The priority seats: Are they fair game on an empty train?
One of the benefits of living in a Japanese city is the transportation network. A wide range of people use trains, subways and buses to get where they’re going, and …
vocabulary
AI, ChatGPT and the ‘creation’ of work with a human touch
This year will be remembered as the year that 人工知能 (jinkō-chinō, artificial intelligence) and 生成AI (seisei-ēai, generative AI) went mainstream. この技術の進歩が喜ばしい事かは意見が分かれるところですが、多くの人の生活を変えるであろう事は確かです (Kono gijutsu no shinpo ga yorokobashii koto ka wa …
Exploring Fashion Ethics in Japanese Culture: The Dynamic Nature of Shopping Speed
The term ファストファッション (fasuto fasshon, fast fashion) has been around for a while, appearing on the media’s radar on and off. More recently, it has come under scrutiny for an …
What approach should Japan adopt when discussing gender from a political perspective?
On June 9, Japan’s 衆議院 (shūgiin, the House of Representatives) approved a bill to promote what it says is 性的マイノリティへの理解 (sei-teki mainoriti e no rikai, understanding of sexual minorities). More …
Discovering Money-Saving Tips in Japanese: A frugal guide
With the cost of living rising, the topic of 節約 (setsuyaku, saving money) has made its way into more and more of my daily conversations. Gone are the days when …
Summer Celebrations like Tanabata are Making a Grand Comeback (Hurray!), But So is Heatstroke (Nay!)
It’s July 7 — have you felt a tinge of romance in the air? If you did then it might be because today is 七夕 (Tanabata), the day Japan celebrates …
Brevity Takes Precedence: Japanese Grammar Emphasizes Conciseness
A few weeks ago, my colleague Yuko Tamura wrote an insightful article about the various ways Japanese words and phrases are abbreviated. Today, I want to provide an overview of …