merchandise from your favorite anime character.

Your heart goes “Ahhh, I want that!!” 

In Japanese, ...

Have you ever eaten too much food at an all-you-can-eat restaurant? 

Or stayed up way too late because you couldn’t stop binge-watching Netflix shows?

In Japanese, when something is “too much,” we use すぎる (sugiru).

It’s super handy for expre...

Today, let’s talk about something super important in Japanese: particles! 

If you’ve been studying Japanese for a little while, you’ve already seen them, tiny words like 「は」 (ha), 「を」 (wo), or 「で」 (de). Their job is to show what role that word plays...

Have you ever wanted to say “looks like” or “seems like” in Japanese?
For example: “Her smile is like the sun” or “It seems like he’s feeling down because work isn’t going well.”

This expression is also super useful when you forget or don’t know t...

In this article, I’m telling you about one of Japan’s most stunning autumn traditions: Kōyō (紅葉), or the changing of the leaves! Let’s dive into why Kōyō is such an important part of Japanese culture and where you can experience it.

🍂 What does "Kōy...

When you want to say “the most” in Japanese, the word you need is いちばん (ichiban).
It’s very common and easy to use, perfect for saying things like “I like sushi the most” or “Mt. Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan.”

You may have also seen 一番 (ichi...

Imagine your friend asks after work, “When are you free to grab dinner?”
You want to say, “I’m free every day except Monday.”

Of course, you could list all the days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, but there’s a much handier way to say it i...

Sometimes in life, things go well not just because of your own effort, but also thanks to someone or something else.

For example:
Thanks to my teammates, we achieved outstanding results.
Because of the beautiful weather, we had a romantic picnic date!...

Let’s be honest, we all love making comparisons, right?

“That anime was more exciting than the last!” or “My onigiri is bigger than yours!”. 

Of course, no need to compare yourself, but when it comes to food, travel spots, or anime characters, J...

Have you ever wanted to say “always” or “usually” in Japanese?

For example, “I always drink coffee in the morning” or “She’s always smiling.”

And of course… “I always think about you.” (Haha❤️)

Talking about our habits and quirks is something u...