The Japanese learned in school, in books, or other materials is what the Japanese call hyoujungo, or standard Japanese. Each region of Japan actually has its own dialect, hougen in Japanese, which still exists today more or less strongly depending on the areas and the generations. Kansai-ben is the most famous hougen. Spoken in the…
Japanese Pop Music Priest Explains Shinto in a Fun Way
Soushi describes himself as a pioneer among Shinto priests. During the day, he performs his duties at 17 different shrines. At night, he becomes the “Singing Shinto Priest,” a pop musician whose mission is to make basic Shinto principles more accessible to the public. According to Soushi, although the Japanese often go to shrines, most…
Updates: Discover our Online Farming Project
Dear readers, Since we received good feedback and signs of interest following our interview with Higa Farm, we have decided to collaborate with Masamichi and Sara Higa to offer you a new kind of experience: online farming! From now on, Kokoro Media will be renting a small parcel of land at Higa Farm to grow vegetables….
A Happier Life with Greens
As explained in this article, Kokoro Media has created a remote farming project which involves you readers. Here is what we are going to grow on the farm, and some answers to the comments you left us. Voting Results In our previous article, we asked you to vote for your favorite vegetables to grow on…
Senryu, Short Poems Full Of Japanese Humor
Having discovered these pearls of humor recently myself, I think it is a shame that senryu is not as well known as haiku, another sort of Japanese poem. Here is an introduction to senryu and its special humor, as well as a few examples that, I hope, will not miss to make you laugh. (All…
Fumiya, the Japanese YouTuber Who Became a Hit in the Philippines
With more than 2 million subscribers on his YouTube channel and a total of 4 million followers on his various social media, Fumiya is living the dream of many young people these days. While he was studying in the Philippines, one of his videos suddenly became viral, and a few months later, he joined as…
The Reason behind Japan’s 5 P.M. Chime
If you have been in Japan, you have probably noticed that at 5 p.m. every day, in most neighborhoods, a little music is broadcasted through speakers. Sometimes a voice is saying something in Japanese too. What is this music? What is its purpose? Is the phenomenon nationwide? Read on to find all the answers. Why…
Psychologist Ayako Ishida Talks about Mental Health in Japan
Ayako Ishida has been a psychologist in Japan for eight years. Highly motivated in helping others, she works as a school counselor and as a clinical psychologist at a hospital. Through helping her clients on a personal level, she is also a witness of social issues and changes in Japan’s society. In 2020, on top…
Gogatsubyo – Why Does Japan Have the Blues during May?
Every May, many Japanese people suffer from gogatsubyo, which literally means “May sickness.” Even if that is not an official Japanese medical term, it refers to a real seasonal affective disorder phenomenon. According to a study about stress done in 2018 by the life insurance company Zurich, one Japanese out of four has experienced gogatsubyo…
Ajisai and Asagao, Two Flowers of the Japanese Summer
Japanese people are famous for loving and admiring flowers in spring, during which they gather in parks all over the country to enjoy hanami, or cherry blossom viewing. However, this appreciation for flowers does not stop there, and Japanese people observe the blooming of flowers every season. During summer, they especially appreciate two sorts: ajisai…