Culture
Read about Japan, in Japanese
Short passages about festivals, daily life and food, written for learners. Japanese first, translation below, questions at the end.
36 readings
Annual events
New Year, Setsubun, Tanabata, Obon: the events that mark the Japanese year.
Oshogatsu: New Year, osechi and otoshidama
The most important holiday in Japan: osechi dishes with a wish in every item, and the otoshidama money children look forward to. JLPT N5 reading with translation.
Setsubun: throwing beans to chase away demons
"Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi": the early-February bean-throwing custom and why people eat as many beans as their age. JLPT N5 reading with translation.
Hinamatsuri: the Doll Festival for girls
Hina dolls, peach blossoms and chirashi-zushi: how families wish for girls' healthy growth on March 3. JLPT N5 reading with translation.
Kodomo no Hi: Children's Day and koinobori
Carp streamers swimming in the May sky and kashiwa-mochi: the May 5 holiday that celebrates children's growth. JLPT N5 reading with translation.
Tanabata: writing wishes on the Star Festival
Why people hang wishes on bamboo on July 7, the tale of Orihime and Hikoboshi, and how the custom spread. JLPT N4 reading with translation.
Obon: welcoming the spirits of ancestors
The summer days when ancestors are said to return home, the welcoming and sending fires, and why the dates differ by region. JLPT N4 reading with translation.
Tsukimi: moon viewing in autumn
Dango and pampas grass under the harvest moon: what the offerings mean and why tsukimi is a night of thanks. JLPT N4 reading with translation.
Omisoka: New Year's Eve in Japan
Toshikoshi soba and the 108 temple bells: how the Japanese close out the year on December 31. JLPT N4 reading with translation.
Hatsumode: Japan's first shrine visit of the year
Why the Japanese visit a shrine or temple in early January, where the custom came from, and how railways helped it spread. A JLPT N3 reading in Japanese with translation.
Hanami: how cherry-blossom viewing began
From plum blossoms in the Nara period to Edo-era picnics under the cherry trees: the history of hanami, in Japanese with translation (JLPT N3).
Bon odori: Japan's summer festival dance
Where the circle dance of summer festivals comes from, why it happens around Obon, and why anyone can join. JLPT N3 reading with translation.
Shichi-go-san: celebrating children at 3, 5 and 7
The November shrine visit for children, the old rites behind each age, and the meaning of chitose-ame candy. JLPT N3 reading with translation.
Daily life and manners
Shoes at the door, bowing, trains, gifts and baths: everyday customs you meet living in Japan.
Taking off your shoes at the genkan
Why Japanese homes have a step at the entrance, why shoes come off, and how to line them up neatly. JLPT N5 reading with translation.
Ojigi: how to bow in Japan
Light, medium and deep bows: when to use each, and why a deeper bow shows a stronger feeling. JLPT N5 reading with translation.
Ofuro: the Japanese bath and its rules
Wash before you soak and keep the towel out: why the bathtub is for warming up, not washing. JLPT N5 reading with translation.
Itadakimasu and gochisosama
What the Japanese say before and after a meal, and the gratitude behind the words. JLPT N5 reading with translation.
Train manners: phones and priority seats
Why people avoid calls on the train, what "manner mode" is, and who the priority seats are for. JLPT N4 reading with translation.
Gomi no bunbetsu: sorting garbage in Japan
Burnable, non-burnable and recyclable: why the rules differ by city and what to check when you move. JLPT N4 reading with translation.
Temiyage: bringing a gift when you visit
What to bring, when to hand it over, and why you take it out of the paper bag first: Japanese gift etiquette. JLPT N4 reading with translation.
Onsen manners: how to enjoy a hot spring
Rinse before the bath and keep your towel out of the water: the shared-bath rules that make an onsen pleasant for everyone. JLPT N4 reading with translation.
Ochugen and oseibo: Japan's seasonal gift-giving
When to send summer and year-end gifts, what to choose, how much to spend, and how to say thank you. JLPT N3 reading with translation.
Nengajo: Japanese New Year cards
Where New Year postcards came from, when to mail them so they arrive on January 1, and what to send if you are late. JLPT N3 reading with translation.
Sento: manners at the public bath
How a neighbourhood bathhouse works, why you rinse before the tub, and what to do with your towel. JLPT N3 reading with translation.
Why Japanese trains are so quiet
No phone calls, quiet voices and orderly queues on the platform: the thinking behind everyday train manners in Japan. JLPT N3 reading with translation.
Food
Onigiri, miso soup, sushi, ramen and the ideas behind Japanese food.
Onigiri: Japan's rice ball
How onigiri is made, popular fillings like umeboshi and salmon, and why it is wrapped in nori. JLPT N5 reading with translation.
Miso soup: Japan's everyday soup
How miso soup is made, why every family's tastes different, and where the bowl goes on the table. JLPT N5 reading with translation.
Chopstick manners in Japan
Sashibashi, mayoibashi and other things not to do with chopsticks at the table. JLPT N5 reading with translation.
Bento: the Japanese lunch box
What goes into a bento, what a "kyaraben" is, and when people take one along. JLPT N5 reading with translation.
Ramen: from Chinese noodles to Japan's favourite
Soup, noodles and toppings, regional styles like Sapporo miso and Hakata tonkotsu, and instant ramen. JLPT N4 reading with translation.
Sushi: from narezushi to nigiri
How sushi began as fermented preserved fish and became Edo's fast food. JLPT N4 reading with translation.
Japanese green tea: sencha, hojicha and matcha
How each kind of green tea is made, how it tastes, and when people drink it. JLPT N4 reading with translation.
Wagashi: traditional Japanese sweets
Sweet bean paste, seasonal shapes and why wagashi is eaten before bitter matcha. JLPT N4 reading with translation.
Shun: eating with the seasons in Japan
What "shun" means, the stages hashiri, shun and nagori, and how Japanese food shows the season on the plate. JLPT N3 reading with translation.
Dashi and umami: the base of Japanese cooking
Kombu, katsuobushi and the discovery of umami: why combining the two makes dashi taste even stronger. JLPT N3 reading with translation.
Kyodo ryori: Japan's regional dishes
Ishikari nabe, kiritanpo, oyaki, katsuo no tataki, and why the "100 best local dishes" list has only 99. JLPT N3 reading with translation.
Teishoku: the Japanese set meal
Rice, soup, a main and pickles served together: where set meals came from, what a noren means, and the words said before and after eating. JLPT N3 reading with translation.
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