It has been said that Japanese is difficult to learn, but perhaps not as difficult as you would think. Whilst it may take a while to come to terms with the huge differences between Japanese and English, the spoken language is actually pretty simple, and the written language can be learned very successfully with a little hard work and logical planning. Obviously more difficult than most European languages, but probably easier than other "exotic languages", the lack of tones is a blessing for westerners.   The Japanese Language Is Not Difficult...? If looked at from a linguistic point of view, Japanese is considered one of the easier languages for a beginner to learn. It has a simple pronunciation scheme and with few exceptions a straightforward set of grammatical rules. Limitations on sentence structure are also quite minimal. The most difficult aspect of learning Japanese is the mastery of the reading and writing of kanji.   Features An interesting characteristic of Japanese is that it is spoken differently if the speaker is a man, woman, or child. There are, for example, many different words for "I", and which version you use depends on which category you fall. An even more confusing aspect is that the speaker must choose the appropriate words depending on the relationship between oneself and the conversant. Another aspect of Japanese that may be hard for foreigners is that there are quite a few Japanese words that are pronounced the same but have different meanings.   Let's talk to Japanese Traditionally the Japanese ...

The Japanese government has announced measures to limit the number of overtime employees can do – in an attempt to stop people literally working themselves to death. The Japanese may finally get to spend less time at work, but that doesn't mean they'll use it for shopping. The government is taking aim at the workforce's reputation for long hours, proposing fresh legislation limiting over time, potentially to 45 to 60 hours a month. While working to the point of collapse is associated with Japan, the phrase death from overwork has burrowed into the languages of other Asian countries where employee rights are seemingly weak. There was one such death every 12 days on average in Japan between 2010-2014, official statistics show.   Karoshi Death by overwork is common in Japan where it is known as 'karoshi' The country has the first-longest working hours in the OECD: employees clocked an average of 2,113 hours in 2015, 43 days more per year than the OECD average. The government, businesses, and unions want to reduce this to 1,800 hours by 2020. A recent health ministry report found Japanese slept even less in 2015 than they did in the pressurized 1980s. Corporate Japan’s long-term shift to employing more part-time workers has served to increase the workloads on full-time staff.   Japanese work culture is, however, infused with an idea that exhaustion is more virtuous than excellence — a position that has suited larger companies just fine. Reform attempts are underway. There is an existing policy to name and shame ...

Energy drinks are drinks that contain large doses of caffeine and other legal stimulants. It seems that we have now entered a generation where energy drinks have become so popular among Japanese teenagers and young adults. Japan has become a really busy and active society. Working hours tend to be long and Japanese people depend on coffee or energy drinks that both contain caffeine to start their day. Caffeine stimulates your nervous system, giving you energy and causes you to feel more alert of your everyday surroundings, and gives you that extra energy if you have had a lack of sleep. While some of these drinks contain Chinese herbs and medicines, the nutritional contents generally don't stray too far from popular energy drinks like Red Bull mainly containing water-soluble caffeine, vitamins (primarily B-series), taurine, and niacin. Popular brands of energy drinks in Japan. Lipovitan D Pro S-Cup E Tough Man Oronamin C Tiovita Here is a mini-review on some of the popular energy drink brand market leaders.   Tiovita 2000 Tiovita 2000 is an energy drink sold by the Taiho Pharmaceutical Company. It is part of the lineup of the company's Tiovita energy drinks. It comes in a 100ml bottle. Some of the more popular and engaging drinks include the sports drink range. Tiovita's ingredients are - 2000mg of taurine, 20mg of nicotinamide, 5mg of vitamin B1, 5mg of vitamin B2, 5mg of vitamin B6, 100mg of carnitine, and 50mg of caffeine. Overall the taste is syrupy and has a slight medicine-like taste.   Lipovitan ...

Mount Fuji at 3776 meters, is Japan's highest and most prominent mountain. The mountain itself may look more attractive from afar than from close up, but the views on clear days and the experience of climbing through the early morning hours among hundreds of equally minded hikers from across the world are very rewarding and definitely worth trying once.   Mountaineering season Early July to mid-September is the official climbing season when the trails and mountain facilities are open. During this period the mountain is usually free of snow, the weather is relatively mild, access by public transportation is easy, and the mountain huts are operating. Anyone without much hiking experience is advised to tackle the mountain during the official climbing season. Climbing Mount Fuji is very popular not only among Japanese but also foreign tourists, who seem to make up more than a third of all hikers. busy season The high season for climbing Mount Fuji is during the school vacations which last from around July 20 to the end of August. The top end of the high season is reached during the Obon Week in mid-August when climbers literally have to stand in queues at some passages. While you may want to avoid the Obon Week, we believe that by avoiding the crowds in general, you would miss out on one of the most interesting aspects of climbing Mount Fuji, which is the camaraderie and unique experience of ascending the mountain among hundreds of equally minded people from across the world.   In ...

The Daruma doll, also known as a Dharma doll, is a hollow, round, Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. These dolls, though typically red and depicting a bearded man (Dharma), vary greatly in color and design depending on region and artist. Though considered an Omocha, meaning toy, by some, Daruma has a design that is rich in symbolism and is regarded more as a talisman of good luck to the Japanese. Daruma is one of the most popular talismans of good luck in modern Japan.   A brief history of the Daruma - Bodhidharma Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th/6th century AD. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Ch'an (Zen) to China. Little contemporary biographical information on Bodhidharma is extant, and subsequent accounts became layered with legend. According to one tradition, Bodhidharma gained a reputation for, among other things, his practice of wall-gazing. Legend claims that he sat facing a wall in meditation for a period of nine years without moving, which caused his legs and arms to fall off from atrophy. Another popular legend is that after falling asleep during his nine-year meditation he became angry with himself and cut off his eyelids to avoid ever falling asleep again. The current popular symbolism associated with Daruma as a good luck charm in part originated with the Daruma-Dera (Temple of Daruma) in the city of Takasaki (Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo). The parishioners would keep these charms to "bring happiness and ...