Sasha MaggioArticles

The Japanese, though primarily Buddhist, Shinto, or more commonly a combination of the two, do celebrate Christmas, especially the younger generations. Christmas in Japan is a bit different, though, when compared to the Christmas celebrations in ... more

              Effectively learning Japanese and developing a level of fluency requires the memorization of anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 Kanji.  Kanji are Chinese characters which represent words by themselves, or are combined in Kanji Compounds or ... more

Kana consist of the two Japanese syllabaries, not exactly “alphabets,” known as hiragana and katakana. Hiragana is the first syllabary all Japanese language students learn, and it is the first that Japanese children learn in school as well. All ... more

The My Japanese Coach game for Nintendo DS is designed to teach absolute beginners Japanese in a quick, fun, and relatively easy manner. Japanese for centuries has been thought to be one of the world’s most difficult languages to learn for non- ... more

Death from overwork, or 過労死(karoushi), is not unique to Japan, but it can be a problem especially in times of economic stress. Japanese businessmen, サラリーマン(sarariiman), are typically expected to work long hours, sometimes late into ... more

Tradition Japanese theater consists of four different types: bunraku, kabuki, kyogen, and noh.  Noh is a type of dramatic play developed around the 14th century.  It is one of the oldest types of theater in the world.      Noh contain a ... more

When studying the Japanese language, or any language for that matter, one of the greatest challenges faced by students is increasing relevant vocabulary.  Especially for older students, and those in or entering professional careers, having usable ... more

Known for many things, Japan was never historically known as a gender-equal society.  Women were meant to be quiet, obedient, and content.  The end of World War II and the latter half of the 20th century saw many changes for women in ... more

When asked, the typical Japanese will tell you they are not religious, although the majority attend festivals and events at local Shrines and Temples every year.  Japan was able to avoid the Christian influence and domination that ... more

Learning about Japanese customs can help bridge the gaps between friends and explain some behaviors previously confused by non-native Japanese.  In this article, I will discuss three very common Japanese customs which take non-native Japanese a ... more