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A free daily Japanese lesson in your inbox every morning, with word breakdowns, audio, and cultural
Christian Werner, in: Die ‚Alleinherrschaft’ der russischen Zaren in der ‚Zeit der Wirren‘
Reconstructing the Life of Uesugi Kiyoko
2025-07-19
Uesugi Kiyoko (1270–1342) was the mother of the founder of the Ashikaga shogunate, Takauji.
Year-end Tax Adjustment in Japan
2023-11-24
income tax filing and Year-end Tax Adjustment in Japan
Fault models of the 1703 Genroku and 1923 Taisho Kanto earthquakes inferred from coastal movements
2023-08-02
1923 Taisho Kanto earthquake
Duggan, Mark, and Steven D. Levitt. 2002. "Winning Isn't Everything: Corruption in Sumo Wrestling ."
Tōkeiji's Business: the Agency of Nuns in the Early Modern Period
Kanji Breakthrough
2022-03-14
A download of Mary’s “Kanji Breakthrough,” a series of lessons originally published in 2007.
Latest articles
Culture
Japanese Swords
[captionr][/CENTER]
Edo-period peace changed the sword's place in society. Wearing conventions, martial training, presentation and status acquired particular importance, while blades remained weapons. The daishō became an emblem of the warrior class. Rules governing swords and their wearing...
Kōtoku-in (高徳院, "Temple of High Virtue"), officially known as Daiizan Kōtokuin Shōjōsen-ji (大異山高徳院清浄泉寺), is a Buddhist temple of the Jōdo-shū sect, located in Hase (長谷), in the western part of Kamakura. The temple is famous for the Great Buddha of Kamakura (鎌倉大仏 Kamakura Daibutsu), a colossal...
Society
Common Japanese Surnames
The 1,000 most common Japanese family names
This page lists 1,000 common Japanese surnames, with their Japanese written forms and romanised readings, followed by 100 rare and unusual surnames. The main table preserves the historical ranking published in the earlier version of this article; it...
Society
Japanese Family Names
Modern Japanese names (日本人の氏名 nihonjin no shimei) usually consist of a family name (surname), followed by a given name. Middle names are not customary. Family names are also called 苗字 or 名字 (myōji); in legal contexts, the term 氏 (uji or shi) is used. Japanese names are usually written in Chinese...
Crime involving foreign nationals is a recurring subject of debate in Japan. This article examines official police statistics, recent trends and the comparisons that can reasonably be made with Japanese nationals.
At a glance
Police figures involving foreign nationals have increased in recent...
Religion
Shintō - The Way of the Gods
Shintō - the way of the kamiShintō (神道), usually translated as "the way of the gods", is a Japanese religious tradition centred on the veneration of kami. The word kami can refer to deities, sacred presences and revered spirits. It includes figures from mythology, powers associated with natural...
Religion
Characteristics of Japanese Buddhism
Buddhism in Japan has developed through centuries of exchange with other Asian traditions and adaptation to local circumstances. Its schools differ considerably in their teachings, institutions and practices. Nevertheless, several recurring features help explain its place in Japanese society...
Culture
The Japanese Calendar
IntroductionJapan uses the Gregorian calendar, but older ways of marking time remain part of everyday life. Era names appear on official documents, animal signs feature on New Year cards, and traditional seasonal markers still appear in weather reports and calendars.
These customs come from...
Language
Honorific Suffixes
The Japanese language uses a wide range of honorific suffixes and titles when addressing or referring to people. The most familiar is -san, as in Tanaka-san. Others, such as -chan, -kun and -sama, express different degrees of familiarity, affection or respect.
These suffixes can follow a...
Society
Foreign residents in Japan
Foreign residents in JapanJapan's foreign residents include people who have recently arrived for work or study, families building their lives in the country, and communities with roots stretching back generations. This article examines how many foreign nationals live in Japan, where they come...
Latest journal entries
Last Wednesday, I finally managed to find enough time to visit one of the most fascinating special exhibitions of the year at the Tōkyō National Museum in Ueno: "The Maeda: Legacy of a Prosperous Samurai Family." Most of the exhibits are normally displayed in Kanazawa, while museums and...
We'd passed through the Oyamada district of Machida countless times, burning rubber on our road bikes. Today, by sheer coincidence, we took a different turn and found this hidden gem of a temple. Oyamada was the family name of a local clan that controlled territory in modern-day Machida and...
When we first visited Himeji Castle in December 2013, we were rather disappointed to discover that it was undergoing major restoration work, with the main keep and several other structures hidden behind enormous scaffolding erected to protect the donjon and its roofs from the elements. Little...
Local sights and landmarks: Sakunobe Castle.
Sakunobe Castle (作延城 Sakunobe-jō) was a flat mountain castle (平山城 hirayamajō) in present-day Shimosakunobe, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, allegedly constructed by Inage Saburō Shigenari (稲毛三郎重成), a member of the Oyamada clan in the early Kamakura period...
From Leather Imitations to Global Luxury
Japanese wallpaper tells a story that most people never hear. While we're familiar with zen gardens and tea ceremonies, the art of decorating walls has quietly shaped Japanese interiors for generations, evolving through political upheaval, economic...
The Miura Peninsula (三浦半島 Miura-hantō), nestled in southern Kanagawa, is renowned for its stunning coastal landscapes, rich history, and delectable seafood. Its picturesque beaches, rugged cliffs, and charming little harbours offer a serene escape from urban life. Historical cities like...
Some may recall that I left Japan due to concerns of my father's health at the time. He had cancer (again), and had a severe stroke not long before. It seemed that it was time for him to cast aside his mortal coil and leave this Earth. However, Fate had other plans in mind, thankfully.
That...
I bought this Japanese Censor here in New England and when I researched the silversmith, Paris France, they were in business from 1880's to about the 1900's and then no longer existed. What's interesting about the piece is the color combination and the artwork on the piece.
Japanese export...
I used to have a breadmaker in Japan that I had picked up when someone threw it away. Other than the vent's grill on the top being cracked and missing part of the grill, the breadmaker was perfectly fine. All you had to do was measure out the ingredients, put them in the machine in the proper...
As you might know, kabukicho can be a little different compared to the rest of Tokyo and most of Japan. In a way, I decided to use that to my advantage and spent quite some time there (not buying any special services there though 🤨).
Because of my frequency around the area, I can recall various...
Latest items
A long-matured yamahai junmai from Wakayama’s 2019 brewing year, made with Gohyakumangoku rice. Dried-fruit aromas and rounded savoury flavour make it well-suited to autumn dishes, served at room temperature or warmed.
- Prefecture
- Wakayama (和歌山)
- Style
- Akiagari (秋上がり), autumn-matured
- Brewing method
- Yamahai (山廃), simplified kimoto method
- Rice type
- Gohyakumangoku (五百万石)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 65%
- Yeast
- Kyōkai No. 701
- Alcohol content
- 16%
- SMV
- +5.0
- Acidity
- 2.0
- Amino acidity
- 1.9
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Hiire (火入れ), pasteurised
- Production date
- 2019 BY
- Brewery
- Yoshimura Hideo Shōten
- Name in Japanese
- 𠮷村秀雄商店
- Address
- 72 Hatage, Iwade, Wakayama Prefecture, 649-6244
- Phone
- 0736-62-2121
- Website
日本城・車坂醸造元 𠮷村秀雄商店
「車坂」「日本城」を醸造する和歌山の酒蔵。山廃や生酛といった伝統的な酒造りを柱に、今様のお酒だけでなく熟成酒、古酒といった多様な楽しみを伝えたい。地産の完熟南高梅を使った梅酒や、果実を使ったリキュールの製造も行っております。nihonsyu-nihonjyou.co.jp
A limited autumn junmai ginjō from Saitama, matured over summer for greater depth and bottled undiluted at 16%. Enjoy chilled or warmed alongside seasonal dishes.
- Prefecture
- Saitama (埼玉)
- Style
- Genshu (原酒), undiluted
- Hiyaoroshi (ひやおろし), autumn-matured
- Taste profile
- Umami
- Rice type
- Domestic rice (国産米)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 60%
- Alcohol content
- 16%
- SMV
- ±0
- Acidity
- 1.5
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Hiya (冷や), room temperature
- Hitohadakan (人肌燗), around 35°C
- Production date
- August 2026
- Brewery
- Koyama Honke Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 小山本家酒造
- Address
- 1798 Sashiogi, Nishi-ku, Saitama, 331-0047
- Phone
- 048-623-0011
- Website
Raifuku Junmai Ginjō Aiyama is made with Hyōgo-grown Aiyama rice polished to 50%. Gentle fruity aromas, soft sweetness and rounded rice flavour define this pasteurised sake from Ibaraki.
- Prefecture
- Ibaraki (茨城)
- Style
- Muroka (無濾過), unfiltered
- Taste profile
- Fruity
- Umami
- Rice type
- Aiyama (愛山)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 50%
- Yeast
- Tokyo University of Agriculture isolate (東農大分離株)
- Alcohol content
- 15%
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Hiya (冷や), room temperature
- Brewery
- Raifuku Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 来福酒造
- Address
- 1626 Murata, Chikusei, Ibaraki 300-4546
- Phone
- 0296-52-2448
- Website
Daisekkei with a difference: a limited junmai ginjō made from Omachi rice grown in Azumino, with fruity aromas, gentle sweetness and a refreshing hint of citrus-like bitterness.
- Prefecture
- Nagano (長野)
- Taste profile
- Fruity
- Citrusy
- Rice type
- Omachi (雄町)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 55%
- Alcohol content
- 15%
- SMV
- −3.0
- Acidity
- 1.7
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Hiire (火入れ), pasteurised
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Production date
- August 2026
- Brewery
- Daisekkei Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 大雪渓酒造株式会社
- Address
- 9642-2 Aisome, Ikeda-machi, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-8602
- Phone
- 0261-62-3125
- Website
An autumn sake from Nagano, made with Hitogokochi rice and matured over the summer. Its rounded rice flavour and savoury richness make it well suited to meals.
- Prefecture
- Nagano (長野)
- Style
- Hiyaoroshi (ひやおろし), autumn-matured
- Taste profile
- Umami
- Rice type
- Hitogokochi (ひとごこち)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 59%
- Alcohol content
- 16%
- SMV
- +4.0
- Acidity
- 1.7
- Amino acidity
- 1.2
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Hiire (火入れ), pasteurised
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Hiya (冷や), room temperature
- Hinatakan (日向燗), around 30°C
- Hitohadakan (人肌燗), around 35°C
- Production date
- September 2026
- Brewery
- Daisekkei Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 大雪渓酒造株式会社
- Address
- 9642-2 Aisome, Ikeda-machi, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-8602
- Phone
- 0261-62-3125
- Website
A seasonal junmai ginjō from Miyagi, matured over the summer for a softer, rounded flavour. Subtle banana and melon aromas meet refreshing acidity and a clean finish; enjoy chilled alongside seafood.
- Prefecture
- Miyagi (宮城)
- Style
- Hiyaoroshi (ひやおろし), autumn-matured
- Taste profile
- Fruity
- Rice type
- Kura no Hana (蔵の華)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 55%
- Yeast
- Miyagi yeast (宮城酵母)
- Alcohol content
- 15%
- SMV
- +4.0
- Acidity
- 1.6
- Amino acidity
- 1.1
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Hiire (火入れ), pasteurised
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Brewery
- Niizawa Jōzōten
- Name in Japanese
- 新澤醸造店
- Address
- 63 Kitamachi, Sanbongi, Ōsaki-shi, Miyagi 989-6321
- Phone
- 0229-52-3002
- Website
【公式】株式会社新澤醸造店 | 伯楽星・あたごのまつ醸造元
創業1873年。『究極の食中酒』を目指す新澤醸造店の公式Webサイト。伯楽星、愛宕の松などの日本酒を製造。niizawa-brewery.co.jp
An autumn junmai from Shizuoka, made with Yamada Nishiki rice and matured over summer for a rounded, rich flavour. Enjoy chilled or warmed alongside hotpot dishes or fatty seafood.
- Prefecture
- Shizuoka (静岡)
- Style
- Hiyaoroshi (ひやおろし), autumn-matured
- Taste profile
- Fruity
- Umami
- Rice type
- Yamada Nishiki (山田錦)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 55%
- Yeast
- Shizuoka yeast (静岡酵母)
- Alcohol content
- 16%
- SMV
- +3.0
- Acidity
- 1.4
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Namazume (生詰酒), pasteurised once before storage
- Production date
- August 2026
- Brewery
- Doi Shuzōjō
- Name in Japanese
- 土井酒造場
- Address
- 633 Onuki, Kakegawa, Shizuoka 437-1407
- Phone
- 0537-74-2006
- Website
An unfiltered autumn junmai ginjō from Ikekame in Fukuoka, matured over summer for a rounded flavour with refreshing character. Enjoy lightly chilled or gently warmed.
- Prefecture
- Fukuoka (福岡)
- Style
- Muroka (無濾過), unfiltered
- Hiyaoroshi (ひやおろし), autumn-matured
- Taste profile
- Fruity
- Umami
- Rice type
- Domestic rice (国産米)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 60%
- Alcohol content
- 15%
- SMV
- ±0
- Acidity
- 1.4
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Namazume (生詰酒), pasteurised once before storage
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Hinatakan (日向燗), around 30°C
- Production date
- August 2026
- Brewery
- Ikekame Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 池亀酒造
- Address
- 545 Mizumamachi Kusaba, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0105
- Phone
- 0942-64-3101
- Website
池亀酒造 – 時代に寄り添う酒造り（福岡・久留米・城島の酒蔵）
筑後三潴で創業130余年。位置します久留米は、17もの酒蔵がある日本第二位の酒処です。池亀酒造より、新鮮な驚きと感動を与える酒文化の情報をお届けします。ikekame.com
- Online store
池亀酒造(株)オンラインショップ
池亀酒造、直販のオンラインショップです。1万5千円以上のご購入で、送料無料！ 池亀酒造(株)オンラインショップでは、初めて日本酒をお楽しみになる方に向けて、厳選したおすすめの日本酒をご紹介しています。日本酒は、日本の伝統的なお酒でありながら、その奥深い味わいと多彩なバリエーションで世界中で愛されています。弊社では、初めての方にも親しみやすいフルーティーでやさしい味わいの日本酒から、深みのある風味や個性豊かな銘柄まで、幅広いラインナップをご用意しています。shop-ikekame.com
An autumn junmai sake from Saga, made with Omachi rice and cosmos flower yeast. Matured over summer, it combines gentle rice flavour with refreshing acidity and can be enjoyed chilled or gently warmed.
- Prefecture
- Saga (佐賀)
- Style
- Hiyaoroshi (ひやおろし), autumn-matured
- Taste profile
- Umami
- Rice type
- Omachi (雄町)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 65%
- Yeast
- Cosmos flower yeast (コスモス酵母)
- Alcohol content
- 15%
- SMV
- +5.2
- Acidity
- 1.4
- Amino acidity
- 0.7
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Namazume (生詰酒), pasteurised once before storage
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Production date
- Autumn release; the 2026 release was announced on 7 August.
- Brewery
- Amabuki Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 天吹酒造
- Address
- 2894 Higashio, Miyaki-chō, Miyaki-gun, Saga Prefecture, 849-0113
- Phone
- 0942-89-2001
- Website
- Online store
天吹酒造ネットショップ
天吹酒造が花より分離した花酵母で醸す日本酒、酒粕を原料に粕取り焼酎 蒸留酒に果物やハーブの副材料を加え砂糖やシロップ着色料を加えて作るお酒を販売しています。amabukihanbai.com
Bottled directly after pressing, this unpasteurised, undiluted sake is made from Nagano-grown Hitogokochi rice. It combines rounded savoury flavour with citrus-like acidity and a slight natural fizz.
- Prefecture
- Nagano (長野)
- Style
- Genshu (原酒), undiluted
- Muroka (無濾過), unfiltered
- Taste profile
- Citrusy
- Umami
- Rice type
- Hitogokochi (ひとごこち)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 59%
- Alcohol content
- 17%
- SMV
- +3
- Acidity
- 2.1
- Amino acidity
- 1.2
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Namazake (生酒), unpasteurised
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Production date
- September 2026
- Brewery
- Daisekkei Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 大雪渓酒造株式会社
- Address
- 9642-2 Aisome, Ikeda-machi, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-8602
- Phone
- 0261-62-3125
- Website
Latest items
Japanese-learning web app offering kanji mnemonics and vocabulary with spaced-repetition review and guided everyday lessons with grammar and typed replies. The free tier includes all kana, three kanji levels and the first five Adventures lessons; paid plans offer more content.
History of the kimono illustrated with mostly 18th century examples.
English-speaking real estate agency for foreigners in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.
Maker of enzymes for pharmeceuticals, diagnostic medicines, and the food industry. Head office in Nagoya.
Japanese listed-company dividend and financial history based on EDINET filings, with sources and methodology. Not investment advice.
Hitachinokuni Ninja Academy is an outdoor activity and cultural experience centre in Hitachi-Ōta, Ibaraki Prefecture.
Construction contractor providing electric facility installations.
Japanese Hobby is a blog dedicated to learning Japanese through manga, books and other reading materials.
Visa information, historical relations, economy & trade, cultural exchange between Oman and Japan.
Visa information, bilateral relations.
Latest items
This is a fresh and surprising account of Japan's culture from the 'opening up' of the country in the mid-nineteenth century to the present.
- Author
- Christopher Harding
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Year of publication
- 1 August 2019
- Number of pages
- 528
- Price
- £12.99
- ISBN
- 978-0141985374
Minamoto Yoshitsune should not have been a samurai. But his story is a legend in this real-life saga.
This epic tale of warriors and bravery, rebellion and revenge, reads like a novel, but it is the true story of the greatest samurai in Japanese history.
When Yoshitsune was just a baby, his...
- Author
- Turner, Pamela S.
- Publisher
- Charlesbridge
- Year of publication
- 2016
- Number of pages
- 256
- Price
- USD 9.99
- ISBN
- 978-1580895842
History
Sekigahara 1600
Osprey's Campaign title for Sekigahara (1600), which was the most decisive battle in Japanese history. Fought against the ritualised and colourful backdrop of Samurai life, it was the culmination of a long-standing power struggle between Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hashiba Hideyoshi, two of the most...
- Author
- Anthony J Bryant
- Publisher
- Osprey Publishing
- Year of publication
- 1995
- Number of pages
- 96
- Price
- USD 25.00
- ISBN
- 978-1855323957
History
Samurai
This groundbreaking book, accompanying a major exhibition at the British Museum, challenges preconceptions of the samurai as a universal icon, tracing their fascinating history from medieval warriors to a global pop culture phenomenon.
- Author
- Buckland, Rosina/Benesch, Oleg
- Publisher
- The British Museum Press
- Year of publication
- 2026
- Number of pages
- 304
- Price
- GBP 40.00
- ISBN
- 9780714137018
An English translation of Shōsetsu Nihonshi (詳説日本史, 日B309), Japan’s most widely trusted high school history textbook, presenting a clear and accessible account of Japan’s past.
- Author
- 佐藤 信 (Editor), 五味 文彦 (Editor), 高埜 利彦 (Editor), 近藤 成一 (Consultant Editor, Translator), 亀井 ダイチ 利永子 (Translator), 亀井 ダイチ アンドリュー (Translator)
- Publisher
- 山川出版社
- Year of publication
- 23 March 2024
- Number of pages
- 512
- Price
- JPY 3,300
- ISBN
- 978-4634591165
Travel Book
Insider's Tokyo
Unravels hidden facts, fascinating stories, faces and places of Tokyo's ancient history and vibrant present
- Author
- Angela Jeffs
- Publisher
- Times Books International
- Year of publication
- 2001
- Number of pages
- 280
- Price
- JPY 1,406 (Amazon)
- ISBN
- 978-9812049117
This book is an introduction to significant people and events - cultural, social, political, and historical - spanning the beginning of the Kamakura period in 1185 through the end of the Edo (Tokugawa) period in 1868.
- Author
- WIlliam E. Deal
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year of publication
- October 3, 2007 (paperback)
- Number of pages
- 415
- Price
- £23.99
- ISBN
- 978-0195331264
Fiction
Three Assassins
A propulsive new thriller from the bestselling author of "Bullet Train"
- Author
- Kotaro Isaka
- Publisher
- Penguin Random House Vintage
- Year of publication
- 16 February 2023
- Number of pages
- 304
- Price
- GBP 9.99
- ISBN
- 9781529115512
Fiction
The Mantis
Good dad or good assassin? Can he be both?
- Author
- Isaka Kotaro
- Publisher
- Penguin Random House Vintage
- Year of publication
- 25 April 2024
- Number of pages
- 272
- Price
- GBP 9.99
- ISBN
- 9781529920666
Fiction
Bullet Train
Five killers. One journey. But who will survive?
- Author
- Isaka Kotaro
- Publisher
- Penguin Random House Vintage
- Year of publication
- 21 July 2022
- Number of pages
- 464
- Price
- GBP 8.99
- ISBN
- 9781529116267
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