“Shiwasu” – the busiest month of the year
In Japan, each month has its older Japanese name, and December is called “Shiwasu (師走).” The word “shiwasu” expresses how busy people are around this time of the year.
The Importance of Writing Effective Business Emails in Japanese
On December 14, TLS is holding a business skills workshop for Japanese language beginners. One aspect covered will be email writing in Japanese. This is why it is important.
Tori no Ichi ‘Rooster Market’
In November, Tori no ichi is held for people to purchase kumade to wish for good luck in the coming year.
What is the Tokyo Expat Expo and Why Should You Go?
The Expat Expo will be happening again this November and you can meet some members of the Toranomon Language School team there!
Celebrating Bunka no hi in Japan
Learn about ‘Bunka no hi’, otherwise known as Culture Day in Japan.
Ritto (立冬)：beginning of winter
“Ritto”(立冬) is the day that is considered as the beginning of winter in Japan.
Momijigari: admire the autumn leaves
In autumn, the color of the leaves changes into orange, red, yellow, and brown. This is called 紅葉（koyo）, and it is one of the beautiful sceneries you can see in Japan.
Going to the Doctor in Japan
Read about what it’s like to go to the doctor in Japan and learn some useful phrases.
What is it like sending your child to a Japanese kindergarten?
Read about an expat’s experience sending her child to Japanese kindergarten in Tokyo.
A Japanese Cultural Tradition – Kouhaku Uta Gassen
One place to find good songs to learn Japanese is the cultural phenomenon of Kouhaku Uta Gassen. It is held every year on December 31st to celebrate New Year’s Eve and features the top songs from Japan from the year.