The New Year is undoubtedly the most anticipated and important holiday for the Japanese. It is a long celebration that runs December 31 to January 3. During this period, all sorts of ceremonies and customs are practiced. Here’s a fascinating one: the hanging of Shimekazari on top of the house entrance to prevent bad spirits from Read more …
Japanese Culture
One of the traditional foods served during shōgatsu, or Japanese New Year, is mochi. This delectable rice cake is made of glutinous rice pounded into a paste and formed into shape. Mochi is so versatile that it can be added to soups, turned into mochi ice cream, or filled with ingredients like red bean paste or Read more …
How To
The New Year is almost here, and people all over the world are excited to greet it in their own ways. In Japan, the New Year (正月 shōgatsu) is the most significant holiday in the year. Preparations begin days beforehand in honor of the occasion. Japanese New Year is celebrated on January 1, but that has not Read more …
Japanese Culture
We want to wish everyone Happy Holidays and best wishes for a wonderful New Years!
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Many people who visit Tokyo are not aware of the places seldom visited by tourists. These places are usually overlooked yet can be interesting areas to visit. They somehow tell us more about the culture and ways of a country. Ochanomizu Station | kanjiroushi Ochanomizu is a neighborhood in Tokyo that not many tourists know about. Its Read more …
Travel in Japan
This 1954 film by director Ishiro Honda is widely understood as an allegory for the devastation wrought on Japan by the atomic bomb. This is not Godzilla, the later remake starring Raymond Burr, but the original black-and-white version in Japanese. It is a stunning film, even with its hokey visual effects. First, for a well-rounded Read more …
Japanese Culture
If you’re planning to study at the KCP International Japanese Language School in Tokyo, Japan, you might be curious about our Ikebukuro dorm and its surrounding area. Jessica Dales, one of our Fall term students from affiliate school Elizabethtown College, gives us an insider’s view through her photos and descriptions. A room in the Ikebukuro Dorm with Read more …
Student Views
A decade ago, I had the opportunity to work in a Japanese Ramen restaurant. The cold weather as of late has brought back fond memories of learning secret family recipes of delicious ramen and curry that is perfect for getting warm. It also allows me to be thankful for the friends I made among the Read more …
Japanese Culture
Popular culture, or pop culture, is generally considered the sum of concepts, ideas, attitudes, icons, and trends that are embedded in the lives of mainstream society. Japanese pop culture has its own distinct characteristics that make it hugely appealing. For one, it celebrates modern trends and perceptions of the general populace while staying connected with traditional Read more …
Trends
KCP students may be known for thirsting for excellence in the Japanese language, but they are also a creative bunch, skilled in several other areas, like music. (Did you know, music and language skills often go together?) A few days ago, KCP held an event for students to perform what they had practiced in their Read more …
For KCP Students
