Japanese with Hikari's Blog

Have you ever heard this in Japan?

“Please don’t take photos here.”
“Please don’t enter.”
“Please don’t worry.”

Many people say they’re surprised by how many signs and notices there are when they come to Japan. It can feel like there are a lot of rul...

Have you ever wanted to say something like this in Japanese?

“How do you write this kanji?”
“How do you make this dish?”
“What’s the best way to study Japanese?”

In English, we often say how to or the way to do something.
In Japanese, there’s a super ...

Have you ever heard someone say something like this?

“She works full-time, and at the same time, she’s also studying for a degree.”
Or, “He’s a teacher, but he’s also involved in volunteer work.”

These days, you might hear more modern examples too. ...

Have you ever had a moment that changed everything?

A single event that quietly drew a line between before and after in your life.

Maybe it was meeting someone important.
Maybe it was losing something.
Or the moment you started learning Japanese seri...

Have you ever looked at someone and thought,
“He looks a little sad…” or “She seems kind of proud”?

You’re not hearing their words. You’re not reading their mind.
You’re just seeing it in their face, their posture, their attitude…

In Japanese, there...

Imagine this,
you’re visiting your best friend’s place, and they’re making coffee for you.
They know exactly how you like it. Milk, and two spoons of sugar. Always.

So they smile and ask “Same as usual?”

But today, you hesitate for a second.
You remem...

Have you ever done something like this?

You skipped breakfast and rushed out the door.
You stayed up late without turning off the lights.
You kept going without giving up, even when things were tough.

In English, you might say “without doing somethin...

Have you ever had a conversation like this?

Someone says one word, and suddenly it reminds you of something else.
A place, a food, a memory, or even a slightly different opinion you want to add.

In English, you might say “Speaking of …” at moments l...

Have you ever said something like this?

“I just finished eating.”
Maybe you just had a bowl of ramen for lunch, and you are still full.

“I just moved here.”
Maybe you recently moved to Japan, and everything around you still feels new.

But then you r...

Have you ever said something like this?

“I heard it will snow tomorrow.”
“I heard that a Japanese restaurant will open next to the school.”
“I heard there is a test next week.”

In daily life, we often talk about things we did not see ourselves.
We sha...

Have you ever wanted to say something like this in Japanese?

“I think it will rain today.”
“This cake is good, right?”
“I told you already, didn’t I?”

In English, these all sound a bit different. But in Japanese, one very polite and flexible word can...

Have you ever wanted to say “very” in Japanese…
but weren’t sure if it sounds polite enough? Too strong? Too casual?

Good news! Japanese has a safe, friendly, and super reliable word for that:
とても (totemo) .

Whether you’re talking about the weather, ...

Have you ever felt this kind of determination?
“No matter what happens I won’t change my decision.”
“No matter who says what , this is something I must do.”

Maybe it’s about values. Maybe it’s about rules. Or maybe it’s about a promise you made to you...

Have you ever looked at a situation and thought,
“Hmmm… judging from this, I think I know what’s going on.”

For example, you step outside, see dark clouds, feel that slightly suspicious wind,
and think, “Yeah… judging from the sky, I should probably b...

Have you ever noticed that Japanese sometimes lists a few examples… and then smoothly wraps them into one category?

For example, instead of just saying “I like sushi and tempura,”
Japanese often goes one step further and says something like:
“sushi an...

Have you ever had one of those moments where you know you heard something before… but your memory just won’t cooperate?

You’re talking with a friend, nodding along, and suddenly you think,
“Wait… what time was the meeting again?”
Or you’re standing at...

Have you ever told yourself something like this?

“I know I should be healthier… so I’ll try to take the stairs instead of the escalator.”
Or, “I’ll try not to eat snacks before dinner… even though they’re right there.”

You’re not saying you’ll do it...

Have you ever wanted to say something negative in Japanese… but in a more mild and gentle way?

For example, you’re at a friend’s house.
They smile at you and say, “Are you hungry?”

Behind them… there’s a big pot of curry on the stove and smells amaz...

Have you ever wanted to do something meaningful, even when everyone around you gently tells you not to?

Imagine this.
You’re planning a solo trip to Japan.
No tour. No travel partner. Just you, exploring Japan on your own.

When you tell people, the ...

Have you ever wanted to ask “How do I do this?” in Japanese?

You’re in Japan.
You want to buy a Shinkansen ticket, and you’re standing in front of a ticket machine.
So many buttons… so many options… and you’re thinking,
“Okay… how do I buy this?”

Or m...

Have you ever had a conversation like this?

You’re talking with friends and someone asks “Which Japanese food do you like the most?”

Sushi? Ramen? Tempura? Karaage? Tamago-sando?
You like all of them… but you have to choose one.

Or maybe the quest...

Imagine you’re at a cute Japanese bakery.
There are so many pastries that you just can’t choose… so you tell the staff you want one of each.

Or maybe you’re studying Japanese and you decide
“I’ll learn five new words every day little by little.”

Tha...

As you move into advanced Japanese, you’ll start seeing words that feel a little… distant.

Not distant in a bad way, but distant in time.

Have you ever read a sentence and felt like it was talking about
“a past that’s clearly different from now”?
Not...

Have you ever noticed that when you’re talking about your favorites, you say you like many things…but deep down, there’s always that one thing you secretly love the most?

Like,
“I like Japanese food in general…
but honestly? Ramen. Especially ramen.”